Valentine’s Day is fast approaching, and as always it stirs up thoughts of love and romance. This year, as every year, men and women will be planning something special and romantic to mark the occasion, and quite often that special something will be a long awaited wedding proposal. In fact, more wedding engagements take place during the Valentine’s Day celebrations than at any other time of the year.
Many couples like to keep that romantic theme alive by planning their wedding so that it coincides with Valentine’s Day. Planning a Valentine’s Day themed wedding can be fun and romantic, but it does take a little extra effort. So let’s look at a few tips for staging a Valentine’s Day themed wedding, from both the logistical and aesthetic perspectives in case you wanted to plan yours for next year.
Early Planning is the Most Important Step
This can not be stressed enough. The earlier you start planning your Valentine’s themed wedding, the better. Valentine’s Day weddings are very popular, and many couples will be competing for the same venues, caterers and entertainers. This is particularly true when it comes to booking a hired venue. Wedding venues are typically booked far in advance, and if you wait to long to put your wedding plans in motion you may find it difficult to hire the venue you desire on or near Valentine’s Day. If a Valentine’s Day theme is what you both want, start wedding planning early and make booking the venue and hiring the vendors your top priority. With those essentials in place you can then move on to guest lists, invitations, and decorations.
Valentine’s Themed Invitations
Start your Valentine’s themed wedding off right by choosing an appropriately designed wedding invitation. Red, pink and white are the colors most associated with Valentine’s Day, so they should be the go to color scheme for your invitations and RSVPs. Red roses and pink carnations are also typically associated with Valentine’s Day, and can easily be incorporated into the design motif of your wedding invitations. You might even consider including a famous Valentine’s Day quote on your invitation, such as Thomas Hardy’s immortal “Oh, if it be to choose and call you mine, love, thou art every day my Valentine.”
Valentine’s Day Color Scheme
Again, red, pink and white are the true colors of Valentine’s Day and these can be easily incorporated into your wedding’s color scheme. Pink and red accents, such as a pink carnation boutonniere for the groom and red roses for the bridal bouquet can highlight the Valentine’s Day theme of your wedding without overpowering the more formal atmosphere of the occasion. Similar accents can be applied to the attire of the groomsmen and bridesmaids. For the reception, pink, red and white can be more liberally deployed throughout the decorations. Pink, red and white carnations can form the basis of the tablescapes and centerpieces, while rose petals can be used to accent serving platters and cake plates.
Valentine’s Themed Wedding Cakes
Your Valentine’s Day theme can be incorporated into your wedding cake in a number of different ways. A white tier cake can be accented with red and pink highlights, preserving the traditional elegance of the wedding cake while tying it into your overall theme. 
For something with a little more pizzazz you might opt for a heart shaped cake with individualized wedding toppers depicting your Valentine’s Day proposal. If you want the theme of your wedding reception to be full of fun and frivolity you might even choose to go with a tiered display of individually decorated cupcakes, each topped with an appropriate Valentine’s Day message. The only limitation is your imagination.
Valentine’s Themed Decorations
The traditional Valentine’s Day heart shape can be easily woven into the décor of your wedding reception. Hearts and flowers naturally go together on Valentine’s Day, so heart shapes should be mixed in with flower arrangements, bouquets, and table centerpieces. Heart shaped place cards can be used to help your guests find their seats, and heart shaped confetti can be used to send the happy couple off on their honeymoon.
Valentine’s Day themed weddings are always popular, and always strike the right romantic note. If this Valentine’s Day brings a proposal and an engagement, why not let Cupid lead the way and reflect that in your wedding day plans the next year?
