Valentine’s Inspiration Blog

Expensive candlelit dinners, chocolates, and flowers are all hallmarks of a traditional Valentine’s Day celebration. But you don’t have to dine at a fancy restaurant or even leave the house to enjoy a Valentine’s Day meal that is special for you and your partner. Here are five tips to make your time together memorable.

1. Create a Romantic Atmosphere

Set the mood by creating a relaxed atmosphere. A few small changes can go a long way in making the space feel cozy, comfortable, at ease and yes, amorous.

It is unusually cold in Texas right now, so light a fire…warm it up!

Get creative. Style a table centerpiece with hand-picked flowers (they might be frozen with this cold spell!) or handmade paper flowers, or you could purchase a pretty inexpensive bouquet at Trader Joe’s.

Eat dinner by candlelight. Save the scented candles for dessert.

Turn on some soft music. Check your favorite streaming music service (check out Spotify) for romantic playlists and song ideas. If you have a special song, make sure that you add it to your list.

The beauty of celebrating Valentine’s Day at home is that you have the freedom to be as simple or elaborate as you want with the ambiance that you create. It’s all about connecting with whoever is special to you, in ways that are special to your relationship.

2. Cook Together

Make meal prep part of the experience. Cooking together can be a fun way to get comfortable and start the evening off right. Pop open a bottle of wine, champagne, or sparkling water and turn on some music. Personal note here….I love to cook and Jared loves to eat whatever I cook. I love listening to him play DJ. His music memory never ceases to amaze me.

If your partner isn’t a big fan of cooking, or you’re pressed for time, try to have dinner nearly ready to go by the time your special someone arrives. This will give you more time to spend together and make the most of every moment.

If you’re looking for a good recipe, check out my post about grilled pizza! It may not be what comes to mind when you think of Valentine’s Day, but it is a nice dish to make and assemble with your partner.

3. Don’t Forget the Appetizers and Desserts

Make your Valentine’s Day dinner memorable by serving multiple courses. Start with appetizers and work your way to a delicious dessert. Choose easy-to-prepare, tasty appetizers, like bruschetta or hummus and pita chips. Look for inspiration online if you’re having trouble finding ideas.

Splurge on dessert. Pick up something special from your favorite local bakery, or make something from scratch. Homemade chocolates or a freshly baked decadent cake will make the evening even more special. By the way, the link in “favorite local bakery” is a link to my personal favorite local bakery 🙂

4. Keep it Simple

Valentine’s Day is a celebration of love. There’s a lot of pressure to spend more and make the evening as extravagant as possible. But ultimately, what makes this day special is you. You don’t have to spend a fortune to make it a memorable evening. Focus more on spending quality time together in ways that are special to both of you. Keep it simple and choose foods that you both love.

5. Set the Intention to Ditch the Distractions

TURN OFF YOUR PHONE AND TV so that you can focus on your partner and the moment. Be present with each other and embrace the perfection and imperfection that comes with each and every moment.

Valentine’s Day is all about you and your partner, and there’s no better way to celebrate this special day than with a fantastic brunch, lunch or dinner at home. Use these tips to make your Valentine’s Day memorable. And, stay warm 🙂

Be well,