We are pleased to introduce Niki Kogut as a guest blogger this week. Niki is a professional Event Designer, and we asked if she could share some of her creative ideas and trade secrets to help create a romantic stay at home date night with one rule: It has to be low or no budget. She was totally up for the challenge! Then we went in search of someone who went totally DIY to surprise someone special. We found it online from a friend, of a friend, of a friend scenario…



Romantic and a tiny bit structured.
When was the last time you planned a romantic date at home? If you answered “NEVER”, then help is on the way! You can create an at home “The Bachelor” type setting while sticking to your spending plan. How? With a little help from your local Dollar Tree, Family Dollar, etc! Yes, I said it!  When it comes to entertaining at home for your significant other, family or friends, things can become a little overwhelming when trying to create something really special and it still be very wallet friendly. Everyone has a different budget level. For our purposes, today we are going to concentrate on creating a very budget conscious entertaining space that feels like there was no budget at all! 

Inspiration…How to find it.
To get inspired, I like to walk around and let my mind wander. Usually that would be any “Me Time”you can carve out of your day. I fall in love with spaces that inspire me and build from the beauty that already exists. Think less is more, for this it’s always the loving thought that counts the most.❤️For example, really take look at the environment you are in. You may think to yourself, “ the way the sun sets over my back porch at dusk creates a warm glow on my skin”. That light already lends itself to the perfect ambiance for a romantic setting. The pink roses you may use from the front yard match the pink design on the patio furniture pillows. You may simply note that the 4 potted plants by the garage would be perfect for a little background table scenery. It all comes into play and Voila! You now have the starting point for your design.

Step one: The basics…table and chairs.
You may have a wicker/wooden patio table and mis-matched chairs from the garden, or even a folding table and tablecloth left over from your last yard sale! You could even lay down a blanket in the yard and use a piece of pallet wood as your tabletop for an intimate dinner for two. Your patio pillows can then be used as “seats” or the extra pop of color you need.

Step two: Most important… place setting.
For first timers, try to stay as neutral as possible. It will all flow together once you add some lavish floral/ lush greenery ( real or fake ) Charger plates are the game changer! Some of you may be asking, “What the heck are those?” They help to define each place setting and are essentially a base for your dinnerware. If you do not have charger plates there are some great substitution pieces you can use. Your grandmother’s old doilies, regular placemats, I’ve even used album covers!   

Next, comes the China, A.K.A. the plates you never use and the glasses you can’t reach from the top shelf of your cabinets, LOL. Yes, you can certainly use your everyday plates. The place setting will be completed by silverware and a folded napkin. You can use a napkin ring if you have one or tie some ribbon around it to spruce up the look! Depending on the theme you are creating it doesn't have to be perfectly matched, that’s the fun of doing this at home! Use what you have and it will show your love and imagination.

Step three: The fun part….table decor.
I like to get a little creative here, depending on the look I am going for. If you are anything like me, I have random decor items leftover from all sorts of parties over the years. I keep clear bins in my garage for times like this! Just collect a table runner (if you don't have one, use an old scarf or an old chiffon curtain- my pro-tip ) For the centerpiece arrangement, I love taking clear glass vases and adding pearls, ribbon, or anything laying around for a textured design on the outside of the vase. Hot glue your style to the vase, let dry, and then use high gloss spray paint to create your masterpiece. I can create any West Elm-ish type vase for a fraction of the cost. If you decide to use clear vases, vase filler is a really fun way to add color.  Most stores also have containers of rocks/marbles. I am pretty sure they are for fish tanks, or gardens, but they work! Also, if you do not have flowers or bushes in your yard, no worries. The Dollar Tree also has a light selection of greenery and floral to choose from.  You can also get creative with found items, branches, herbs, etc. to tie the design together.  Last on the list - candles. I use votives (the little cute vase that holds the candle) and real flicker flame battery LED candles when designing outdoor events. This prevents the candlelight ambiance from fading or being blown out by a wind gust.  But, I still pop in a few real candles for the warm romantic glow. To make the votive holders more fun and to theme, just add like-embellishments and spray away like the vases to complete your look!  All of this you can get from the Dollar Tree, though the spray paint color selection may be limited.

The only cost here was the roses! Everything else was collected from the house. I hope these tips and few tricks help you to create a beautiful environment for that special occasion or for you to break out of the day-to-day routine. We all need to get out a little right now. That may mean getting out as far as the back deck, the front porch or the yard. Enjoy!

Romantic and ultra casual.
A round of applause for all the amazing men out there! This fella has it going on! What a romantic. These pics are used with permission from @Danielle Kromer’s Facebook account and document the night she was surprised by her man with a truck bed picnic. Can we just say what a lucky girl, and what a beautiful and sweet Anniversary surprise. This man got it right. It’s not about the $$, it is about the gesture, the thoughtfulness and caring that Niki spoke of. This is everything he knows she loves, and that he knows it… is the elusive Grand Gesture.

We think it is pure Perfection!!

Content Contributors: Amber Cochran Gilbert, Niki Kogut, Lyn Sengupta