Valentines Day Tips
Article written by Marita Wilcox from Creative Ceremonies of Distinction

‘Propose to your partner by giving her a bunch of roses with a ring inside one of the flowers!’

‘Write your partner a letter, telling them all the ways that they make you feel special.’

‘Read your partner a love poem by one of the great romantic poets or write your own.’

‘Book a surprise Hot Air Balloon flight and watch sunrise together.’

‘Buy a new calendar for your partner and write on each page a reason why you love your them.’

‘Put a note, which says ‘I love You’, in your loved ones, wallet, hand bag, coat pocket or lunch box!

‘Plan a surprise ‘lovers’ picnic in a secluded romantic hide away!’

‘Put kiss shaped chocolates on the floor which leads to a note saying "I kiss the ground you walk on and will you please marry me!" ‘

‘Scatter red rose petals on the floor, in the bath and on the bed for the person you love. ‘

'Oh, my love is a red, red rose' Rose, as the queen of flowers, symbolizes beauty, peace and war, love and forgiveness.

Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day is a time to send flowers and gifts to your loved ones but beware! Some of these beautiful messengers may transmit wrong messages.

Roses for Valentines Day
There are traditional meanings of different coloured roses in some cultures. These are still adhered to today, so choose your colour with care.

Valentines Day
White roses are for true love and purity of the mind - Red roses are for love and passion -Yellow roses are for friendship - Pink roses mean friendship or sweetheart.

Cupids Heart
A heart, pierced by the cupid's arrow, has become the most famous of the valentine's symbols. To give someone one's heart means to give to him or her one's whole being, for the heart is at the center of one's existence.

Love Birds and Doves
The sweet little blue coloured lovebirds signify that the lovers can't live without their mates. Doves signifies purity, meekness and innocence. Hence, these two birds have become the most endearing symbols of the spirit of valentine day.

In Wales
W ooden love spoons were carved and given as gifts on February 14th. Hearts, keys and keyholes were favorite decorations on the spoons. The decoration meant, "You unlock my heart!

In the Middle Ages
Young men and women drew names from a bowl to see who their valentines would be. They would wear these names on their sleeves for one week. To wear your heart on your sleeve now means that it is easy for other people to know how you are feeling.

Romantic Valentines Wedding

Getting married on Valentine's Day? You must be a true romantic. Have your ceremony and reception reflect all the romance of your personal love story.

- wear a white dress with red accents. Wear red roses in your hair and carry an overflowing bouquet of more red roses

- Have your bridesmaids wear the same dress in varying shades of pink and red, and have groomsmen wear red ties with different red and pink boutonnières.

If you want to get married on Valentines Day make sure you book your celebrant and location early, as it’s a very popular day to tie the knot.

Wed someplace that will allow you to light lots of candles to really set the mood for a late evening ceremony or try a garden or greenhouse filled with roses and flowers for plenty of romantic atmosphere.

During your ceremony have married couples stand and reaffirm their love for each other.

Music: A string quartet or Italian opera singer will help set the mood. If you want to have a DJ, create a song list full of love songs.

Menu: Why not fan the sparks between your guests by including some aphrodisiacs in the menu, including an oyster bar, asparagus, almonds, and chocolate covered strawberries and bananas.

Give your guests tiny heart-shaped boxes of candy with a note attached saying "Thank you for being our Valentines. Love, Jessica and George."

Proposing on Valentines Day

Valentine's Day is one of the most popular days of the year to propose. It's a day that's romantic, so fill it with the love you feel for each other and make your proposal special and memorable.

To propose with a ring or not a ring! That is the question!
If you are not confidant as to what type of ring your girlfriend really wants! It may be wise to propose and then give your fiancée a few ‘Engagement Ring’ brochures from reputable jewleres! After all she will be wearing it for the rest of her life!

Proposing in Front of a Crowd
Sporting Event – Live Theatre – Movies - Restaurant – Cruise Ship – Party – Any where!
Organize with the venue manages to publicly surprise your partner, it could be by sign writing in the sky or on the big screen at a sporting event to on stage at the theatre!

On the Radio
If your partner listens to a particular radio program arrange to propose on air on Valentine's Day! Call the station at least a few days in advance to arrange it, or see if you'll need to buy an ad.

Say it with Chocolate!
Buy your sweetheart a heart shape box of chocolates and replace one with the engagement ring.
Or buy a bag of choclate hearts and wrap one with a note that says "Marry Me”! If she says ‘Yes’, then give her the ring or!

Recreating a First Date or Special Moment
Make arrangements to recreate your first date or that special date when you told each other "I love you" for the first time. Go to the same restaurant, play the same music, have the same foods and wine and wear a similar outfit! Tell her that it was the moment you knew that you wanted to spend the rest of your lives together, then get down on one knee and pop the question!

On a Walk/Drive/Sail
Go to a romantic location, talk about why you are in love and why your relationship is so special, then say something like "I wanted to bring you to a spot almost as beautiful as you are to ask you to spend the rest of your life with me. Will you marry me?"

Unromantic Proposals!
If you want to surprise your partner with a proposal but you're not the romantic type and you know they will be suspicious if you suggest going out for a fancy dinner on Valentine's Day. Why don’t you put the proposal note "Will you marry me?", in a common place in your home – the kitchen drawer, the toothbrush dish, a shirt pocket in the laundry or tied to the neck of a beer or wine bottle!

Another casual approach to proposing may be to read the Engagement column or Valentines Notices in the newspaper and nonchalantly ask, "Do you think we should announce our engagement in the paper?"

Jigsaw Puzzle
Give your partner a jigsaw puzzle for Valentins Day with one piece missing! When she discovers that one piece is missing produce the piece which reads "Will You Marry Me?"

Photo Album
Make an album of your relationship, with pictures of the two of you during important moments, and on the second to last page write "what will the future bring?" and on the last page write "how about marriage?"

Other Valentine's Day Tips

"Marriage is not a ritual or an end. It is a long, intricate, intimate dance together and nothing matters more than your own sense of balance and your choice of partner." - Amy Bloom

"Sexiness wears thin after a while and beauty fades, but to be married to a man who makes you laugh every day, ah, now that's a real treat." Joanne Woodward

"A successful marriage requires falling in love many times, and always with the same person." - Mignon McLaughlin

Marita Wilcox - Creative Ceremonies of Distinction
All areas, Melbourne, Victoria.
Phone 03 9416 1096
Mobile 0419 398 910
Website: www.maritawilcox.com.au

This article has been reproduced on Wedding Central Australia with permission.