Everyone will enjoy different things at home – whether it’s their Fortnite gaming experience, newly fitted kitchen, or widescreen television. Something else that can be fun and memorable is having a romantic candle-lit dinner. It may be with your spouse of several years, a first date, or even a blind date. Whichever one it is, you’ll want it to be the best that it can be. If you have such an event looming ahead of you, read on because this article will help you plan it to perfection.
Have Your Drinks Ready
Get a bottle of alcohol ready and serve it well chilled. If your guest doesn’t drink alcohol, make sure you provide some non-alcoholic drinks too. Whilst you can buy alcohol at local grocery stores, you may do better if you buy online. Make sure the bottles will be looked after whilst in transit, so they arrive in optimum condition.
You could also have your drinks delivered from somewhere close by, to save you from going shopping or online. If you try a local alcohol delivery service you may be able to discover popular wines, new arrivals, and trending deals. You may be able to buy anything from wine, gin, and whiskey to tequila, liqueur, or something sparkling.
Make The Room Smell Nice
It’s common for rooms to smell musty if they’ve not been occupied for a while. On the other hand, an abundance of bodies can introduce sweaty smells. Be sure to open the window, and later on, light some scented candles. You can also add potpourri or essential oils to your room. Having an air freshener at hand is always useful too as an emergency backup.
Freshly cut flowers can make any space instantly more beautiful, as well as adding some color to what might be a dreary winter’s day outside. If they are nicely scented, they will fill the room with their natural fragrance.
Dim The Lights
Start off by lighting some candles to create a romantic ambiance. In order to set the mood, you should also turn down any lights that are on or around your table and living room area. This will help prevent any excess lighting from interfering with your more intimate setting.
As for lighting within the dining space itself, avoid using harsh light sources such as overhead chandeliers or lamps with bright bulbs. They can often cast shadows that could obstruct views across the table. Instead, use wall lights, floor lamps, or under-cabinet lighting, so there are no distractions. Avoid blue lights, too, and that means turning off your television, laptop, or computer. The same thing applies to your smartphone, with all the social media distractions that it can present!
Play Soft Music
Choose some gentle, romantic music in the background to set the mood. It should essentially be relaxing rather than heavy rock with lots of loud shouting!
You can either play piano music or search for a classical piece that you like. Instrumental music is often best, including modern ambient albums. If you have Spotify, there will be lots of playlists you can use. Just search for words like ‘peaceful’ ‘gentle’ ‘romantic’ ‘piano’ etc.
Furnish The Table Well
Your first step is to choose the table and if it is not already there, take out one that has enough space for two people to sit comfortably at. It must be able to accommodate your dinnerware perfectly – just like in a restaurant. Also, look around your home to see if any pieces fit together well aesthetically in terms of table decor. Think about proximity candleholders or small vases full of flowers.
The Table Top
Make sure you have a decent tablecloth. You can choose to buy one or use an existing piece of fabric in your home. Once you have it, lay it over the top and sides of the tabletop so that all four corners are visible above its surface as well as below its edge. Next, think about your place setting, such as matching placemats for your plates and glasses.
Next, it’s time to add dinnerware and utensils. This includes dinner plates, soup bowls, dinner forks, salad plates, and dinner knives. The table will look amazing if you have quality silverware and wine glasses available. Don’t forget to provide folded matching napkins on the dining places, plus condiments such as salt and pepper.
Choose The Right Meal
The meal you choose to prepare for your romantic candle-lit dinner is very important. It must have the right balance of carbohydrates, protein, and fat so that it will provide long-lasting energy levels without being too filling or heavy. Take into consideration the time of day you are cooking this meal as well. If it’s during breakfast/lunch hours then a meal with eggs would be good, but if it’s in the evening plan on something more like fish or chicken. The latter usually takes less time to cook than red meat.
Once your spouse/guest has arrived, they won’t want you to be stressed about the final stages of the cooking. Don’t choose a meal that involves you running frantically in and out of the kitchen, or juggling several things at once. Have all your ingredients prepared and measured in advance. They should be cut, peeled and ready to cook. Make sure there are spices on hand as well, to add that extra ‘wow’ factor.
Declutter
It’s always a good idea to declutter your house before a romantic candle-lit dinner. When you prepare the evening meal in the kitchen, clear things up as you go. If you’re eating in the living room, put away all unwanted shoes, magazines, plates, and cups.
If you put all these things into action, your guest will be highly Impressed. They’ll quickly recognize that you took a lot of time and trouble to get everything right, and they’ll feel special as a result. Ask your date open-ended questions and be a good listener. If you do, this could be an evening you both remember for a long time to come.