Valentines Day Party Decorations

Choosing a Theme

For a casual party, a simple Valentine theme is sufficient and easy to coordinate, but many hosts are interested in more elaborate themed events to celebrate the holiday. With the wide variety of Valentine’s Day decorations available, it is a simple matter to choose items to create a fun and romantic theme, such as:

• Matchmaking: Pairs of cherubs, cuddly animals, and dual hearts can all be part of a theme dedicated to matching lonely hearts together. This is a great choice for a blind date party or one in which single friends come together to celebrate.
• Sweet Love: Chocolate is a key ingredient in many Valentine’s Day sweets, and a chocolate or candy themed party can celebrate the sweetness of love.
• Perfect Pair: This Valentine’s Day party theme celebrates couples and should include decorations paired together to represent the bonds of love those couples share.
• Burning Love: Fiery passion is the theme of this party, and candles, spicy foods, and other hot decorations can symbolize burning desire.
• Devilish Love: Flirty devils are a fun Valentine’s Day party theme that can be paired with flames to heat up the fun.
• Single and Celebrating: This theme is perfect for individuals who despise the emphasis on couples for this holiday, and friends who care about one another in non-romantic ways can enjoy a fun single theme.

Even if the party will not have an overall theme, choosing coordinated decorations is a great way to plan for an elegant event without overwhelming guests with too much smoochie symbolism.

Types of Romantic Decorations

Valentine’s Day has many inherent symbols that are used for romantic decorations, including cherubs, hearts, kissing lips, “XOXO” hugs and kisses, and pairs of cuddly animals. Each of those basic symbols is available in any type of party decoration, from plates, cups, and cutlery to wall decorations, garlands, and banners. Bows, wreaths, dangling accents, window clings, and more are also readily available, but because they are so easy to find they may be too predictable for a fabulous party. More unique decoration ideas include:

• Sprinkling heart confetti on tables
• Valentine piñatas, but avoid heart shapes or else the party is doomed to “broken hearts”
• Light-up roses in different colors
• Heart-shaped food such as Valentine’s Day cakes, cookies, candies, sandwiches, and more
• Origami hearts, flowers, or other romantic figures
• Valentine’s Day crafts that party guests can make to add to the decorations
• Specialty candles in romantic colors, shapes, and scents
• Heart-shaped or lace-covered pillows

Where to Find Valentine’s Day Party Decorations

Most major retailers begin stocking romantic party accents in early January, and specialty party supply stores may have a more limited selection available year round. If local resources are limited, party planners can turn to online retailers to find a much wider range of Valentine’s Day decorations in assorted colors, themes, sizes, and styles.

Heart Confetti

Online retailers offering Valentine’s Day items include:

• Bulk Party Supplies
• Party America
• Windy City Novelties
• Seasonal Reflections
• Holiday-Party-Decorations.com
• PartyWedding.com
• Oriental Trading Company
• M & N International
• Party Merchant
• Party City

Subtle Romance is Best

With such a wide variety of decorations available, it is easy to go overboard when decorating for a Valentine’s Day celebration. Unfortunately, one too many foil hearts or heart-tipped arrows can make an otherwise romantic theme seem cliché and corny rather than whimsical or romantic. To avoid a lovey-dovey overdose, symbolic party decorations can be blended with solid color decorations in appropriate hues that will emphasize and highlight the decorations.

Colors suitable for Valentine’s Day party decorations include:

• Black, white, and red for an elegant and sophisticated event
• Burgundy and ivory for a more formal affair
• Magenta and white for a bright, flirtatious party
• Classic red and white for a traditional romantic theme
• Different shades of pink for a fun party

Table linens, dishes, streamers, balloons, and other basic party necessities can easily be found in coordinating colors to enhance a Valentine’s Day party without being ostentatious.

A romantic party can be soft and loving or fun and flirty, and the appropriate Valentine’s Day party decorations help set the mood for a heartfelt affair.