It’s your 11th anniversary. Congratulations are in order!
You’ve got hard earned years of love and laughter under your belt. You’ve spent a lot of time and energy learning how to understand one another and once again, you find yourself searching for a memorable way to show your special lady how much she means to you.
Those of us who have made it all the way to 11 years with someone we love, often find that we might be running low on ideas to show we care. But we do care, and it is important that we show it! What to do?
Without a doubt, the anniversary dinner date tops the list of tired old anniversary cliches. Yet, the romantic mind meld over a lovely evening still has plenty of opportunities for showing you care. How can we re-light the spark of the dinner date for our 11th year anniversary? It helps to move the location somewhere new – somewhere out of the ordinary, somewhere special. Instead of letting your favorite restaurant dictate how the evening plays out, OWN YOUR NIGHT, and create something amazing!
Keep it simple. Keep it fun. OWN IT!
How about an old school picnic under the stars? It’s an old timey romantic idea where a little planning can make all the difference. Find a secluded spot, then set up your romantic date location a couple hours before hand, then just “arrive” to an amazing little romantic environment. Take a little drive to build up the anticipation. Maybe watch the sun set and then turn on the “lights” for an extra special surprise. City views work if stars are behind the clouds or the city is a little too bright for stars (boo!).
Some locations that work include your own back yard, the beach, nearby county or state parks, a friends country manor – on loan, a secluded spot on a local river or lake, or maybe someplace from your past that gets dusted off just for this special anniversary night.
Here is a list of our favorite 11th anniversary ideas that will take your romantic anniversary picnic under the stars from ho hum to heck yeah! It just takes a little planning to create a scene that she will love and remember.
Don’t forget:
1. Blanket – gives you something snuggly to sit on. Bring a second blanket to snuggle under later, when things cool off, or equally for when things heat up after a glass or two of your chosen libation!
2. Light source(s)
– Go old school (sort of) – LED candles are inexpensive, safe outdoors and reusable for other creative lover ideas. LED candles are safer than regular candles, and don’t blow out if it is a little breezy. We found a 36 pack of led candles for less than $15! Let them light the path to your romantic retreat or place them around your chosen location. Try hanging them from some tree branches for extra creativity points.
– Battery operated String Lights are fun and beautiful, and come in a variety of colors and styles – make a circle around your blanket, or hang them from the trees! Some styles even flash and “play” color shows. Small strings can be worn on your body! Put a small strand in a jar to create a unique table light. Spell out a special message to your significant other with the strings of light.
– Flashlight – to find your way back to the car. Getting lost is so uncool.
3. A hammock for two – hang some of the string lights above and around the trunks of the trees to create your own special
scene in the forest. Drape one of your blankets over it for more snuggle factor. If it is buggy, get a hanging bug net (like what people use in the tropics). Hello, that just bumped up the snuggly romantic vibe to 11 or 12. Don’t forget some extra rope to tie your hammock to the trees.
4. Libations – make a special cocktail before hand and just pour it over ice. An insulated “growler” is a perfect way to bring a mixed cocktail and keep it cold for the whole evening. The classics are easy to make beforehand and are simple – Sex on the Beach (!), Mojitos, or berry sangria. Keep it simple and delicious!
5. Food – hors d’oeuvres are easy and filling – think little morsels that when taken together make a meal. Cheese, crackers – add some fancy charcuterie (smoked or dry-cured meats) from your favorite butcher or deli to round out the evenings snacks. Grapes, olives, and strawberries make it seem like a more balanced meal. Snacky stuff might eliminate silverware needs, but don’t forget the napkins. Or, try a fancy salad – eating from the same bowl can make for a special memory – be sure to feed her the best morsels to show how much you care. In the end, it’s not really about the food, but a hungry partner isn’t good for romance either.
6. Sparklers – just add a little more light, fun and a dash of pizzazz to the evening. If you squint, you can write sparkler messages to your lover. Don’t forget a lighter…
7. Bug spray – just in case. There are a lot of excellent organic bug spray options these days – they tend to smell much better than Cutters spray and are also non-toxic.
8. Music – this seems obvious right? Play your favorite music quietly throughout the evening. Don’t forget to make a playlist for the occasion – maybe include some of your wedding songs or just “that” song or album that you fell in love to.
9. Take some selfies! Although we wouldn’t want to get distracted by our personal electronics, commemorating the evening with some pictures is sure to bring a smile when viewed after the romantic night is over.
10. Stars – lying down makes this easy – and snuggly. Watching the stars is a perfect excuse to make out and re-live the early days of your relationship. There is no hurry, enjoy the moment.
11. A gift to remember the evening – Steel is the way to go for 11th anniversary gifts for her, so why not combine her love of jewelry and steel to create another memory to spark visions of your special 11th anniversary for years to come. Of course dirtypretty artwear is the place to get beautiful steel anniversary jewelry. Check out the dirtypretty artwear store here!
The bottom line to creating an amazing 11th anniversary celebration is this: a little creativity and a desire to create a special night will always win over the same-old-thing – every time. Your partner will appreciate your efforts.
Who knows, maybe you’ll earn enough honey-do points to skip mowing the lawn next week.
Good luck, congratulations and have fun!
