Feature image credit: @portraitsbysami
Picture this: you just spent a year and a half planning a wedding. Every single detail and dollar spent leads to this moment. You say “I do” and are ready to roll your suitcase into the sun, or in our case throw on a coat and head up north, and all of a sudden, life throws you a curveball. My husband and I had to cancel our two week honeymoon adventure due to COVID-19 and the social distancing efforts taking place in our country and around the world. We had two choices: feel bad for ourselves or make the best of it. This brought us to our current reality: a home honeymoon.
Our home honeymoon idea started as a joke. We started calling everyday activities like unpacking our suitcases and doing a load of laundry our honeymoon. Then, it clicked. How could we enhance our everyday activities to make them fun, romantic and entertaining? Whether you find yourself needing to plan a home honeymoon of your own or just want to use this time to reconnect, here are some ideas so you can stay sane with your partner and make romantic memories during this uncertain time.
To check out our Home Honeymoon adventure, check out my Instagram highlight HERE.
DIY Coffee Shop
Instead of programming the Keurig or coffee pot to have a fresh brew waiting for you when you get up and drinking it as you rush to get ready for your day, consider setting up a home coffee shop. There are endless recipes online that are easy to make and give you all of the barista vibes. Then put a biscotti or muffin on a cute plate and sit in your backyard to enjoy your cup of “cafecito” with your better half. You can play music on your phone and savor the notes of your cup of joe. Take this up a notch by setting up a coffee station in your home with sugar, syrups, cute mugs, etc. to enhance the mood.
Spa Day Vibes
Now is the time to bust out the lotions, bath bombs and Epsom salts. Fill up your bathtub (in a pinch you can also use a bucket!), light some candles, grab a bottle of wine and soak your feet together. Or, take turns and one of you can serve as the wait staff while the other takes a luxe bath at home. The “waiter” can bring treats, refill your cup, create the playlist and sit and chat with you and then the next day you can switch roles. After you are done, cozy up in the bathrobes you have hanging behind your door that you never use, or put on your comfiest pajamas.
Water Play at Home
It seems as though the moment we are told we cannot go out, us homebodies start to crave the outdoors! Our honeymoon was going to include luxe resort robes and spa days so we knew we wanted a relaxing feel during our home honeymoon. The solution: purchase a kiddie pool from Amazon or Walmart Pick Up, set it up outside and sip on a fun drink with your beau while catching some rays. You can set up a table with snacks too! If you cannot get a kiddie pool, sunbathing or running through a sprinkler will still get you outside and probably bring a ton of laughs. Another idea is ordering a pack of water balloons from Amazon and going to town.
Fashion Show
This one is out of the box but it is fun. First off, blast Eminem's “Cleaning Out My Closet” and go on a full-on wardrobe purge. Make a pile of “maybes” and try them on fashion show style with your partner. Get the music going, use a hallway or makeshift runway space and strut your stuff. Your partner can rate the outfits or be a commentator. This is a great way to organize your space, declutter and try something completely new together (laughs guaranteed).
Watch a clip of our home fashion show here!
Cooking Class
YouTube and Pinterest are FILLED with recipes and cooking ideas. Take a quick inventory of items you have in your pantry and fridge and get to cooking together. Working together will make you feel connected and you will enjoy the meal ten times more. Before you eat your creation, light some candles Lady and the Tramp style. You can dim the lights and put on some Michael Bublé to set the mood. I challenge you to put your phones away during this time and chat about the best part of your day or what you hope to cook together next!
Fitness Fun
Being cooped up in the house can lead to body aches, lack of energy and weight gain. A lot of gyms are closed and healthy habits are truly being tested. Stream a yoga class and try the moves in your living room. The Fitness Marshall has some fun dance workouts on YouTube that will be sure to bring the laughs. Set up an obstacle course or workout stations in your yard to get your blood pumping. The most important thing to do is move!
Social distancing, while uncertain and different, can serve as a great way to reconnect with yourself and with your partner. Take a break from social media, spend some quality together and make the best of this situation. Most importantly, stay well and follow the guidelines from the CDC.
Us newlyweds will be here, dreaming of our next adventure, while enjoying this one as home honeymooners.
Follow along with Stephanie as she shares life as a newlywed, rants about The Bachelor, gives book recommendations and more on her Instagram @givethatgirlasnack.
