While not being able to go out whenever we feel like it, not being able to have a romantic date at a favourite restaurant, is awful, and the impact that this wretched COVID-19 virus has had on virtually every part of our lives is a pain in the proverbial, the upside is that it has given us the gift of time to spend together if we are lucky enough to be confined to home with the love of our life.  Despite the circumstances, a little bit of creative planning can deliver tons of romance and fun without breaking the bank.

Make a "Date Night In" Jar

The idea is simple, independently of one another come up with ideas for what to do for a date night in, write it on a piece of paper, fold it, and pop it into a jar. Your idea might be as simple as cooking a particular meal together or watching a specific DVD. The basic principle is that it is a specific activity, not a generic one, so Watch [Name of Movie], rather than Watch a DVD. Of course, a movie on its own is not much of a date, so add to it in the same way as you would if going out to the cinema. Be creative! And make it an ongoing project, so the jar can be added to at any time, by either of you. Agree on how often you will dip into the jar - daily, weekly, whatever - and take it turn and turn about to do a lucky dip selection. And then follow the directions to have a great date night in.

Recreate your first date

It might take some ingenuity and creativity to "recreate" your first date while self-isolating at home, but that will just add to the fun.

Read The Five Love Languages together

Gary Chapman's book is available in print and e-book from many sources, so it won't be hard to get hold of a copy. You can also go to www.5lovelanguages.com and do the couples quiz. Get to understand one another's preferred love language. And then do something nice for one another using their preferred love language rather than you own.

Do a Jigsaw Together

Jigsaws, we are told, are essential activities! Be that as they may, doing a jigsaw together can be made even more romantic if you choose a scene that has a romantic connotation for you. Somewhere you've visited together? Where you are planning to honeymoon? Or a romantic couple photo of the two of you. Yes, there are businesses that will take a photo that you upload and turn it into a jigsaw puzzle. A 1000 piece puzzle could keep you busy for quite some time

Take self-isolating couple selfies

Both serious, and not-so-serious. Hold up signs with funny remarks on them, pose next to the window or door, do captions that refer to how many days, or comment about your postponed wedding (if relevant), for example "Still Isolating, Still in love", "See you at our wedding (date)", or take the mickey out of the sort of signs couples hold up in photo booths at weddings.

Borrow customs from earlier times

• If you loved Downton Abbey and similar walks into previous, more gracious, ages, borrow some customs. Turn off the devices. Dress up for dinner. Set a formal table with candles and flowers, or whatever you can find to substitute for them. Use your nicest things. Even if you're only having 2 minute noodles!
• Reinvent the Sundowner. As British ex-pats did in the colonies, gather on the verandah for drinks  and conversation at the end of the day.
  

Prepare and share a romantic picnic

Even if you have to spread the picnic rug on the lounge room floor!  Of course, if you have a balcony, or a garden, set up your picnic there. Dress up for it.

If you are already married, dig out your wedding vows

Turn down the lights, pour the wine, reminisce about your wedding day, and then renew them by reading them aloud to one another again.

If your wedding is future-dated work on your vows

Work on your vows, together. Talk about your relationship and how you plan to behave to one another throughout your marriage. You may have to do some negotiation, but that's fine. Relationships should be negotiated.

Take turns to set up a "Love You" scavenger hunt

It is simple as. Each clue starts "I love you because ... " with the rest being the clue as to where to find the next clue. Be creative about what you use to write the clues on. Can labels, cereal boxes, backs of old envelopes can all be cut up and used.

Take turns reading to one another

A romantic novel, poetry, a favourite book from childhood, or just the local newspaper. It is the act of sharing that makes it special and romantic.

Choose and use a personal handwashing song

Happy Birthday is commonly suggested as an easy way to time 20 seconds. But there are many other more romantic songs that will work. Choose one together. If it is one that you might use in your wedding ceremony, or as a first dance piece, so much the better.
 

Create a virtual mood board for your wedding

You're not going to be able to go out and pick up samples, for example, so troll the internet, grab and save relevant images, and put them together, either as print-outs stuck to an actual board, or as a document on your device.

Style your bedroom together

Using only stuff you already have! Extra points if you move into your bedroom things that have sentimental signficance.

If you have a workshop and some tools

Get serious about creating things for your postponed/planned wedding. If you can get hold of some used pallets, it is amazing what you can create with them. And there is no shortage of ideas and directions on the internet.

Make a wedding legal necessities folder

Gather together the documents you need to show your celebrant

• Proof of birth - either your birth certificate or your passport
• Photo ID - Passport, or Driver Licence/Proof of Age Card (you might want to keep your Driver Licence in your wallet!)
  
• Proof of Being Free to Marry - Divorce Certificate or Death Certificate of Previous Spouse

Download  the Notice of Intended Marriage and fill it in together. Put it in the folder until you're ready to lodge your Notice.

Pro-Tip. Lodging your Notice means giving your chosen celebrant your completed and witnessed Notice. You must sign it  Celebrant, or one of the qualified witnesses listed on page 4  The clock doesn't start ticking on the required full calendar month before you can get married until your celebrant accepts the form.

Create a #Hashtag

Couples commonly create a wedding hashtag that guests can use to help them gather together photos and social media posts about their wedding. There are a number of free online hashtag generators available. https://www.weddinghashtagwall.com/wedding-hashtag-generator is one of them. If you are planning your wedding do that. But even if you are not, why not create a #CoupleSelfIsolating personal #hashtag?

Express your love

Write, text, or video love letters to one another. It doesn't matter whether you write or speak, the important thing is to send a love letter that can be read, or listened to again and again. Here's a guide to writing a love letter

Please share your ideas

I'd love to hear how you are upping the romance while in lockdown. Please contact me to share your ideas and I'll add them to this blog (with attribution, of course)

Thanks for reading!