Alphabet Dating: How a Pinterest Idea Transformed Our Date Nights

Have you ever found yourself stuck in the same old dinner-and-a-movie (at home) routine? Too exhausted from the day to think or plan another date night? That was us–not bored, but craving something a bit more exciting. One day, in a burst of spontaneity, (and maybe some Pinterest scrolling), my husband and I decided to try something new: an alphabet dating challenge. The idea was simple, we had a list from A-Z of date ideas. But what we didn’t realize is that this little challenge would completely transform how we began to date each other. We didn’t expect it would change the way we connect, laugh, and experience life together.

The Inspo Behind Alphabet Dating 

It all started when we realized our date nights had become predictable. “Wednesday date night,” was, of course, already our favorite night of the week. We planned it that way to break up the week. To give us something to look forward to. But, when it came down to it, we always found ourselves falling into the, “What do you want to do?” “I don’t know, what do you want to do?” trap. When I came across the idea of “alphabet dating” I didn’t hesitate and immediately knew it was something we had to try for ourselves. It was the perfect mix of adventure, fun, structure, and creativity, and the best part was that it gave us something to look forward to and an excuse to try things we’d never think of on our own.

How We Got Started 

We kept it simple. Each week, we would plan a date around a letter of the alphabet. Starting with A and working our way through to Z. The only rule was that the date had to somehow relate to the letter we were currently on. “A” for arcade night, “B” for baking blindfolded, “C” for cinema, and so on. Sometimes we went all out and did multiple things for that letter, other times we stayed in and got super creative. But the best part was how intentional we each became about having fun together.

A Few Of Our Favorite Letters (and Dates!)

What We Learned About Each Other

Date nights have always been a priority for us. Especially with quality time being both of our love languages. Before getting married, people always told us to “never get tired of dating each other,” whether you had been married for 20+ years or were newly married like us. So this challenge felt like the perfect way to set the tone for what would be a continuous dating of each other. What surprised us the most wasn’t just how fun the dates were, but how much we learned about one another.

I learned I am very competitive (Letter G – game night), and he learned that it’s only with him that I am this competitive. We both learned we are very much big foodies (Letter H – The Hat Deli, aka the best pastrami sandwiches you’ll find in OC).

More than anything, we learned how important it is to have fun together. Life moves so quickly and can often be so serious. Having fun, laughing, exploring, and being silly in public can bring a whole new meaning to closeness.

Tips for Starting Your Own Alphabet Dating Challenge

What started as a cute idea turned into one of the best things we could have done for our relationship. If your date nights, or lack thereof, need a refresh, we cannot recommend alphabet dating enough. Trust us when we say your date nights will never be the same again.

Our List

Alphabet Date Ideas:

A – Art gallery / Aquarium / Arcade / Axe throwing B – Baking/ Blindfold/ Bowling / Beach / Boat C – Cinema / Cooking class / Concert / Camping D – Dinner / Double date / Disneyland E – Escape room / Eat out / Explore a new city F – Funfair / Football game / Food hall G – Golf / Go-karting / Gun range H – Horse riding / Helicopter ride / Hiking /The “Hat” I – Indoor Camping/Ice cream / Ice skating / IKEA J – Jet ski / Jazz bar / Jacuzzi / Jigsaw puzzle K – Karaoke / Kayaking / Kew Gardens L – Laguna Beach/ Long Walk/ Lupe’s Mexican/ Laser tag / Legoland / Lunch M – Movie night / Massage / Museum N – NFL game / NBA game / Nature walk O – Opera show / Outdoor cinema P – Pizza making / Pool party / PlayStation Q – Quad biking / Quiz night R – Road trip / Roller skating S – Spa / Stargazing T – Theme park / Taco night U – Universal Studios V – Vacation / Video games / Vineyard W – Water park / Wine tasting X – Xbox Y – Yoga class Z – Zoo / Zip line