Cook His Favorite Childhood Recipe
A sweet idea and a bonding opportunity with your future mother-in-law: Call her up and find out his absolute favorite meal growing up. See if she’ll share her personal recipe. Your fiancé will get that nostalgic feeling, and he’ll be touched that you went to the effort .
Photo Credit: Punchstock
Tour a Winery
Whether you’re oenophiles or wine newbies, a wine tour is a fun date idea that typically won’t cost you more than $20. On top of the cheap booze, you’ll also pick up some fun facts about wine to impress friends at your next dinner party.
Photo courtesy of Fairmont Hotels & Resorts
Become an Audience Member
Love SNL, Conan, or Jon Stewart? Daily shows always need to fill their audiences, and the tickets are free. Find out what tapes in your area and how to score tickets.
Photo Credit: Jeff Cooke Photography
Visit a Carnival
Have a blast feeling like a kid again by visiting a carnival. Forget your pre-wedding diet for the day and indulge in corn dogs, cotton candy, and funnel cake. Try to win prizes for each other at the stands. Share a kiss at the top of the Ferris wheel.
Photo Credit: Indigo Photography
Have an (Almost) Free Meal
Eating out doesn’t have to be completely off limits when you’re saving for the wedding. Check restaurant.com to see if any places near you are offering good deals. You can score a $25 gift card for $10. Even better: Sign up for the mailing list to hear about special deals, where you can score $25 gift cards for as little as $2.
Game Night
Round up your favorite board games, grab a pizza, and have a game night! Take it a step further by creating a custom Monopoly-style game filled with places that are meaningful to you as a couple (with your wedding venue as Boardwalk, naturally).
Take a Class Together
Love cooking? Painting? Dancing? Sign up for a class together to expand your horizons. Bonus: You’ll have built-in date nights for as long as the class runs.
Photo Credit: Studio This Is
Hit the Bikes
Explore your area like you did when you were kids—on bikes. If you’re feeling adventurous, rent a tandem bike for two. Have a picnic in the park while you're out and about.
Photo Credit: Punchstock
Take a Mini-Trip
A full vacation may be (way) out of the budget right now, but an overnight trip to a bed & breakfast can give you the R&R you need without breaking the bank.
Photo Credit: Punchstock
Spring Training
Baseball fan? Find out where your favorite team does their spring training. You can score great seats for a fraction of the regular-season tickets. Plus, you can get much closer to your favorite players than you can at a regular-season game, and you might even snag an autograph.
Photo courtesy of Wedding Ticket Registry
High School Musical
Love the theater but can’t spring for $100-a-seat Broadway tickets right now? Check the schedule for a nearby high school or local theater group. You may be amazed by the unknown talent!
Photo Credit: Richard Termine
Steal Your Favorite Restaurant's Secret Recipe
Instead of visiting your favorite expensive restaurant, check if the locale publishes a cookbook. Restaurants from The Melting Pot to Morton’s Steakhouse to Carmine’s sell cookbooks to help you make restaurant-quality dishes at home.
Star Gaze
Head to the highest point in your town, snuggle up with some blankets, and check out the stars together. Or, visit a local observatory where you can use a telescope. Take it a step further by naming a star for your sweetie before your date, and then search for it together.
Photo Credit: Sweet Little Photographs
Movie Night on Demand
More and more cable companies offer free movies on demand. Take advantage of it and have a movie marathon! No, you won’t be catching new releases for free, but there are always some hidden gems in the free movies list. No luck (or no cable)? Head to your local Redbox for a cheap rental.
Photo Credit: David Kressler
Go Sightseeing at Home
Even if you’ve lived in the same town for years, chances are, you haven’t explored all of the historical landmarks. Play tourist in your own backyard by finally taking a walking tour of historic downtown, visiting a local museum, or heading to the famous landmarks you usually avoid like the plague.
Photo Credit: Esther Julee Photography
Get Some Cheap Laughs
Most amateur comedy clubs are surprisingly affordable, typically just requiring a one- or two-drink minimum. Who knows, maybe you'll catch a future SNL star before they hit it big!
Coffee Shop
Find the coziest coffee shop in town, and indulge in some cappuccinos and pastries. Make it even more entertaining by visiting on an open mic night. If you're feeling especially inspired, grab the mic yourself and share a silly poem written for your fiancé.
Photo Credit: Rosemarie Gearhart/iStockphoto
Brunch
What could be better than mimosas and pancakes? Spend a lazy Sunday at brunch with your fiancé, or turn it into a double date with your favorite couple.
Photo Credit: Jen Grantham/iStockphoto
Volunteer
Pitch in at your local food bank, visit a nursing home, or spend some time connecting with people at a homeless shelter. This fantastic bonding experience doesn’t cost a cent, and the feel-good vibes will leave you both smiling.
Photo Credit: iStockphoto
Casino Night
Play the penny slots sl-o-o-o-wly while downing complementary drinks. Live vicariously through the high-rollers at the tables. Set a budget before you go, and stick to it—no matter what! Who knows, maybe you’ll hit it big and have some extra cash for the wedding.