It is certainly worth a day of Valentine preparation to show your loved ones how much they mean to you. What is your plan to make your dinner table festive and your night special? For some people it’s making reservations. LOL. But to us, staying home and creating a festive, colorful and romantic dinner party whether it be for two or for a crowd is the way to go! A thoughtful tablescape, menu and theme drinks will set the tone and atmosphere for a night of passion and celebration.
We have you covered for an impressive Valentine’s dinner table with signature cocktails and thanks to our very talented friend Bill Kaliff from Festivities you have a creative theme menu as well as some recipes to inspire you. So what are you waiting for? Prepare for Love!!
This doesn’t have to be complicated! After all, you need time to get glamorous for the evening. The most important thing on your table is color and texture. With deep red and hot pink on your side you can’t go wrong. Table linens in a velvet or satin texture would be a great start. 
Our table is a blood red crushed velvet and our napkins are a bright red satin. Homegoods or online is a great place to find these. If you don’t want to own them you can rent them from your local party rental shop. Same goes for plates and stemware. Places like Homegoods, Pier 1, Target, and online carry variations of these items.
We like to layer our plates for interest and dimension! This year’s example starts with a red charger and is then topped with a pink dinner plate, a clear glass salad plate with red ball detailing and the final layer is a bright red heart plate. We found the red heart plates at the Christmas Tree Shops.
The key is to plan ahead so you have the time to bop from store to store to put your look together. For Valentine’s Day, the classic and rich look of red roses in tight nosegay bouquets is the perfect centerpiece. This looks romantic and just a bit frilly. But it’s classic! We made a grouping with a taller vase in the middle and shorter ones on the sides. Mix this with tapered candles and lots of votives and you are almost finished!
The last step is to personalize it a bit. Whether it be a beautiful name card at each place setting, a quote about love, a box of conversation hearts or a sexy trinket you can make each guest or your significant other feel special and loved. We suggest setting your table the day before as well as doing your grocery shopping and jaunt at the local wine shop or liquor store. You may even go as far as to do any recipe preparation in advance so “day of” will go smoothly and you have time to relax and get gorgeous. Prepare to indulge, prepare to love.
We love the variety of these festive Valentine’s Day cocktails. Pick your potion!
For the Tequila Lover: Aphrodisiac Margarita
For the Martini Lover: Love Potion Martini
Now let’s get cookin! Yummy! Here is a delicious three course meal:
(menu cards can be printed out)
We hope you enjoy your Valentine’s Day home with your hunny. Creating a night to remember with this “Preparing for Love” Valentine’s Day guideline.
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Ruth Ridgeway Designs is a custom event design company specializing in decor for Weddings, Bar/Bat Mitzvahs and Social Events. They have been creating cutting edge events and unforgettable memories for families all over the tri-state area with their amazing flair for floral design, scenic design, lighting, draping and more. Reach out for your next special event! By appointment: 203-556-4877.
