Valentine's Day Wedding Ideas

An obvious choice for the winter wedding is to plan your wedding around Valentine's Day. How can you get the most bang for your buck if you want to tie the knot on Valentine's Day? Here are things to consider, ideas for decorating, favor ideas, & more!

Plan Ahead:

Valentine's Day is one of the most popular holidays on which to wed. Valentine's Day is also one of the busiest days of the year for florists.

Flowers:

If you choose to marry on Valentine's Day, you may have difficulty securing a florist and the flowers may have been assembled several days in advance. Make sure to book your florist well in advance. You will also be paying almost double for most flowers. The cost of flowers increases about 2 weeks before Valentine's Day and doesn't decrease until about 1 week after this holiday. Consider using some none floral centerpieces for your tables to save money.

Consider the Cost

Some reception facilities charge an additional fee for use of their facility on a popular holiday and hotels may charge your guests a higher room rate.

Balloon clouds floating down from the ceiling over tables is an inexpensive decor idea for a Valentine's Day reception. Clouds can be linked together with ribbons for a decorative touch. You could even have a balloon heart arch for guests to walk through or on a wall behind a head table. The cost should be less than using flowers for this holiday wedding. Check with a balloon sculpting company for more information.

Be Considerate of Guests

Notify family and friends as early as possible so that they can save the date and make travel reservations early. If you are planning a Valentine's Day winter wedding, be sure that your guests allow a day or two travel cushion for weather and airport delays.

The Invitations:

Carlson Craft offers a lovely selection of Heart Invitations, Accessories & Favors.

Pre-wedding Events:

Visit our Wedding & Shower Section for paper goods, wedding favors, wedding party items, bridal decorations, Bridal Shower items, Bachelorette Party Items & Custom Wedding Banners.
Don't forget the Valentine's Section too.

Ceremony Ideas:

Repeat your vows under a Heart-shaped arch and light the ceremony with heart shaped floor candelabras. These are available for rent at party rental supply companies. Generally the cost for renting is reasonable. Check your yellow pages for "party rentals".

If flowers are not an option due to cost, place decorative bows onto candelabras.

Carlson Craft offers a lovely selection of Heart Accessories ( Unity Candle Sets, Flutes, Imprinted Napkins, Envelope Seals, Save the date cards, Heart Cake Tops, Favor boxes, Coasters & more).

A satin basket embellished with Double Hearts for the flower girl.

Scatter red rose petals on a pristine white aisle runner.

Reception Planning Tips:

The key to pulling off a coordinated event: Evoke your theme throughout the affair. Whether that theme is as general as a season or a feeling, or as specific as a special flower, it should be the subtle thread that ties everything together. Your location, invitations, flowers, menu, cake, and favors should all cleverly reflect one common concept. Then, get as creative as you can!

Valentine Table Decoration Ideas

In the picture (left) the tables were covered in white lap length linens with red organza overlays. Chairs were covered in white chair covers with red organza sashes. White napkins were folded so that cutlery could be placed inside. Gold charger plates held 3 pillar candles of varied heights, decorated with ribbon. Rose petals were scattered on the tables around the charger plates. White china and crystal water goblets were used. A heart shaped cookie favor with the word "LOVE" was placed at each guest setting and gold hearts were used for placecards.

The "Ruby Table":

Set your tables aglow with a red velvet tablecloth, deep red roses at the center, and a faux-ruby glued to each place card. Carry the theme through to your menu with chocolate-covered strawberries dusted with edible 24-karat gold powder. Bathe everything in candlelight!

The "Heart Pomander Table":

A ball covered with carnation blooms is the centerpiece for this table. Set the table with a red tablecloth. The Heart Pomander is made with a large round Styrofoam ball, white & red carnations, & 22 gauge green florist wire, Start by cutting a piece from one side of the Styrofoam ball to create a flat surface. This will be the bottom of the centerpiece. Place Carnations in water for at least 30 minutes before cutting, this will allow the flowers to soak up the water. Cut the carnation stems off just below the green area under the bloom at the top of the stem (cutting under water will prolong the life of the flowers). Cut floral wire into 3" pieces. Now take your florist wire and push it through the green area under the bloom. Bend the wire down to form a hairpin shape. Start with the red carnations and insert about 6 blooms into the styrofoam forming a heart shape (pressing a heart-shaped cookie cutter down into the foam is a great way to place the outline for your heart shape onto the foam). Place several heart shapes on the surface of the styrofoam ball, then fill in all the empty areas with the white carnations. This is a lovely centerpiece and carnation are one of the least expensive flowers.

Add white china and several frosted votive candle nestled in a silver heart shaped stand around the centerpiece for an elegant table setting. Red Napkins can be placed on each plate with a single white carnation tucked inside.

The "Rose Topiary"

An elegant rose topiary is perfect for guest tables. The cost will be higher at this time of the year, but if your budget will allow this is a lovely option for a table centerpiece.

Room Decor:

Decorate a small indoor tree, such as a ficus, with items that are pink or red. A garland with small hearts makes a good decoration.

Favor Ideas:

Give your guests favors that are symbolic of the day...

Carlson Craft offers a lovely selection of Heart Accessories & Favors.

Hershey's shows how to make Sweetheart Roses from their caramel KISSES, great for favors at bridal showers or your reception. Place one in the middle of each plate for a lovely touch.

Make sachets from a decorative piece of fabric. Cut fabric into two hearts. Sew the two hearts together, leaving a small opening. Stuff with potpourri and sew shut. Decorate with ribbon or glitter if desired.

The Food:

If menu planning isn't second nature to you, don't worry. Any good caterer should be able to hear your ideas for a certain reception theme and offer a wide variety of menu ideas to help carry the theme through from hors d'oeuvres and appetizers to the main course and dessert. Ask your caterer to create some heart-shaped delicacies for dinner, and of course, order plenty of chocolate for desserts.