As someone who was in a long distance relationship for 3 years with a partner that was 7 hours ahead of me, we had our fair share of virtual date nights.
I would like to think of myself as your virtual date night fairy godmother.
Except without the pumpkins and mice.
This post is going to be filled to the brim with tips to make your next virtual date night a success.
I know this because it’s the same tips we used to help keep our love alive over the distance.
What’s the Difference between a Virtual Date Night and a Video Call
Some of you might be thinking, what’s the difference between having a video call with my partner versus planning a virtual date night.
Well, let’s think about it from this perspective. If you were able to see your partner every day what would be the difference between doing what y’all normally do and date out on the town together?
There’s a HUGE difference, and the same can be said about video calls.
Video calls are something you do to connect with your partner, it’s a great way to let your partner know that you want to spend time with them and how much you enjoy their presence.
A date night is much more special, date nights go past creating a connection with one another and they focus on creating new memories together.
Creating new memories together and having shared experiences is how you are able to create intimacy with your partner.
Intimacy is one of those secret ingredients to a long lasting and thriving relationship.
It’s how Tuomas and I were able to start the next part of our lives together even though most of our relationship was online.
When you plan a virtual date night with your partner or for your partner, you are already letting them know how much they mean to you.
How Do I Plan a Virtual Date Night?
Now that you are a little more interested in virtual date nights, it’s time to plan one out with your partner.
When Tuomas and I would plan ours, we would typically aim for one a month that lasted for 4-6 hours depending.
Just like a regular date night out on the town, you should schedule a time so that you and your partner are focused on each other.
If the idea of having a long date in front of the computer seems overwhelming then try to break it down into more of a bitesize portion.
You can start off with 1-2 hours and adjust from there.
This is you and your partner’s date night so talk to each other about how much time y’all would want to spend together for your next virtual date.
If you are feeling overwhelmed trying to figure out your own date night, then take a step back, relax and know that I got you covered.
Are You Ready for Your Next Date Night In? Grab The Virtual Date Night Kit Here!
Exciting Ways to Invite Your Partner to Your Next Virtual Date Night
Now that you have your next virtual date night planned out, it’s time to think of some creative ways to invite your partner.
Let’s put a twist on an old classic. Write your partner a special email. Let them know all the ways you love and appreciate them and at the end of the email invite them out for a special virtual date night.
If you are a person of action, then create a video for them doing a fun TikTok dance or even a little skit for them.
Another way you can creatively express your love for each other is by creating a free e-card that you can send to your partner through text or email. Canva has tons of free templates that you can choose from
Once you get to Canva type “days & events cards” into the search and all the templates you’ll need are there for you to use and customize any way you like.
The best part, it’s completely free.
Click this link to go to check out Canva’s Website
Best Apps to Use For Your Virtual Date Night
As a long distance couple, Tuomas and I have used a lot of apps for us to stay connected. Some of our favorite apps for date nights would Google Meets and Discord
Google Meets
We prefer using google meets to Zoom. Unlike Zoom, Google Meets does not have a time limit on how long you can use the video recorder.
I also feel like the user experience on Google Meets is much friendlier than other video hosting platforms, and trust me we have used a lot of them.
Does anyone remember or still use Skype?
Discord
Tuomas and I originally met each other through gaming, so Discord will always hold a special place in my heart.
It’s great to use if you want to play a PC game with your partner on your date night.
The only downfall to Discord is you would have to create a username to have access to it, whereas Google Meets doesn’t require that at all.
What I love about these apps is that they are FREE and you don’t have a time limit.
Because pausing and trying to reconnect to your date definitely kills the mood.
Both of these platforms also allow for easy screen sharing and have great video call quality.
What Are Some Date Ideas for Your Virtual Date Night?
When you and your partner are planning your virtual date, think of some activities that y’all would want to do with each other.
One staple Tuomas and I did was cook the same meal, play games online together, and find ways to create our own experiences with each other.
If you find yourself needing more ideas, try creating a theme for your date night and work around that.
Another option would be learning something new together. You can do this for free on YouTube, take a Masterclass, or look up a new skill on Skillshare.
As I mentioned earlier, the point of having a date night is to give you and your partner an opportunity to stay connected AND to grow together.
Part of having a successful long distance relationship is being able to create and share new memories together over the distance.
You want to be able to look back on this date night as a fond memory of you and your partner.
Which will be hard to do if all your virtual dates consist of the same activities like watching a movie.
If you need some more date ideas you can check out these virtual date night posts I created here.
10 Virtual Escape Room Games Perfect for LDR Date Nights
Top 10 Virtual Paint Date Night Ideas Perfect for LDRs
Make Sure to Get Dressed Up for Your Next Virtual Date Night!
At the beginning of this post, I asked the question what’s the difference between a virtual date night and a video call.
As you can see virtual dates require more planning and preparation than your everyday video call.
My last tip to make your virtual date night special is to get dressed up for your date.
You get extra bonus points if you actually wear pants.
Talk to your partner about what they are going to wear, hype up your virtual date night like it’s a night on the town.
Take your time in getting ready and even throw on that going out playlist on your Spotify.
This will help both you and your partner get more excited for a night in together.
As someone who was in a long distance relationship, going months even a year in between seeing Tuomas, we had to learn how to take time for ourselves and our relationship to make it something truly special.
We made it happen, one virtual date at a time.
There are so many ways you and your partner can do that too.
Are You Ready for Your Next Date Night In? Grab The Virtual Date Night Kit Here!
Want to Check Out Other Virtual Date Ideas? Then Check Out These Posts
Top 10 Virtual Paint Date Night Ideas Perfect for LDRs
50 Great Questions to ask while in a Long Distance Relationship