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20 Out of the Box Date Ideas

September 30, 2014 | lexi

Cornelia Lietz Hochzeitsreportagen Photo by Cornelia Lietz Hochzeitsreportagen

Whether you’re planning something special for your anniversary, or just want to keep life interesting, we’ve compiled 20 date ideas to inspire you to create a date that you and your partner are bound to love! Check out our list, and leave a comment below with your own favorite date idea!

1. Picnic in the park

Pack a blanket and your favorite bottle of wine for a lazy day of people watching and enjoying time outside.

picnic Photo by Thomas Pellicer

2. Horseback Riding

Hit a trail on horseback for a laid back afternoon.

horsebackriding Photo by Ash Imagery

3. County Fair

A trip to the fair is a great excuse to eat fried food and act like a kid!

fair Photo by Michael Wachniak

4. Exercise together

Go on a jog or take a yoga class together. Bonus points if you can incorporate your pet like these two!

yoga Photo by Daniel Stark Photography

5. Board Game Night

Great for couples with a competitive edge, board game nights are inexpensive, provide hours of entertainment, and don’t even require a change out of your pajamas!

boardgame Photo by Ken Kienow

6. Canoeing 

Rent a kayak or canoe for a few peaceful hours on the water alone with your special someone.

canoe2 Photo by Taylor Lord Photography

7. Bike ride

Get some fresh air by breezing through your city’s streets on bicycle. If you want to try something unique, rent a tandem!

bikeride Photo by Gleason Photography

8. Have a water gun war

Get playful and cool down on a hot summer day with a couple of Super Soakers!

watergun Photo by Spencer Combs

9. Splurge on a weekend trip

Surprise your partner with plane tickets for a spur of the moment weekend trip! (Be sure their schedule is open before you book)

airplane Photo by Raheel Gauba of Fia Forever Photography

10. Act like tourists

Don’t have the time or money to travel the world? Spend a day exploring your own city like a tourist, and be sure to take lots of pictures!

tourist Photo by Adagion Studio

11. Get caricatures

Have a street artist draw caricatures of the two of you to be whimsically displayed in your home!

caricature Photo by Adagion Studio

12. Walk a dog

If you don’t have a pup of your own, borrow a friend’s, or volunteer together at your local animal shelter!

dogwalk Photo by Amanda Wilcher of Amanda Wilcher Photographers

13. Spend time outdoors

Climb a tree, take a hike, and enjoy each other’s company while getting some fresh air.

tree Photo by Ash Imagery

14. Go Rollerskating

Take it to the next level by dressing in sweat bands and 70’s attire as you zoom through a park or your neighborhood in a pair of super cool rollerskates.

rollerskate Photo by Ricki Ford

15. Take a Scenic Flight

Check out the aerial view of your favorite city by taking a scenic flight. Be sure to check Groupon for deals in your area!

scenicflight Photo by KLK Photography

16. Visit a Library

Make your inner nerd grin by spending your day together with your noses in books.

library Photo by Scobey Photography

17. Visit a Farm

Learn how to milk a cow and take home some fresh produce!

chickens Photo by Lauren Belknap of Callaway Gable

18. Browse through a record store

A perfect date for music lovers!

record Photo by DWJ Studio

19. Go to a football tailgate

Even if you don’t plan on going to the actual game, tailgates are fun and festive! Dress up in game-day gear, grill out, and sip your favorite brew while laughing at outrageous body paint on crazy fans.

football Photo by Matthew Moore Photography

20. Recreate your first date.

Laugh about how nervous you were and bask in nostalgia as you think of how far you’ve come since date #1.

date Photo by Heather Waksa Photography

Don’t forget to comment below with your own favorite date idea, and check out this Vancouver by Bike Engagement Photo Shoot for more date inspiration!

xoxo

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Beautifully Dark Styled Shoot

September 30, 2014 | Junebug Weddings

I am so incredibly in awe of Kym Ventola’s photography and creative mind. Straight from the pages of a fairytale, this beautifully dark styled shoot sought to capture the introverted bride in all her graceful, dreamy glory. It might just be me, but the look, feel, and message of this shoot remind me of Maleficent, or how I wish that movie had been styled and shot. I also can’t get over the gorgeous gown, veil, and crown from this shoot, they fit flawlessly with the forest setting.

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From the Photographer: “I was inspired to shoot after sunset in the woods of northern Arizona. I love things that are “Beautifully dark” and had been dreaming of this shoot for almost a year.
Many of my dearest friends are introverts and many of my sweet, beautiful brides describe themselves as introverts as well. I wanted to embrace that bride…remind her that it’s beautiful to be genuine and not fake a smile. There’s something incredibly romantic and eerie at the same time to shoot with this intention.
I hope you love this project as much as I do.”
“I chose to work with these specific artists because we all connected with how beautiful our world is at night. It’s a mysterious time of day, especially in the woods. It can be eerily quiet; your imagination runs wild with the slightest sound or movement. I’ve always loved the nighttime since I was little, and connected with being quiet, in the dark. I’m not a depressed or sad human being, I just find more peace at nighttime and it allows me to reconnect with myself in such a busy world. Ironically, I’m a very outgoing extrovert. I love being around people. It’s all about balance. ;) When I asked Jihan (the model) to be a part of this project, we talked over coffee about the emotion of the shoot and what we were looking to capture. She got it right away. I wanted HER to be her. No fake smiles. No fake laughter. Just the real her.”

The Photo Shoot Team:

Photography – Kym Ventola Photography
Makeup – Stephanie Nieheisel, SN Makeup Artist
Gown, Veil & Robe – Ouma
Model – Sarah Jihan
Stylist – Misha West
Crown – Xappaland
Jewelry – Frances Boutique
Undergarment – Free People

Thanks so much to Kym and her team of outstanding creatives for putting this breathtaking shoot together! If you’re looking for more woodland inspiration, check out Enchanted Woodland Bridal Style Shoot!

xoxoCarrie

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Nautical Inspired DIY Wedding in Maine

September 30, 2014 | Junebug Weddings

Emily Delamater Photography

Last Spring, I had the ultimate privilege to stand next to my oldest childhood friend and watch her marry her best friend and soul-mate. Drawing inspiration from all things nautical, this DIY wedding was relaxed, perfectly executed, and entirely sentimental. Their wedding was the ultimate celebration of love, filled with close family and friends, incredible food, and non-stop dancing – all captured perfectly by Emily Delamater Photography. I am beyond honored to share Jess and Tom’s nautical inspired DIY wedding with y’all today!

The Couple: Jessica and Tom

The Wedding: Laudholm Farm at Wells Reserve, Wells, Maine

The Inspiration: Since Tom and I are from different cities – we knew that our wedding would include travel for at least some of our guests. Instead of asking half the party to travel – we asked everyone to! Tom and I got married in Wells, Maine close to Ogunquit where Tom’s parents have a beach house. The inspiration for the theme and decor was a combination of laid back New England and nautical.

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The Couple Recommends: Honestly – we were so lucky! All of our vendors were super. Our guests raved about the food and that our band kept guests on their feet until the venue was literally kicking us out! I would HIGHLY recommend all of our vendors.

The Wedding Team:

Photographer: Emily Delamater Photography
Event Planner: Bride, with help from Blue Elephant Catering 
Ceremony and Reception Venue: Laudholm Farm at Wells Reserve
Invitation Designer: By Invitation Only
Catering: Blue Elephant Catering
Florist: Laurie Andrews Event Designs for Bouquets and Bouts, friends and family for reception flowers
Officiant: Lauren Snead – Rhythm & Light Ceremonies
Cake: Friend of the Bride
Wedding Dress: Watters from Madeleine’s Daughter
Hair & Makeup: Bei Capelli
Live Music: Bob Charet Band
Transportation: Ogunquit Trolley
Party Favors: Crowe’s Corporate Promotions
Rentals: One Stop Event Rentals
Rings: Cynthia Findlay

Thank you so much to Jessica and Tom for allowing us to publish their special day, it was incredible to be a part of it all!

Looking for some more DIY inspiration? Check out Jessica and Mark’s elegant DIY wedding!

xoxo

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