Frugal Date Night Ideas: Creating a Romantic Tablescape for Two

Ideas for a Romantic Evening

When it comes to romantic date nights, the atmosphere can make it or break it.  You want to feel as if you've truly escaped the pressures of your everyday life to spend quality time with your significant other.  When your date night is at home, that can be a challenge.  It's hard to get away from everyday distractions and create a truly romantic environment.

I looked to Moll Anderson's new book, Seductive Tables For Two: Tablescapes, Picnics, and Recipes That Inspire Romance, for a little guidance.  It was released in November and is currently just $11.30 on amazon.   What I like about Moll's book is that it's packed with ideas on creating a romantic environment without spending a lot – or none at all.  In fact, I used her tips to create a tablescape entirely from what I had at home already and a few fun thrift-store finds.   Plus, her ideas go beyond attractive tablescapes and can be used in all areas of your home and kitchen.

There are also some great inspiring photos on Moll Anderson's Facebook page from her own gallery and other fabulous bloggers.  We must think alike… she even shared a mommysavers decorating pic from my own home!  You can also connect with her on Twitter for bits and pieces of free advice.

I took Moll's ideas, threw in a few of my own, and created a romantic dinner for my husband earlier this week.  He was going away on a business trip, and I wanted to give him a nice send-off complete with memories of a great night and a yummy meal.

Romantic Tablescape Tips:

Your romantic night doesn't have to be at your dining room table.  With a smaller table you can move your “date night” to another area of the house that you don't associate with family meals and create a more intimate setting. I grabbed a card table from the basement and began creating “Casa Danger” in our sunroom (with a little help from Sage, who was not invited to our romantic dinner).

Moll encourages her readers to search in their own closets for items to use:  scarves, bedspreads, and sheets are great to drape on tables.  She also suggests simply walking around your own home in search of treasures that could become inspiration for a theme- such as something you picked up while traveling or a fun outfit.  I started with my favorite green tablecloth and grabbed a piece of burlap from my fabric stash to give it a natural feel.  Next, I added some pinecones left over from a Christmas arrangement and my “Rustic italian” theme began to take shape.

Look for plates, serving plates, table linens, candles, fabric napkins, and other things for your table at the thrift store to save money if you don't already have them at home.  For our dinner, I picked up napkins ($.99), gold chargers pictured above ($.49) and cute little star decorations for $.49).  The best part is I can put them away to use again later in other tablescapes!

Berries are romantic.  They add a pop of color and add what Moll calls “The Fresh Factor.”  I got these raspberries and not only used some in my dessert, but in our wine glasses as well.

Cooking is my thing, so for me food is a big part of creating a romantic evening.  I usually  like to include “special occasion” items on my menu that we wouldn't normally have.  I even created a little menu for my hubby to peruse before I brought the food out.  I think he liked the idea!

On Our Menu:

• Stuffed Artichokes
• Fillo Cups with Almond Cream
• Braised Beef in Red Wine Over Polenta

Judging by his clean plate, I think my husband enjoyed the evening I prepared.  It's important to note, however, that even if you don't have time to put together an elaborate tablescape or meal, the really important thing is to carve out time to spend together.

View my Google+ Album to see more photos from our romantic night and how I prepared for it.

Be sure to catch Moll Anderson's radio show on XM Talk 168 every Saturday at 5:00 pm EST.  She will also have upcoming appearances on Access Hollywood.

I am a member of the Collective Bias®  Social Fabric® Community.  This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias®  #tablescape #cbias #SocialFabric #SeductiveTables.  All opinions are my own.