Darling, You Look Wonderful Tonight

What girl doesn't love slow dancing with her guy? A slow dance can be a quick and easy way to add a burst of romance to the end of a date night, or at anytime for that matter. It’s an easy way to reconnect physically and emotionally, and it doesn’t even involve any talking! The key to a perfectly romantic slow dance is picking the perfect song! It can be ‘your song’ or a song that’s lyrics say just what you are feeling in that moment. Songs move us and inspire us. Pick the right one and you can inspire your loved one with some serious romance! There are so many great songs out there, but here is a suggestion for 10 all-time great love songs :)

“At Last” …. Etta James

“When You Say Nothing At All“… Allison Krauss

“Unforgettable“… Natalie Cole & Nat King Cole

“Bless The Broken Road“… Rascal Flatts

“Can’t Help Falling In Love“… Elvis Presley

“The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face“… Roberta Flack

"Wonderful Tonight"... Eric Clapton

“When A Man Loves A Woman“… Percy Sledge

“The Way You Look Tonight“… Michael Buble

“Because You Loved Me“… Celine Dion

 

 

 

La la la,

Your Romance Concierge

 

 

 

 

www.romanticsurprise.weebly.com

Don't Look, Fate Can Only Find You

Sweet story Sunday! (Ahhh technically Monday, just a minute late) Just a little reminder that everything happens for a reason, and there is usually something good hidden in the bad

"Exactly 10 years ago today almost to the minute, I stopped at an intersection and a car rear ended me. The driver was a student at UF, just like me. He was cordial and apologetic. As we waited for the cops and the tow truck we chatted and started laughing together about all sorts of stuff. We exchanged numbers and the rest is history. We just celebrated our 8th wedding anniversary."


Sweet serendipity,
Your Romance Concierge


www.romanticsurprise.weebly.com

I Wanna Share Your Horizons and See the Same Sunrises

Alright everyone, here's a super simple date idea- and get this- it covers 12 dates in one!

The basic idea is that you’re going to be giving your honey a little “Passport to Love” kit.  They’ll use this kit to go on a different date with you every month for the whole year. The idea is to “travel the world” together, visiting a different destination each month. You can choose to actually go out and visit different cities, sites, or attractions near you, OR bring the different destinations to the comfort of your own home. (No babysitter? No problem!) With a little creativity, you can turn your living room or bedroom into another country and pretend like you’re going off on a spontaneous, whirlwind getaway.

In this kit you’ll include:

1- A card (So they know what this is all about. Just print it out a tie it around everything)
2- A travel itinerary (So they know which nights to reserve for you! Just print it out and fill in your departure date, time, & destination for each month)
3- A printable passport (So they can travel the world with you. Print it out, staple it together, and customize it with your honey’s pic and information)
4- Printable passport stamps (So you can record and remember all your travels! Print them out and tape them inside his passport each month as you visit different destinations.)
5- Printable airline tickets (Because that’s just fun. The online generator lets you totally customize it with your honey’s name, your chosen destination, and different airlines. You’ll want to make 12- one for each month!) 

Next, choose your destinations, fill out your travel itinerary, create your airline tickets, then surprise your special someone with a year's worth of creative, fun dates! You'll both love having something to look forward to each month.

Here are some destination ideas for inspiration:

France
- Make an easy Parisian picnic with french bread, gourmet cheese, fruit, and sparkling cider.
- Play some French cafe accordion music (you can play music online for free)
- Learn some French phrases, after all- it is the language of love.
- Watch a movie about France or that takes place in France. How about Les Mis, French Kiss, or Forget Paris
- If you really want to go all out: speak in a French accent, wear a beret, do your hair in a French twist, or paint your nails with a French manicure- hee hee.

China
- Order out Chinese food or make your own. Leave the forks in the drawer and try chopsticks.
- Make some Chinese paper lanterns
- Try your hand at writing Chinese characters
- Play some oriental music
- Watch Mulan, Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, or any Jackie Chan movie.
- Eat (or make) fortune cookies (If you put them in the microwave, they soften up and you can replace the papers with your own fortunes. Just fold them back up and hold until set again.)

India
- Forget chairs. Just throw some bright colored pillows on the floor.
- Turn out the lights, add candles, and Indian music for ambiance.
- Make Indian food or order out from a local Indian restaurant. Forget the utensils, eat with your hands.
- Bejewel each other with self-adhesive jewels, or get brave and apply Henna tattoos
- Watch a Bollywood movie or learn some Bollywood dance moves from YouTube.
- How about a magic carpet ride while you watch Aladdin? (hee hee) Or you can be his Genie and grant him 3 wishes.

Italy
- Make homemade pasta or pizza.
- Play some Italian music to set the mood (Andre Bocelli?) and speak in an Italian accent for fun.
- Get out some art supplies and channel your inner Michelangelo.
- For you “foreign film” how about: The Italian Job, Life is Beautiful, Under the Tuscan Sun, Roman Holiday, or Much Ado About Nothing.
- Enjoy some gelato.
- If you really want to go all out- go for a gondola ride. (I’m thinking blow-up raft in the swimming pool -lol)

Caribbean
- Go on a Caribbean cruise! To make your room like a cruise ship, fold a towel on the bed to make a swan. (They totally have tutorials online)
- Check your local dollar store for tropical decorations like tiki pictures, drink umbrellas, or grass skirts.
- Get dressed in your bathing suit, cover-up, and sunglasses like you’re on a real cruise.
- Play some island music. Try Kokomo by the Beach Boys or Escape (The Pina Coloda Song) by Rupert Holmes.
- Make an Island-themed dinner- like Hawaiian chicken with pina colodas or strawberry daiquiris.
- Limbo!
- Watch Pirates of the Carribbean.
- You can even put blue food coloring and a beach ball in the bathtub.

Greece
- Toga Party anyone?
- Cook some authentic Greek food. How about moussaka and baklava (or keep it simple with pita pizzas)
- Listen to Greek music and dance! (And if you really want to- break some old, glass dishes that you don’t care about. Opa! tee hee.)
- Watch “My Big Fat Greek Wedding”

Jamaica
-Give your spouse a note- “Jamaican me crazy- yah mon!” (Oooh- isn’t there a Jamaican me crazy Ben & Jerry’s ice cream??)
- Cook some Jamaican food- jerk chicken or boiled banana anyone?
- Turn into a Jamaican online radio station and listen to some reggae and calypso music.
- Put on an island shirt and do some island dancing!
- Play with hacki-sacks
- Watch “Cool Runnings”

Russia
- Make some Russian food. Try Borsch or Beef Stroganoff
- Forget the vodka, take shots of rootbeer
- Play Russian roulette with a cap gun. Or dress as mobsters. hee hee.
- Listen to some Russian music online and try to dance the Preesyadka (the Russian knee-bending, kick dance)
- Watch Anastasia or The Hunt for Red October
- Watch the Russian Ballet or Opera on YouTube

Germany

(perfect for an October date)
- Host your own Oktoberfest for two- serve bratwurst with mustard and sauerkraut
- Instead of beer and ale, serve mugs of rootbeer or gingerale
- For dessert, how about apple strudel?
- Better yet- host your own ChOktoberfest and serve German chocolate!!
- Listen to German music on Pandora and watch a German movie.

Egypt
- Write each other notes in hieroglyphics- switch and decode
- Create an archaeological dig site for your spouse using a sandbox and have them search for buried treasure (a love note or gift)
- Play Egyptian music (and walk like an Egyptian.)
- Make some Egyptian food: Chicken kebabs, lamb, fried zucchini, hummus and pita bread, or baklava
- Watch “The Mummy”
- If you want to go all out- dress up like Cleopatra and Ra (God of the Sun)

Ireland

(perfect for a March date)
- Turn your dining room into an Irish Pub (Lucky Charms for dessert? They’re magically delicious!)
- Dress in green
- Speak in an Irish accent
- Make a leprechaun trap
- Watch an Irish movie (Or how about “Leap Year?” That movie has some gorgeous scenes of Ireland.)

England
- Listen to some Beatles CDs
- Turn your dining room into an English Pub with fish and chips
- Or go more posh and serve crumpets and tea with a fancy hat
- Speak in a British accent (Jolly Good! Cheerio!)
- Watch a supporting event from the UK
- Play some croquet.
- Watch a movie that takes place in England or one with English actors. Sherlock Holmes or a good BBC movie.

Africa
- Make an African dinner (Sosaties, plantains, coconut milk, mango drinks, etc.)
- Gather all the plants in the house into one area to make an African jungle (Or just use your backyard and light tiki torches.) If you want add animals- stuffed animals.- Play some African music in the background
- Dress us like you’re ready for a safari (think khaki shorts, binoculars, etc.)
- Make African drums or tribal masks together, or “decorate” each other with tribal face paint.
- Watch Out of Africa, I Dreamed of Africa, To Walk With Lions, or even Madagascar.

Have fun with this! Happy travels! ;)

Love around the world,

Your Romance Concierge

www.romanticsurprise.weebly.com

What is Love?

Have you ever noticed that sometimes kids have more wisdom than you would expect? They are always brutally honest, and I think their innocence almost makes them smarter, because their thoughts aren't clouded by doubt and worry and stress. Here are some answers children gave when they were asked "What is love?". I think these are some of the simplest, yet best descriptions of what love is, and they make me smile :)

“Love is when my mommy makes coffee for my daddy and she takes a sip before giving it to him, to make sure the taste is OK.” Danny - age 7

“When my grandmother got arthritis, she couldn’t bend over and paint her toenails anymore. So my grandfather does it for her all the time, even when his hands got arthritis too. That’s love.” Rebecca - age 8

“When someone loves you, the way they say your name is different. You know that your name is safe in their mouth.” Billy - age 4

“Love is when a girl puts on perfume and a boy puts on shaving cologne and they go out and smell each other.” Karl - age 5

“If you want to learn to love better, you should start with a friend who you hate,” Nikka - age 6

"Love is when you go out to eat and give somebody most of your French fries without making them give you any of theirs.” Chrissy - age 6

“Love is what makes you smile when you’re tired.” Terri - age 4

“There are two kinds of love. Our love. God’s love. But God makes both kinds of them.” Jenny - age 8

“Love is when you tell a guy you like his shirt, then he wears it everyday.” Noelle - age 7

“Love is what’s in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening presents and listen,” Bobby - age 7

“Love is like a little old woman and a little old man who are still friends even after they know each other so well.” Tommy - age 6

“During my piano recital, I was on a stage and I was scared. I looked at all the people watching me and saw my daddy waving and smiling. He was the only one doing that. I wasn’t scared anymore,” Cindy - age 8

“My mommy loves me more than anybody. You don’t see anyone else kissing me to sleep at night.” Clare - age 6

"I let my big sister pick on me because my Mom says she only picks on me
because she loves me. So I pick on my baby sister because I love her.”
-Bethany, age 4

“Love is when Mommy gives Daddy the best piece of chicken.” Elaine -age 5

“Love is when Mommy sees Daddy smelly and sweaty and still says he is handsomer than Robert Redford.” Chris - age 7

“Love is when your puppy licks your face even after you left him alone all day.” Mary Ann - age 4“I know my older sister loves me because she gives me all her old clothes and has to go out and buy new ones.” Lauren - age 4

“When you love somebody, your eyelashes go up and down and little stars come out of you.” Karen - age 7

"You really shouldn’t say ‘I love you’ unless you mean it. But if you mean it, you should say it a lot. People forget,” Jessica - age 8

Out of the mouths of babes,
Your Romance Concierge

www.romanticsurprise.weebly.com

And I Don't Believe in Time

I was thinking today about how no one ever has time these days..no one has time to do anything, no one can make time for each other, everyone is always too busy. I think that is one of the major problems in relationships these days too...because everyone is so busy...but in a relationship you still need quality time with each other. Like anything, as much effort as you put in is as much as you're going to get out of it. In a relationship, sometimes you have to MAKE time. It's possible. You have to remember that making time for each other doesn't ALWAYS mean you're going on a lavish date....sometimes it means folding laundry together, or cooking dinner, or even running errands together. Anyone can have fun together doing a fun activity, but it really says something when you can enjoy each other's company doing something as simple as grocery shopping together. Quality over quantity. If your main goal is just to spend time together, does it really matter what you're doing? ;)

Making time,

Your Romance Concierge

www. romanticsurprise.weebly.com

You'll Wear White and I'll Wear Out the Words "I Love You"

Continuing on my wedding theme from yesterday....I've gotten some really cute and simple ideas from Pinterest to make your wedding even more special and memorable. Here's a few :)

1. Have the bride write a sweet note for the groom to read since they can't see each other while getting ready

2. Throw sprinkles instead of rice, they're more colorful :)

3. At the bottom of the cake, hide whatever the groom likes... sports mascot, band logo, anything. Because it's just as much his day as it is yours.

4. Have a canopy over the bride and groom and at the moment of the kiss pull the cord and have it rain confetti

5. Have your guests sign a puzzle piece each, then put it back together, frame it and display

Hope you all love these ideas as much as I do :) Please share if you have others!

Rainbow sprinkles and confetti,

Your Romance Concierge