CHARLOTTE, N.C. — There are a lot of things we took for granted before the coronavirus crisis hit: One of them being the ability to take your partner on a romantic date night.
“I can’t remember the last time we went on a date,” said Champagne Atwell, owner and head designer for Champagne’s Taste. “And we like to date often, we are daters. Within the last six weeks, that’s something that’s been taken away from us.”
Champagne’s Taste is an event planning company that does everything from baby showers to corporate events. Atwell says she usually does pretty well, but like everything else, that's changed.
“The event industry has been hit pretty hard with COVID-19 with the venue closures and everything,” Atwell said.
That's when she came up with the idea of date night at home.
“I was planning on doing it for myself,” said Atwell, explaining her wedding anniversary was earlier this week.
A client decided she wanted to do something similar for her husband, and as it turns out, so did a lot of people.
“When we actually published the post to our social media page, it took off,” Atwell said.
She's since set up romantic and intimate spaces in several people's homes, and the results have been spectacular.
“So when they walk out it’s like, ‘oh wow,’” Atwell said. “I want them to forget they’re in their backyard.”
Atwell says they sanitize their materials before and after every date, and only sets up with one other person. She says it typically takes about an hour to 90 minutes to get ready.
“The tables we have are six-foot tables, so you still have the six feet distance for social distancing,” Atwell said, “[and] we wash all of our linens.”
Atwell says especially in these difficult the times that we’re in, she’s loved giving people a reason to smile.
“Being shut in, it helps break up that same day everyday routine. Get off the couch, dress up, and just enjoy the time that we have," Atwell said.
Atwell says the only thing they don’t handle is food, so if you don’t want to cook she can refer you to a personal chef or caterer or you can carry out from a restaurant.
To set up your own date night, Atwell says you can contact her through Champagne’s Taste social media, call their business line at 704-699-7510 or email her at ctasteevents@gmail.com. Bookings need to be made two days in advance.