Valentine’s Day Date Ideas Julie Ferman, Cupid’s Coach

February 14 is fast approaching. Plan the perfect Valentine’s Day with cute, romantic, and memorable Valentine’s Day date ideas. From dinner to sexy surprises, make this day unforgettable.

What to do on Valentine’s Day: A daunting dilemma for both new couples and for long-time-married couples too. That tricky Hallmark holiday can result in delight or disappointment. To manage the pressure that this annual nail-biter can be, here are some Valentines Date ideas to ponder

Things to do for Valentine’s Day. YOU be the one to save the day.

 

 

Guys. Be heroic. Be the Man with the Plan this Valentine season. You could just ask her what she’d love to do, but she’s likely looking for you to put some thought and effort into the plan. Choose two or three date ideas for Valentine’s Day here to share with her in advance, to see what lights up her face, and then have fun making it happen. Or dare to make the whole evening a surprise, just letting her know how to dress. Trim up the beard, wear her favorite shirt and spoil her. She likely deserves it.

Ladies: Save the poor guy – Give him a clue, as to what type of Valentine Date might delight you. Share three Valentine’s day date ideasideas with him that would accomplish his mission – to make you happy. Offer up suggestions with varying levels of effort/expense, and then shower him with heartfelt appreciation. You do know his Love Languages, don’t you? Be sure to include his two favorites, and he’ll be delighted.

 

At Home Dinner Ideas for Your Valentine.

 

You play chef. You make dinner, especially if you rarely if ever do. Restaurant Reservations can be tough to get on February 14. Get creative instead. Fantastic, simple Valentine’s Day dinner ideas and recipes here.

Cook Together. Something fun and easy like Tacos, a make ahead casserole with a beautiful salad, or make your own pizza night. Preparing a meal together is a romantic Valentine’s Day idea. One of my favorite success story couples fell in love just this way, over the smashing of garlic cloves and tears they shared over onion chopping. It’s sweet – it was their third date and she wasn’t sure she was feeling “the hots” for him until that dinner they prepared together. Pavarotti playing in the background didn’t hurt either, she shared with me. They’ve been beautifully married for 18 years.

Ready-Made Meals. It’s OK to cheat, folks. It’s the thought that counts. Scout out the grab-and-go offerings at your local supermarkets. Bon Appetit did our research for us.

Carry-Out Counts too. You might not be able to get a table at your partner’s favorite restaurant, but pop online to study the menu and place the order for carry-out. It’s not cheating if it’s your partner’s favorite meal, served up in style at your dining room table. 

Set the Scene. Make the table special. Sappiness is sweet. Use a fancy tablecloth for a change, bring out the best china, the “nice stuff” that’s been collecting dust in the cabinet. Light a candle or a bunch of them (unscented is best for a dining experience.) Two beautiful flowers, placed in a vase together can be more memorable than a dozen roses, which will surely be overpriced during Valentine season. Awesome table settings here for inspiration.

Make a Music Playlist to share over cooking, dinner, and who knows what afterward? Choose your date’s favorite artists, and a few of your own too, especially if there’s a song that’s been deemed to be “your song” – Music makes memories. Gil and I heard a Celine Dion song on the radio decades ago on a romantic trip to Switzerland, before I knew of her. I fell in love with the song and would wait patiently for it to air again on the local station. Every time I hear that song, I get chills. Do you know this song? 

Dine differently in your own home, using one of the Valentine’s Date Night Ideas. Set up your Valentine’s date dinner in front of the fire, at the coffee table with pillows. One of my favorites – a beautiful, delicious pasta dish, in bowls, just a fork needed, and serve it in bed, with candles and music. What happens afterward? Your partner’s favorite way to make whoopie…

 

 

Drinks that Deliver Wows. Spring for sparkling water, bubbly cider, or a better-than-usual bottle of vino. Scout out a cocktail recipe that’s pretty and different, being sure to choose elements that you know your partner loves. Ditch the booze, with a delicious mocktail. Skip the calories, opting for sparkling water with a slice of lime.

Desserts to impress your Valentine. 

  1. Strawberry Shortcake – Bisquick is my go-to fast and easy way to make shortcake, topped with sliced strawberries and whipped cream – also super easy to make with just powdered sugar and heavy cream. Dessert with strawberries is a classic option for Valentine’s Day dinner ideas.
  2. Bake a cake. From the box or a simple one from scratch. Always impressive. 
  3. Berries. Yep, they’re always romantic. Melt up some chocolate to drizzle over them and watch those eyebrows raise! A simple yet special at-home Valentine’s Day idea.
  4. Cookies, especially if you baked them. Even more so if you’ve never baked in your life. Can you cheat, with slice and bake cookies from the grocery store? Sure, that’s special too, if you don’t normally bake at all. 
  5. Chocolates. I don’t know anyone who doesn’t love See’s Candies. One Valentine’s Day, I was in a hurry (Valentine season for a matchmaker is like Christmas Day for Santa Claus, always hectic) and I grabbed a Toblerone bar. I melted it and served it over Haagen dazs vanilla ice cream. Thoroughly yummy. Gil Ferman was super impressed and still talks about it, years later.

A first date on Valentine’s Day – Too Much Pressure? I say no. Why sit home feeling lonely on this silly Hallmark Holiday? Instead, suffer through it together, have a laugh over it, with no greater an expectation than you’d have for any other first date. Focus on making the day a warmer, more lovely experience because you were there, with an open heart and a loving spirit. Valentine’s Day activities for adults don’t have to be overwhelming—just focus on enjoying each other’s company.

Kick Cupid to the curb and make a nice, new friend, at the very least. Use your ears more than your mouth and strive to bring smiles to this person’s face. Make each of your dates a heart warming experience for this fellow human, through your focused attention, by looking for, noticing and commenting on what’s lovely, rather than what might be lacking or missing. It’s what my now-famous mother-in-law called “looking at the donut, not the hole.” 

The element of surprise. Write I Love You in lipstick on the bathroom mirror. Record a voice memo with an unsuspected, heartfelt message. Something you’d want your sweetheart to hear if it was the last message you ever got to share, and send it during the workday. One of my matchmaking clients (a GUY)  baked cookies and dropped them off at her office. A small but meaningful Valentine’s Day surprise. It’s not so much the WHAT of the gift, but the thought and the effort. 

Words of Affirmation: Of the five Love Languages, words of affirmation is quite popular among men and women both. Write a poem for your sweetie. Or borrow one from someone whose words express how you feel. Grammerly did the work for us. Choose your favorite, hand write it on a card that you chose for the occasion. A handwritten note makes for one of the most thoughtful Valentine’s Day ideas.

Touch. Affection. Sensuality. Intimacy. Sexy time. Especially if you’re not typically the one who initiates touch? Oh yeah, sexy Valentine’s ideas like this will make it memorable.

One Valentines Day, when our boys were young, I lined up a sitter, to take the boys to putt putt and to dinner, so we’d have the house to ourselves. Gil came home to an empty house, a playlist queued up with music he loves. I threw a bunch of blankets and pillows on the floor in front of a big, beautiful fire, I dimmed the lights, removed every stitch of clothing, and dove underneath the down comforter as I heard the garage door open. Yep, he found me. You’ll have to imagine the rest. It cost absolutely nothing, and I know he’ll never forget it. 

Make it public. Are you both on Instagram or Facebook? Post a photo of the two of you and let the world know that your love is real and alive. Especially if saying I Love You is out of the norm for you. And no, don’t say “Love You” – you positively must include the “I” or … it doesn’t count. 

Frame your favorite photo of the two of you, wrap it up, nice and pretty, and share it over dessert, with a carefully chosen Valentine card. One of the most heartfelt Valentine’s date night ideas.

Say the words out loud. My favorite quote from the movie, Moulin Rouge. “The greatest thing you’ll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return.” Place both hands on your loved one’s beautiful face. Look into each other’s eyes, share the quote and then say “Thank You for loving me. I do love you.” You can do it. Whether you get those words spoken back to you? Not the point. It’s harder for some than it is for others. You do your part by showing your love and by expressing it out loud. 

Write up a Haiku: Write one or borrow one. Haikus come from Japan. Three lines only. Five syllables, Seven syllables, Five syllables.

I just wrote this one for Gil. Last year was rough for us. Super rocky, yet we persevered and turned toward each other. We chose each other all over again. One of those creative Valentine’s Day date ideas that carry deep meaning.

 

 

We were meant to be

We never give up. Ever.

I love you dearly.

Fear not the Valentine Season. Embrace it instead, with a bit of planning, some creativity, unexpected surprises and most importantly, your focused attention. Valentine’s Day is a chance to show your love. Will it be a gift? Something experiential? An adventure? How will you show that you care?

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