8 Ways to Turn Wedding Planning into Date Night

In my last post I mentioned that I was going to try implementing a self-imposed wedding-free date night rule for me and Mr. Unicycle. I thought about it for like a day and then I was like "Grrl...it's too hard." When you only see your fiance 3 times a month on average, it's hard to not want to hammer out a bunch of wedding junk every time you see him! So I gave it the ol' college try, but in the end I decided to make lemonade out of the sitch.

Image via MTV

Not this sitch. Well, maybe.

That's right, I'll turn wedding planning into a date! Genius, right? Multitasking at it's finest. Here's what I came up with:

1. Picking Music: Grab your laptops and each spend a few minutes queuing up a bunch of songs--on YouTube, your personal music library, wherever. When you've both chosen a few, take turns playing a song from each others' lists and get yo' freak on (that means dancing, right? I'm kind of not as hood as I pretend to be). Pick slow songs, fast songs, meaningful songs, and even songs that you would never actually play at the wedding. Don't forget to drink wine while you do it.
   
   
   
   Image via Madame Noire
2. Scoping out DJs/Bands: Some wedding DJs and bands will play gigs at clubs or bars, so put on your clubbin' outfits and get jiggy with it to your potential future wedding musicians over a few brewskies. A lot of big DJ companies also have open houses where you can meet DJs, hear their sound systems, and nibble on free hors d'oeuvres. (That's the first time I've been able to spell that without looking it up!)


3. Tastings: Whether it be cake or dinner, any kind of food tasting constitutes a date in my book. Make it a triple date by inviting the 'rents or the bridal party and a good time will be had by all. What's better than eating a delicious repast with your sweetie while criticizing every single bite? Nothing.
   
   
   
   Personal pic
   Like this, but with real food.
4. Dance Lessons: A lot of dance studios offer a free dance lesson to brides and grooms (because they want to rope you in for more!). Take the free lesson, and if you get roped in, then just think of it as a series of future dates. Even if you don't want a choreographed first dance, there's nothing wrong with learning a few steps to help you avoid the jr. high sway.
   
5. Scoping out Transportation: Looking to book a limo, trolley, or other transportation for your wedding day? A lot of big limo/car rental companies also offer open houses where you can view their fleet, and many have classic cars for your man to ogle while you take mental notes for the wedding day. He'll think you're doing him a favor.
   
6. Man-Friendly Craft Night: Just look around the Bee for about 5 seconds and you'll realize that crafts pretty much come with the territory when you're planning a wedding, whether you're crafty or not. Get him involved in something he might actually enjoy, and craft together while you watch a movie. Note: this is not the time for Martha's tissue poms. I'm thinking more along the lines of anything involving wood, metal, tools, or Legos. I've got a Lego wedding craft up my sleeve to keep Mr. Unicycle busy. Stay tuned...
   
   
   
   Image via Times Union
   This probably won't happen.
7. Engagement Pics: This might be a stretch, but I like to believe Mr. Unicycle had a good time during our engagement session. We spent the whole day traipsing around the city, kissing each other and whispering poop jokes in each others' ears when we were trying to keep a straight face for the camera. That's about as romantic as it gets, people.
   
   
   
   Photo by Jennifer Shaffer Photography
   Poop.
8. Planning the Honeymoon: Sit down one night with a bunch of travel brochures (oh who am I kidding--the internet) and pick out all the fun things you're going to do on your honeymoon. Have fun daydreaming about lazy dayz on the beach, romantic tours through historic areas, and exotic meals at local restaurants. Just don't let him get so excited about the honeymoon that he forgets about the wedding.

What other ideas do you guys have for making wedding planning fun for both the bride and the groom? Have you tried any of these? Don't you love seeing Mr. Unicycle drink out of that heart straw?