Welcome!
Whether you attended the Marriage #NoFilter event at East Coast or you’ve stumbled across this page looking for fun date night ideas, we’re glad you’re here and hope you will accept this date night challenge.
No matter how long you've been married, it’s no secret that you need make time to reconnect with each other. This challenge was created to encourage you to dedicate time and attention to your spouse. We could, of course, just tell you to date more, but what's the fun in that? We want to inspire you to be intentional and carve out time in your busy schedule for your spouse. Don’t fall back on the generic “dinner and a movie." Follow this challenge, and enjoy your date!
Stash a little cash, $5-10 a piece, for an optional activity on your date. Then, grab an blank index card or the fill-in card provided at East Coast.
Take your card and answer the questions below about your spouse. Although there might be some hesitation, because yeah, love letters can sound cheesy, the sweet connection on the other side of writing and reading what you value in each other is well worth it.
Each spouse should answer the following 5 questions on their card and keep it until date night:
- I love your ________.
- My favorite thing about you is ________.
- I respect you ________.
- I’m thankful ________.
- I look forward to ________.
Time to break the norm! Try a new dinner spot and then an after dinner activity to make memories
DINNER SUGGESTIONS:
Like Italian?
fancy: Amici’s Italian Restaurant, Viera
nice: Zarrella’s Italian & Wood Fire Pizza, Cape Canaveral
easy: Ryan’s Pizza & Pub, Cocoa Village
Seafood?
fancy: Florida’s Fresh Grill, Cocoa Beach
nice: River Rocks, Rockledge/Suntree
easy: Seafood Atlantic, Port Canaveral
Mexican?
fancy: El Leoncito, Viera
nice: La Marimba, Rockledge
easy: Third Culture Kitchen, Titusville
American?
fancy: Crush XI, Melbourne
nice: Pub Americana, Cocoa Village
easy: Long Doggers, Viera/Cocoa Beach/Indialantic
ENTERTAINMENT SUGGESTIONS:
Like Adventure?
fun: Adventure HQ, Melbourne
free: Take a walk, Eau Gallie Art District, the beach or Cocoa Village
Relaxing?
fun: Grab coffee or dessert at your favorite spot
free: Stargaze, anywhere! Get the “SkyView” app for optimal viewing spots
Low Key?
fun: Take the $5-10 suggested in Step 1 and buy something fun for each other
free: Head home (if you’re not already) and play cards or a board game.
**Suggested restaurants and businesses are in no way sponsored by or affiliated with East Coast.
**If dinner out is not in the budget, consider planning a menu and cooking together at home for a night in.
It’s go time! Forget talking about last week’s work events or the upcoming week’s plans. Take time to share with each other the things you listed on your cards from Step 2. Read them out loud to each other or exchange them before dinner while you’re waiting on your food.
Need some more talking points? Consider these:
- Dream together — talk about hopes, dreams and what the future could look like.
- Look Forward — talk about something exciting you’re looking forward to that isn’t routine
- Reminisce — celebrate a past memory, funny date night story or honeymoon highlight
Once dinner is finished, move on to your selected activity. Here are a few fun questions to ask each other during the remainder of the date:
- What’s something I do that you find hilarious?
- In what area can I encourage you more?
- What is something about our marriage that makes you proud?
Pray together and discuss a scripture that you can stand on together as a couple. Post the scripture around the house or use it to encourage each other in the coming weeks.
Find a devotional to do together. Here are some marriage-centered suggestions:
- Messy Beautiful Love — Darlene Schacht
- Love and Respect — Dr. Emerson Eggerichs
- The 5 Love Languages — Gary Chapman
- Sheet Music — Kevin Leman
- Sacred Marriage — Gary Thomas