This Non-Traditional Date Will Definitely Be on Your Summer To-Do List

Paige Sager

The key to the perfect outdoor date is preparation. Whoever is planning the date should scout out a picturesque location in advance (or ask friends for advice). Then it’s all about setting the mood with tunes, packing an aphrodisiac-filled picnic basket and adding personalized DIY touches that bring the whole thing together. And, of course, you’ve gotta stow all of this away in your chariot — in this case, the Kia Sportage.

We recommend packing up your car and picking your boo up from work early for a surprise adventure! Scroll on to see how we brought this swoon-worthy daytime date to life.

Alright, here are the rules to crafting a romantic playlist that doesn’t make you feel like you’re in a really bad (okay, good) rom-com.

Playlist to Set the Mood, Hey Girl

Choose Tunes That Don’t Distract: Music sets the mood, but shouldn’t be the main attraction. For this date, the playlist is the soundtrack to the drive, so it should evoke adventure, warmth and spontaneity. A few pump-up songs are great for the beginning of your drive, but then you should let it mellow out a little with artists like Tanlines, Arcade Fire, Devendra Banhart and the like.

Bring on the Nostalgia: Chances are you’ve bonded over some throwback tunes (we love the ‘90s!) — throw those jams into the mix. They’ll make you laugh, bust a move and finally admit to the fact that you know all the words to “Butterfly” by Crazytown.

Flex Your Cool In-the-Know Muscles With New Music: Impress your mate with a few new tracks by underground rockers or b-sides by their favorite artist.

Don’t Take Yourself Too Seriously: It’s a date! Dating is fun and, unless you’re using this date to have a very serious convo, it’s good to keep the playlist light and sentimental. A slow dance here is great, but you shouldn’t end up in tears at any point — unless it’s because you’re laughing ;) Suffice it to say, you should probably NOT include Dave Matthews Band or U2 on this playlist, not even for nostalgia points.

We suggest finding a spot that feels secluded and even a little bit secret — this will add to the adventurous vibe of the whole date. Whether this is on the coast, on a mountain top or tucked away in a city park is up to you. If you’re going somewhere you’ve been before, figure out a way to make it feel special and different.

Scout Out a Spot With a View

Got the DIY itch? Pick up a standard picnic basket and turn up the style points with your own custom paint job. Follow the steps below to see how DIY Production Assistant Irene Lee added abstract flair to this basket.

Make Your Own DIY Picnic Basket

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— paint brushes

— paint

Instructions:

Paint the wicker part of the basket in a solid color. We first tried doing a crazy pattern, but with the wicker texture, any pattern just looked sloppy (and not in a good way). This is the one case where a solid color works better than many colors : ) Paint a pattern on the top and the handles.

Voila!

Next up, the goodies that go in that basket! We brought along lots of yummy cheeses, crackers, nuts, fruit, olives and bite-size desserts. Make sure to choose your partner’s favorite foods along with a few new things to try.

Yummy Snacks, Sweets and Sippers

Of course, you need a picnic blanket… or 10. Bring lots of blankets and tapestries, as well as pillows, poufs and the like, to make your own cozy zone no matter how soft the ground is.

Textiles to Cozy Up a Field, Beach or Hilltop

We took our blanket game to the next level by creating our own pom pom-adorned circle blanket.

DIY Modern Circle Blanket

Follow the steps below to see how DIY’er Anita Yung made this textile masterpiece.

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— 8 yards pom pom fringe

— 35 inches of string tied to a Sharpie

Tools:
— sewing machine

— sewing pins

— fabric scissors

— blue tape

— enough paper to cover a full 70 inch diameter circle

— measuring tape

Instructions:

Tape together a big enough piece of paper for your circle. Tie your 35 inches of string to your Sharpie and tape to secure. Take the string end of your Sharpie and tape to the middle center point of your paper and pull the pen taut. While keeping the string taut, use your Sharpie to draw a full circle. Once the circle is drawn, cut the circle out. Fold and cut the paper circle in half.

Lay your desired fabric down. For our tapestry side, we sewed pieces of this print together so that the fabric size was big enough for our paper circle to fit.

You can lay the full circle or half circle paper on top of your fabric. We felt the half was easier with our solid printed fabric as we cut our solid fabric into two equal cuts of two yards each. Either way, give about 1-2 inches of extra fabric as you cut around your paper circle stencil.

If your fabric is one solid color, stack each half circle on top of each other and sew a small hemline along the length so that when you unfold, it creates a full circle.

Once both of your full circles are cut and sewn, invert the fabrics so the printed sides are facing inward. Pin together your circles along the edges.

Sew a hemline one inch from the edge of your fabrics. Once you have about six inches left, cut away from your sewing machine and turn your blanket inside out so that the right side of the fabric is facing out.

Take your pom pom fringe and pin to the edge of your blanket. Sew and continue until the whole circle is complete. You will sew and close the six inches as you finish the circle; just make sure your fabric is tucked in and in line with the rest of the blanket. DONE!

It’s official. This is the cutest date (and couple) we’ve ever seen.

What are your favorite non-traditional date ideas? Talk to us on Facebook @BritandCo.