Top 5 Dating Ideas That Your Soulmate Will Really Love

Are you ready to give your spouse a date they’ll never forget?

Research shows that couples who consistently spend quality time together are less likely to get divorced. Date night can also boost romantic love that is commonly linked with new-relationship passion and excitement.

Whether you enjoy low-key dates at home or fancy nights out on the town, there is a perfect date night waiting to be had. By spending time with your spouse regularly you will strengthen your communication, boost chemistry, and banish marital boredom for good.

First Date Recreations

One fantastic date night idea is to recreate the circumstances of your first date. Go back to the same restaurants, order the same food, and experience the rush of ‘getting to know’ your spouse for the ‘first time’.

As a married couple, you already live together. But you can make this date night extra romantic by pretending that you don’t get each other so often.

While your wife is getting ready, run to the store and grab a bouquet of flowers. Dressed in your best, “pick her up” at your front door. Make reservations at the restaurant you first went to together and marvel in the nostalgia.

This is a great idea for a date night because it recreates that first-date, butterflies in your stomach romance that you had when you first got together. Studies also show that reminiscing is good for your health and can help reduce symptoms of depression, boost self-esteem, and heighten life satisfaction.

Another fun route you can take with this date idea is to try and recreate your date by playing ‘strangers’. When you pick your spouse up from your house, act as though you’ve literally just met them.

Learning about your spouse and asking get-to-know-you questions can help you get to know them on a much deeper level. Even if you’ve been married for many years, you’ll no doubt learn something new.

Free Date Night

Research shows that marital satisfaction is higher when spouses are best friends.

Studies also reveal that married couples experience lowered stress and greater happiness when they are spending quality time together. it doesn’t matter if you’re up in a hot air balloon or hanging out together at home.

This date is going to take place entirely in your home. Start the evening by cooking an amazing dinner together. This can be something as simple as making breakfast for dinner or spice things up and have fun in the kitchen by choosing a complicated French meal to make together.

Light candles and eat dinner at the table, tech-free. This will allow you to give each other your undivided attention.

After dinner, the night is yours to enjoy. Sit by the fireplace together or enjoy the sunset out on your back porch with a bottle of wine. So long as you are communicating and spending quality time together, the setting doesn’t truly matter!

Tourist for a Day Date

This day date is great for those who enjoy adventure by light but would prefer to be cuddled on the couch at home in the evening.

Do you live in a tourist town? If not, perhaps there is a tourist draw or beautiful scenic spot near your house.

If you live in Niagara Falls, for example, why not take your spouse out for a delightful lunch before playing tourist for the day? Go for a stroll by the thundering waterfall, go behind the waters, and marvel at the beautiful lights of the tourist center.

You don’t have to live near a wonder of the world to have a great faux-tourist experience on your day date. Go out for coffee and dessert together at a fancy restaurant or hit up a delicious brunch restaurant to start the day off.

After filling your bellies, head out to a great museum, art gallery, zoo, or aquarium in your area. Hold hands as you spend the afternoon learning together.

This is a great and interactive date idea that will surely boost communication between you and your spouse.

Dinner and a… Date Ideas

Dinner and a movie is a classic date idea for a reason. The dinner portion of the evening is designed to give you and your spouse an intimate setting where you can flirt, talk, and laugh together as a couple. Plus, who doesn’t like being treated to a delicious meal?

On the other hand, the movie portion of the evening serves as low-pressure entertainment for both parties. There is no pressure to carry on a conversation. Instead, you have a fun treat to look forward to!

Don’t feel like you have to see a movie as the entertainment portion of the evening. This can easily be swapped out for going to a concert, play, or festival in your area.

An Active Date

For this date, you and your spouse are going to be getting active together. Studies show that exercise is good for both your mental and physical health, which puts you in the best mood while you’re spending time with your sweetheart.

Cardio and strength training are great at-home or gym workouts, but there are many other great options for couples’ workouts if you take advantage of the weather.

SPRING: Ditch the treadmill and jog around your neighborhood or in the local botanical garden to take in the beautiful blooming flowers.

SUMMER: Go swimming, surfing, or kayaking together. You can also play volleyball at the beach.

FALL: Play soccer, baseball, or go for a hike together and look at all the beautiful leaves

WINTER: Go sledding, skating, skiing, or go to your local arena or rink and play hockey together.

Do you have trouble sticking to a workout schedule? If so, this romantic and active date idea might just be for you.

This study shows that participants were more likely to stay with their exercise routine for two years or longer so long as they were working out with a partner.

3 Popular Yet Non-Traditional Valentine’s Day Gifts for Men

Most people assume only women to get gifts from boyfriends or husbands on Valentine’s day. After all, men from around the world do dedicate this occasion to their sweethearts. However, many individuals are now breaking away from this traditional mindset. It may come as a surprise for them to know how many men now eagerly await gifts. Their wives or girlfriends have no intention of disappointing them. It gives them an opportunity to put their talents for shopping to the test. However, this doesn’t mean they find it easier to buy the right gifts for their better halves. After all, they don’t have a dearth of options to choose from.

What can women gift men on Valentine’s Day?

Experts say women need to remember an important fact. Buying Valentine’s Day gifts for men isn’t rocket science. They can easily buy the right one for their husbands or boyfriends. After all, they know them better than anyone else. However, these professionals do admit they may find it difficult to do so in the beginning. Unlike their female counterparts, most men don’t expect something romantic for the occasion. However, they do like to celebrate the event by spending quality time with their better halves. They are perfectly happy with presents which are both practical and handy. This is the reason why their wives or girlfriends could consider buying them products always want. It is the ideal token of appreciation of their love, care and affection.

These specialists state women could consider giving their husbands or boyfriends the following three popular non-traditional Valentine’s Day gifts:

1. Food hampers with their favourite items

This is perhaps one of the most popular Valentines Day gifts for him. Women won’t go wrong with such presents. They can choose a basket containing their partners’ favourite items. This can include an assortment of biscuits, chocolates, gourmet nuts, alcoholic drinks and fruits. After all, most men tend to be ardent foodies. Most women have heard the saying ‘the best way to a man’s heart is through his stomach’. They can even search online for the right one.

2. Pampering treatment at a popular health spa

Most women are wrong to assume they are the only ones who love a good body massage. It can come as a shock to know their husbands or boyfriends like the same treatments. They could consider giving this gift.  Many popular spas offer special services for couples on this occasion. Many of these establishments even give exclusive discounts to all their clients.

3. Tickets to special events

There are very few men who don’t like going the theatres, music concerts or sports games. Buying tickets for such events is the best way women can show their care. They may even get the opportunity to go along with husbands or boyfriends. This is the best way they can spend time together.

Women don’t need experts to tell them how the importance of Valentine’s Days. It gives them a chance to spend time with the men they love and making the occasion special. They also are showing their appreciation by giving them any one of the above three popular non-traditional gifts.

Happy & Healthy Marriage Advice Every Couple Should Use

Tying the knot is easy, it’s staying married that is the tricky part.

In order to be successful, you and your spouse must learn to compromise, respect each other, and communicate. Don’t let yourself forget how important your partner is to you.

If you want to have a happy, successful married life, then read on and learn the 10 best tips for a healthy marriage that every couple should be following.

1. Always Put in the Effort

Getting married shouldn’t mean that end of dating – each other, obviously!

Putting in the effort to schedule a fun, sexy, or romantic date night is all about making your partner feeling loved, adored, and desired. These are important aspects of any healthy marriage.

Studies reveal other benefits of date night as well, such as heightened sexual and emotional intimacy, boredom prevention, and deeper communication.

2. Build Lasting Trust

Trust is one of the most important parts of any healthy marriage.

Your partner should be the person you can tell your deepest secrets to without every worrying that they will judge you or share your stories with anyone else. Trust also means living with confidence that your spouse would never do anything to betray you nor you them.

3. Play Like Friends

In a study about what makes a marriage last, treating a spouse like a best friend rated as one of the biggest indicators of success. Research also indicates that couples who laugh together regularly are more likely to stay together than those who do not.

Your best friend is the first person you think to call when something exciting happens. They are the person you want to go to concerts with, the person you trust, and the person who can always make you laugh. So, why shouldn’t this person be your spouse?

4. Don’t Expect Perfection

Part of having a healthy married life is about having realistic expectations about your partner and loving them for who they are, not who you wish they would become.

People naturally mature as they grow older. They grow and change in various ways. Perhaps they even quit bad habits such as smoking or staying up all hours of the night. Your spouse may change their opinion about getting a pet, decide they actually do want kids, or may even change careers after marriage.

But, those are their own decisions. While you have every right to weigh in, offer you opinion, and give support as a spouse – thinking that you can be the cause of change in your partner is a fruitless challenge that will only leave you shaking your head.

5. Maintain Your Sex Life

Sex is arguably the biggest way in which couples bond both emotionally and physically. The oxytocin released during intercourse is largely responsible for stress-reduction, mood elevation, and is the biggest predictor in heightened emotional intimacy in married couples.

An active sex life also promotes bonding, and is scientifically shown to deepen trust.

Plus, it’s fun.

6. Pursue Separate Interests

Just because you’re married doesn’t mean you always have the same interests. It is just as important to pursue separate interests as is it to share hobbies and goals.

Maintaining solo hobbies and social lives will help each spouse hang onto their sense of self outside the relationship. In turn, this confidence will strengthen the marriage bond.

7. Do New Things Together

According to twentieth century philosopher Rudolf Steiner, people change their opinions and interests every seven years. So, if the changing of body and mind is inevitable, do your utmost to ensure you and your spouse are changing and growing in the same direction.

One way you can do this is by sharing new things together. Take up a class, instrument, language, or start a new hobby like exercising or photography. By taking up these challenges together, you’ll be able to deepen the connection in your married life.

8. Be Partners

Your spouse is not simply the person you married, they are your partner. By marrying them it means that you have entered into a partnership, so always treat it like one. Decisions are made together, issues are talked about respectfully, and each spouse’s feelings, thoughts, and opinions are to be treated with care.

Just like in a business, you and your spouse are working toward the same goal together in order to profit your relationship.

9. Learn to Compromise

This step may be difficult for those who are used to getting what they want. But, being in a marriage means melding two different lives together. As with any couple, this is bound to cause you two to butt heads every once in a while. This is where the art of compromise comes in.

Marrying the love of your life means everything isn’t always about you anymore. You are building a family together as partners, not enemies. Learn to pick your battles. Decide what is important to you and what isn’t worth your instance.

10. Don’t Go to Bed Angry

This age-old advice had been around for decades for a reason. Going to bed angry is a hurtful thing to do to both partners. You’ll end up losing sleep, hurting your spouse for your lack of communication and understanding, and be hurting your brain in the process. Literally.

Studies prove that by going to bed angry, you are actually encouraging your brain to hold onto negative emotions that will be harder to get rid of then if you had simply called a truce before bed.

Sure, there are some issues that could be put on hold until morning, but you should always strive to kiss and make up before bedtime.

Being married is a rewarding adventure, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t bumps along the way. By following these 10 tips, you’ll be setting yourself up for a healthy marriage for years to come.

10 Out Of The Ordinary Floral Arrangements Your Lover Would Love

Because Bouquets Are So Passé.

If you’re surprising your lover with flowers, chances are you’re going to grab a presentation-style bouquet, which is pre-selected in a flower shop or local supermarket. Presentation bouquets generally look like this: a bunch of flowers tied together and typically adorned with dry waxed paper or floral tissue, jutte fabrics, and mesh ribbons.

They are nice and convenient, but they can be, well, clichéd and predictable – especially if you’re giving it to a long-term spouse whom you’ve been giving bouquets for years.

Don’t get me wrong – there’s nothing sweeter than receiving a handheld bouquet filled with vibrant and freshly-picked flowers of your taste. But wouldn’t it be nicer to receive flowers that have a dash of creativity and personality into it?

If you’re sending flowers for your wife, girlfriend, or special someone but you want to elevate your usual handheld bouquet and give something unexpected, here are 10 wonderful ideas to keep in mind.

1. Put ’em in a Quaint Teapot

If your wife loves both tea and flowers, then an English country garden-inspired teapot full of blooms is the best way to go. A lovely arangement of roses, daisy, and poms in feminine pastel-hued pots would definitely brighten up their day.

2. Or a Rustic Watering Can

For a rustic, “fresh from the garden” look, use rustic watering cans. The pale, timeworn look of watering cans add charm to the arrangement of vibrant blooms. You may also loop wire around the handle so it can be hung on the door for a beautiful display.
You may use the same approach for ceramic mugs, painted bottles, and vividly-colored jars.

3. Your Grandma’s Vintage Canisters

Love metals and vintage prints? Your recipient would definitely love blooms in old, vintage canisters. They come in different designs, from old-fashioned floral patterns to 50s-inspired typography and poster signages. Even vintage soup and coffee tin canisters elevate your floral arrangement.

4. Beautifully Trapped in Old Lanterns

Forget conventional vases and put old lanterns to use. Antique lanterns make romantic flowers arrangements, like roses, baby breath, and foliage, even dreamier. They also make a nice centerpiece for one’s home.

5. Bloom-filled Wooden Crates

If your recipient loves a wild arrangement of pretty pastel flowers, then wooden containers, like crates, would make perfect vessels. Aside from roses, flowers like hydrangeas, lisianthus, and snapdragons look stunning on crates.

6. Flower and Fruit Mix Basket

Bouquets usually come with a box of chocolates and other confectioneries , but wouldn’t it be nice if you give something sweet but healthier? Pair your fresh blooms with sweet edibles, that are also freshly picked – fruits. Flowers and fruits go well with each other since they’re both vibrant plants. They also make great “get well soon” gifts for a lover or friend who needs healthy munchies to recover.

7. Pretty, Mini Bouquets

Who doesn’t love mini versions of anything? Be creative enough to turn smaller  floral varieties into cute mini bouquets. You may scrimp on size but never on beauty, since they look lovely when attached to greeting cards and love letters for your special someone.

8. Classic Heart-Shaped Floral Arrangement

If you’re overly cheesy and romantic, you can never go wrong with the classic heart-shaped floral arrangement. A heart-shaped arrangement of roses, which may come in one solid color or multi-color, make a perfect gift for Valentine’s day, wedding anniversary, and your loved one’s birthday.

9. Whimsical Floral Wreath

Giving a floral wreath is one splendid way to opt out of handheld bouquet without losing the sweet gesture of “giving flowers for your love.” Floral wreaths look amazing, whether they are in bold and vibrant hues or pretty pastel hues. For a more earthy appeal, use a grapevine wreath and adorn with your recipient’s favorite flowers. They make a lovely door and wall decoration.

10. Umbrella Bouquet

Don’t throw your broken umbrella yet! You can fill it with your love’s favorite blooms, tie it with some pretty ribbons, and tada – you have a beautiful bouquet that looks quirky and out of the box! It’s multi-purpose too – you can use the handle for hanging the blooms and using it as a wall or door décor.

Author Bio: Carmina Natividad is one of the writers for The Relationship Room, a couples psychology institution specializing in relationship counseling and therapies for couples and families.

5 Valentine’s Day Gifts Perfect for Him

Girls it’s that time of the year again, February the 14th is approaching and fast. Don’t wait for the last second to get your partner the perfect Valentine’s gift. He might not realize that you’ve made a last minute purchase, but let’s be honest it won’t be half as good as something you have invested a lot of time and consideration into.

Now to get you started on your shopping journey here are five great gift ideas for your loved one.

Beard grooming kit

If you have a dapper man by your side, chances are he is proudly dawning his carefully groomed beard. Now, what better way to show your appreciation for the time and effort he puts into having the perfect beard then to get him a quality beard grooming kit. There are a few essentials that this gift needs to contain in order for it to really impress him. First and most importantly it needs a beard comb, preferably rosewood, next, a selection of quality beard oils and waxes, and finally a great wooden box to keep it all in. An there you have it, an ideal Valentine’s gift for your bearded man.

Beer brewing kit

One of the biggest trends sweeping the male populations these days is craft beer. By opting for a beer brewing kit you will allow your man to make his own. This is such a great gift, it is both manly and empowering, and the best part is, he won’t see it coming. A gift of beer is always a great gift especially if your man is a beer lover. You could even go a step further and get him everything he need for DIY beer bottle label making so that when he finishes his first batch he can customize the bottles and share a few with his friends.

Gym gear

If your man loves sports and going to the gym, a Valentine’s day gift along those lines is a must. You should consider browsing websites like Ryderwear UK to find quality gym clothing that would be ideal for your man. In addition to sports wear you should also opt for some exercise equipment. First get familiar with what he usually uses, and try to figure out what he’s missing, that way he will appreciate your gift even more. You can even offer to join him for a few training sessions just to make the gift a bit more special.

A great pair of tickets

Depending on your man’s preferences you can get him tickets for his favourite band’s concert or a sports match. Whether it’s soccer or basketball, just make sure his team is playing on home turf because it will make it that much more exciting. You can go together and have a great time. He’ll appreciate your willingness to do an activity dear to his heart. You can even make the gesture that much more romantic if you present him with the gift while wearing the T-shirt with the name of the band or his favourite team’s jersey. This will definitely be a perfect Valentine’s day gift.

Some stylish accessories

If your man is fashionable and cares about his style, then a few carefully selected accessories might be the perfect gift. You can opt for a quality leather belt or a fashion forward scarf. If you truly know his preferences then you can even go as far as getting him a great pair of sunglasses or a modern hat. Basically anything to complement his style, and to show him that you notice the time and effort he puts into looking that good.

There you have it, five Valentine’s day gift ideas that are sure to make your man happy. But more importantly they will show him that you care, and that’s what this holiday is all about.

Creative Ways Of Incorporating Valentine’s Day Into Your Wedding

Valentine’s Day is all about love and bliss. The best way to bring color and love to a wedding is borrowing a valentine’s theme into a wedding. Below are ideas on how best to chip in a Valentine’s Day feeling into a wedding: –

Shout Valentine’s with flowers

Valentine’s Day is all about flowers, and gifting them, so a wedding can easily catch a Valentine feel by incorporating lots of red and white rose flowers. Another option can be making use of non-flower pieces, an example of the glamorous red-tinted Integrifolia, which is usually a narrow red foliage.

Play sweet love music

Music can be played from a record, or the wedding planners can hire a live music band. The music should be smooth and not as loud as music from other events. This music creates a love ambiance, which is the main characteristic of Valentine’s Day.

Borrow color combinations from Valentine’s

The main valentine day colors are red and pink, which are used as the primary colors for love. Wedding planners can use red or pink as the theme color of the wedding, including all the floral parts such as the centerpiece. They can then throw in a black with a red tie and pocket piece for the groom. These colors not only give the wedding a valentines touch, but also the feeling of love.

Add creative lighting

Lighting can be done creatively, such as glass covered candles lining up the center of the dining tables. The candles can be complemented with red roses for the completely natural look, and also the candle-lit dinner touch. One can also incorporate lightly glowing LED lights, especially in the dance area.

Invitation card

The first way of creating a Valentine mood is incorporating the feeling in the invitation card. This can be done by the design of the card, choosing pink or red as the predominant color, and giving the card a heart shape. The message on the card should be smooth too, such as “Come celebrate love with us” instead of the usual “We invite you to our wedding”.

A Valentine-themed menu

Normal wedding menus have heavy meals, but a valentine themed wedding should incorporate valentine like meals. This includes incorporating a lot of finger foods, such as chocolate bars, cupcakes, and oyster bars. These foods can be laced with chocolate and candy bars in red or pink wrappings for the ultimate romantic table.

Tiny gifts for guests

During the evening party, the couple can make tiny gifts such as chocolate pieces wrapped in a red or pink wrapping. This wrapping can have a special romantic message, thanking the guests for the visit.

Red or pink balloons

Weddings have ballooned as a form of decoration, though they are often round shaped and mixed bright colors. A Valentine-themed wedding can involve heart-shaped balloons, which are either pink or red in color, which gives the wedding a general Valentine’s Day allure.

Incorporating valentines into your wedding should be more exciting than confusing, if these points were to be followed.

Tips for Decorating Valentine’s Bedroom Decoration

The day of celebrating of love among couples and lovers in referred to as Valentine’s Day. Valentine’s Day is celebrating on 14th of February every year. This day is named after 2 early Christian martyrs named Valentine. Almost every corner of the world is celebrating Valentine’s Day.Continue reading

14 Love Songs for Valentine’s Day

“Music is the language of the soul,” so one quote goes. And it’s true. Nothing quite captures the mood we’re in more than lyrics accompanied by an infectious melody. When Miley Cyrus went through her break-up with Liam Hemsworth, she wrote the song “Wrecking Ball”, where she intimately shares that she never for anyone to get hurt anyone, but in the end, that is still what happened.

When we’re down, we either play music to accompany the emotions we’re going through or use it as a pick me up, listening to ditties that make us cheerful and happy. Likewise, when we feel as if we’re in love with someone, nothing sums up that expression more than love songs. Continue reading

7 Romantic Ideas for a Valentine’s Day Wedding

Move aside, June and December brides and grooms. Now, there are more and more couples setting their wedding day in February—on Valentine’s Day itself. How perfectly romantic can that go? Extremely. With that come high expectations as well. In this article, we will tackle about 7 romantic ideas for a Valentine’s Day Wedding.

 7 Romantic Ideas for a Valentine’s Day Wedding

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Don’t Bore Her to Death on Valentine’s Day: 3 Ways to Inspire Her Love

You love her, right? Then think about the real meaning of Valentine’s Day. February 14 is a day designed for you to show the woman in your life just how much you love her (and the other way around, but that’s another article). It’s a safe bet that your relationship is not like any other in the history of the world, so why rely on cliché gifts that millions of other guys are going to buy? Thirty-one percent of adults who celebrate will buy a Valentine’s greeting card, so no matter how funny or sweet, your card won’t be unique. Instead of falling in line with all the other guys who feel like they have to buy something just because it’s the 14th of February, give her gifts and services that mean something to the two of you. That’s the way to show her how much you love her.

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