Your marriage health is incredibly important not just for your life expectancy but also for your kid’s life expectancy. Obviously we advocate for marriage counseling because that’s what we do…but we would love for you to never need us. So we put together 22 fun ways to build fun and romance into your marriage right now so hopefully you don’t need intensive marriage counseling.
You will see a bunch of links we personally picked just to make these ideas come to life for you. None of them are affiliate links. They are all just to make life a little funner (and easier for you). We hope you enjoy this one as much as we enjoyed writing it for you!
1. Run Together
Running is a great way to get the heart pumping and the mind clear. You can find all kinds of fun places to run. My personal favorite spot is Riverside in Tulsa. The new Gathering Place will be opening in 2018 and it should give you a lot of fun sites to see. You could get super serious about it and begin training with a team. You could raise money for a charity like the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society which has an amazing and fun group called Team In Training. They raise money and then run in really cool locations around the world including the Disney’s Wine and Dine half marathon where you get to run trough Disney World.
2. Paint Together
If you’re on a budget then you could break out some old Bob Ross videos on youtube and get some paints, canvas , and brushes at Walmart. Wait until the kids go to sleep and paint together with a bottle of cheap wine. Or if you’re feeling really frisky paint in the nude! At home of course. If you’d like something a little more out-and-about and fun check out Pinot’s Palette! You can choose a day and see the painting of the day. Go and have a nice glass of wine and paint your heart out with more instruction.
3. Ride Bikes Together
Bikes don’t have to be expensive. You can even get a bike second hand from someone on Facebook marketplace. You can easily take your bikes to a fun location like Riverside in Tulsa. Take your kids along…or not…and take a trip with your bikes to a scenic location, a park, or a trail like Turkey Mountain which is Tulsa’s urban wilderness not far from Jenks, OK. If you combine bike riding with running then you could do a biathlon.
4. Shoot Guns Together
Shooting guns is a fun way to let off steam…don’t do it when you’re mad though. It can be so much fun to do together. You can take classes together HERE. If you’re feeling adventurous consider combining running with gunning with something like The Pawnee Run ’n Gun biathlon. Doing fun events together is a great way to build your relationship. When couples have fun together they release endorphins and exercising helps elongate your life and improve your health. It might even increase your sex drive. Hunting is another fun pastime some couples enjoy. You can get an Oklahoma hunting license here.
5. Play Racquetball Together
Racquetball is a fun two to four person sport that’s very energetic, competitive, and fun. It’s a great way to exercise and release some energy. There are actually only three racketball centers in the Tulsa area that we know of. There’s one in the Saint John’s Health Club, Jewish Community Center of Tulsa, and the new VASA Fitness Facility.
6. Host A Game Night Together
Game nights are a more low key way to connect with each other and with friends. Community is incredibly important to a solid relationship. Here’s a good site for planning a couples game night as well as for a few game ideas and here’s a list of 13 game ideas for your next couple’s game night.
7. Host A Dinner Party Together
This can be fun if you make it fun. Plan the meal together. It can be as formal or as chill as you want it to be. You can do a barbecue or a roast. You can do a formal five course meal with wine and fancy music if you want. If you’re not sure what you could cook check out this food network article on 34 foolproof but impressive main dish ideas. It can always be a potluck too. Recently Brad and I planned a potluck for a friend who was coming home from serving in the military. The only reason I share that is because if you feel you need an excuse for hosting a dinner party then you can use any event as an excuse. It’s Labor Day, or August, or a friend is coming home. All great excuses for gathering for food.
8. Dance Together
This can be simple and yet so complicated…if you let it. Don’t let insecurities get the best of you. You can literally turn on a fun or romantic song, grab your love, and start to dance. If you need a little help finding the right song check out this list of Billboards top 50 love songs. If you struggle with that kind of spontaneity then consider a formal class. Here in Tulsa there is an awesome ballroom dance hall I love. My favorite place is Allstar Ballroom because the teachers are not nazis and it’s a fun and relaxed environment for all dance levels. They even host a weekly open dance party where you can practice. It’s lots of fun!
9. Rent A Cool Car And Go On A Road Trip Together
Instead of making a poor car investment just rent a cool one so you can pretend for a day (or several). Take a topless car down the road and feel the wind in your hair as you crank up the toons and snack on a snow cone. Okay, maybe not a snow cone…but at least your favorite snack. Maybe you’re into motorcycles here is a cool list of places to take the hog out on the open road. I’m personally interested in Christchurch, New Zealand.
10. Rent A Cabin In The Woods
Oh I love, love, LOVE this one! It’s incredibly romantic to wake up with the smell of pine or cedar and feel the wind in your hair while you drink coffee on a wrap around porch. Watching the incredible sun rise up over the Arkansas or Dakota hills while you snuggle up in your Native American print blanket. Chow on some pancakes and eggs while you chat about life and the strolling you plan to do or the bird or deer watching you’re excited about. Ride horses during the day. Then curl up in the hot tub out back while you and your sweetheart catch the stars as they shoot across the night time sky. No one around. Just the deer and the crickets. What romance! Check out some cabins in Arkansas HERE. You can also find cabin rentals throughout Oklahoma as well. Check it out HERE. I personally dream of a vacation where I vacation in South Dakota…Check these out!
11. Have A Movie Marathon
If you enjoy movies and you’re into a series like Mission Impossible or the Marvel series than why not have a movie marathon before the next movie comes out on the big screen? Then you could plan a date night out to see the newest release in the theatre. Maybe you don’t have a series you’re into…if that’s you then consider this list of the Top 20 Movies for couples. Here’s another option based on where you are in your relationship. If you want to laugh then check out this link for movie ideas.
12. Go On A Picnic
This one is a simple yet really romantic gesture. You can do a picnic anywhere even on a rooftop! Check out these awesome rooftop options in Tulsa! Some of those spots aren’t exactly meant for a picnic…but still fun spots to eat. You could also head over to Riverside again with your picnic. If you need some inspiration for foods to take on your picnic check out this link or this link.
13. Movies In The Backyard
Put up a white sheet in the backyard and watch your favorite movies in the moonlight. Here’s a link to show you how to set up your backyard movie theatre and for those of you who need a little more detail here’s an article for you.
14. Camp Out On The Kid’s Trampoline
I’d like to try this one…but I’m not sure if my back would let me. If you’re not much of an outdoors type but you want to do something different and a little silly try this! You can plan a really fun camp out here if you want to include the kids. You can even have a picnic on the trampoline if you want to. Here are some more ideas.
15. Bring Flowers Home Randomly
Nothing says, “I love you” more than an unexpected gift. Even if your sweetheart has said no flowers years ago…it doesn’t mean they feel that way today. Kids and stress have a way of changing our minds. Bring home flowers….even if they’re wild flowers you pick yourself. Just be mindful of allergies. You could have flowers delivered through the mail here or you can even subscribe to a service that sends flowers every date of your choice HERE or HERE.
Here’s a list of places to get flowers around Tulsa and Oklahoma City. I chose these based on experiences I have had and also their reviews online:
Midtown Tulsa - Mary Murrays or Toni’s
Broken Arrow - Arrow Flower and Gifts
Jenks - Rathbone’s Flower Delivery
South Tulsa - Southpark Florist
Edmond - Kicking Bird Flowers and Gifts
North Oklahoma City - Cheever’s Flowers
16. Make Their Favorite Dish
This can be so romantic because it shows that you care and that you listen. Make they favorite dish or desert then clean up afterward. This is really nice when it’s a break from the normal routine. Not sure what to make? Here are some interesting ideas on best aphrodisiac foods to release romantic hormones…just for fun. Here’s another and yet another for your benefit. Enjoy!
17. Switch Responsibilities
Switch responsibilities around the house for a day or a week. It will give you a new sense of how difficult it is to do the other’s job. If mom is responsible for putting the babies to bed…maybe dad should try for a night or two. If dad normally plunges the toilet…maybe he should continue to do that…just kidding! Maybe it’s something entirely unique to you. Check out this interesting article from ABC News about how couples swapping chores can help their marriage and sex life.
18. Scrapbook Or Look At Pictures Together
Reminiscing together about the good times is a great way to be reminded of the fun and happy times. Here are five ideas for making a scrapbook about your relationship with your spouse. Break out your wedding album or video and watch it. Laugh at how funny your family looked and think about the butterflies you felt. Tell your kids about how you felt that day. Remind yourself of how excited you felt when you saw each other at the altar of the church.
19. Go Fishing Together
Oh I love this one too. It reminds me of my great grandmother who was from Alabama. She would come into the kitchen bright and early in the morning with her morning catch of fish she would fry up for breakfast. What a lovely way to relax and enjoy the outdoors! Check out these 11 hotspots for fishing in Oklahoma. Here’s another great article from travelok that will help you plan a trip.
20. Go Hiking Together
There’s something about walking side by side in the same direction that gets the conversation juices flowing. Hiking is a great way to enjoy the outdoors and each other’s company. Here are some excellent places to hike in North America and here are some great places to hike in Oklahoma. Some of the places in Oklahoma require a little bit of a roadtrip…but it’s totally worth it!!
21. Garden Together
Plant something you can harvest together! How fun would it be to plant pumpkins in July or August to harvest around October or November? You can enjoy lots of vegetables too! How fun would it be to enjoy the fruits of your labor. Planting flowers is also a great way to do something side by side to make your home look prettier. If you don’t want to spend money on flowers from a shop…then plant the seeds to pick them from your own garden if you like. Not sure if gardening can strengthen a relationship? Check out this beautiful couples story about how they garden together. Here is another great site with information for your garden.
22. Renew Your Vows
After all the fun time you’ll have together on these exciting dates hopefully you’ll be prepared to renew your vows. If you’re not really sure you would marry your spouse again…then really seriously consider couples therapy. We can help you sort out those concerns and feelings.
We have 3 locations…Tulsa, OK, Oklahoma City, OK, and our virtual practice where we can help couples from all over the world. You can call us at 918-281-6060 to get an appointment today!
