And Celebrate Valentines Day Without Breaking the Bank

My celebration of Valentines Day has been morphing throughout my life. When I was a little girl it was a day to send all my girlfriends little store-bought cards that you folded in half and placed a sticker on–of course they were either Wonder Woman themed or My Little Pony (except when they weren’t Strawberry Shortcake). As I got older, I may have added a boy to the mailing list. When I was a teenager, I went through the “I’m gonna wear all black on Valentine’s Day” phase. Then I became a young adult and I barely had the time, but always remembered to send my dad a card (I still do along with a box of sweets). When I became a single mom to a beautiful little girl, we began our own tradition (which we have continued) of going out for tea each year at a little Victorian tea house in Tuckerton, NJ called The Lizzie Rose. Then I fell in love, and Valentine’s Day took on a whole new meaning and it has become one of those days I look forward to. Once Richie and I became engaged, we looked for ways to celebrate Valentines Day without breaking the bank. Afterall, we were saving up for our wedding. So, I thought this year, as my gift to you, I’d give you five ways to celebrate Valentines Day in NJ without breaking the bank.

Me and C having tea for the first time, she was 5 years old. We’ve done this every year since.

5 Ways to Celebrate Valentines Day (without going broke)

1. A Picnic. I know…it’s February. But there are a few places that you can dig up that with the addition of a bon fire and some blankets would make for an increadbly cozy romantic date. This idea works even if you end up on your living room floor with an order of Chinese.
2. A Bag full of kisses. Spend a little time writing out on nice paper (use you best handwriting) descriptions of all the different types of kisses you can think of; butterfly kisses, french kisses, soft kisses, eskimo kisses, long kisses, kisses on the nose, that kiss from The Monsters when Gomez used to kiss all the way up Morticia’s arm.
3. A Champage Toast. Give your sweetheart a beautiful set of champgane flutes (bring along a bottle of bubbly). You can use the flutes again on your wedding day, so have them engraved with your wedding date. Then, each year, you can reuse them on Valentine’s Day as part of your newly established tradition.
4. A message in a bottle. Take a wine bottle, save the cork, and write a really sweet message on a piece of paper inside it. For a really special touch, you could order a wine bottle engraved with your initials off Etsy. And then each year on Valentine’s Day, add a message to the bottle. How seet would the yearly tradition be if each year, you took the previous year’s messages out and re-read them together. Before adding the newest one. I only wish I’d thought of this a few years back so I could do it for myself. Check out PeerlessCustom on Etsy for personalized engraved wine bottles for $40.
5. Be a Local Tourist. Have you ever noticed a historical spot or small museam and thought, “I wonder what’s in there?” For years I used to pass a sign pointing out a local historical museum. How about touring one with oyur sweetie? This works especially well if they are nerdy (like me and Richie). But even if they’re not, it’s a fun way to spend time together. Bring your camera (leave your phone behind) and take pictures. Maybe even consider pre-planning a few small scvenger hunt clues that will make the day even more interesting.

For sure this Valentine’s Day, do not forget one of my favorite quotes, from George Eliot, “I like not only to be loved, but also to be told I am loved.” For those of you thinking Valentines Day is over blown, or too corporate, I say, it doesn’t matter. No woman ever got flowers at work and thought less of her man. Trust me on this one. So no matter what you do, flowers are a must. But they don’t work alone. So pair them with any of the above gift ideas, and you will be a romantic hero this year! And maybe, you’ll even begin a loving tradition that you will carry on throughout your lives together. How sweet…which makes me think of…chocolate.

If you’re reading this post and you’re not engaged, well, in my opinion, it’s a great day to ask! If you enjoyed this post, you might also enjoy reading about Why I Love Weddings. And if you’re interested in talking to me about how I can help you to plan the wedding of your dreams, contact me here.