If you’re a girl, I don’t care how much you love your boyfriend/fiance/situationship or how much you know he’ll do these things already, send this article to him ASAP. Because, girl, you deserve a Valentine’s Day of romance and yearning. You deserve to be wooed this Valentine’s Day. And for the partners who have been sent this article, you’re in luck! Don’t think, don’t question it, I’m your personal cupid here to take the fear and apprehension and confusion out of one of the most commercialized holidays of the year.
I’ll start out with a life-changing piece of advice: 9 times out of 10, if your significant other says “Valentine’s Day doesn’t matter,” or “it’s not a big deal,” she doesn’t mean it. She’s just not trying to get her hopes up, she’s trying to avoid thoughts of you showing up on her doorstep with flowers and chocolate so she doesn’t end up disappointed on the day of… yikes. So, even if she says that, you should still show her the love and care she deserves. And this article is going to change your life by taking all of the planning out of it for you. I’ve compiled a step-by-step guide with a full timeline on getting the girl, or keeping the great girl you’ve already got.
Before we get to the good stuff, don’t forget to first and foremost ask your lady to be your Valentine. You may think it’s implied, but to her, it means the world that you asked!
Dinner – Planned at least one day before (at the latest)
Valentine’s Day unfortunately falls on a Wednesday, but that doesn’t mean that your girl isn’t going to eat dinner. Even if you aren’t going out to dinner due to time or budget constraints, it’s still important that you take a moment to plan out your dinner with your beautiful girl. Here are some ideas for you, whether you’re going out to eat or not!
For Staying In:
- Make a picnic!
- Grab your favorite snack items or finger foods and make an indoor picnic in your living room, on the floor of your dorm, or even outside if the weather is warm! Some finger foods can include pigs-in-a-blanket, sandwiches, fruit, etc.
- Fondue (or Melted Chocolate) for Two
- Lucky thrifters may be able to find fondue ceramic cookware for cheap, and you can use this to make fondue, melted chocolate, etc. with only a few simple ingredients! Melt some cheese or chocolate and pair it with bread, fruit, graham crackers, or anything else that fits your fancy.
- Make Dinner Together!
- Pick out your favorite/her favorite meal, hit up the local grocery store for ingredients, and get ready to make a meal together! This requires you planning for the recipe and everything you’ll need, she just has to help and look pretty!
For Dining Out:
- Make reservations in advance!!
- If you’re planning to go anywhere, no matter the level of “fancy” you think it is, if you plan to sit down and eat, make a reservation TODAY! Call the restaurant as soon as possible and ask for a table for two on Wednesday, February 14th at the time that works for the two of you. I’ve even left a few restaurant recommendations below with their phone numbers, Google $ rankings, and the mood of the venue.
- Hint! Don’t tell her where you’re taking her out, just tell her whether it’s a dress kind of restaurant or a jeans kind of restaurant so she can be surprised but still know how to dress for the mood!
- Twin Archer: (765) 216-6982 ($$)
- Jeans, nothing fancy!
- Texas Roadhouse: (765) 282-7113 ($$)
- Jeans, nothing fancy!
- Roots: (765) 216-6026 ($$)
- Jeans, nothing fancy! In the Village for those without a car!
- Olive Garden: (765) 287-0450 ($$)
- Jeans and a nice sweater, or a casual dress! Not super fancy.
- Elm Street Brewing: (765) 273-2054 ($$)
- Jeans and a nice sweater, or a casual dress! Not super fancy.
- Vera Mae’s Bistro: (765) 767-5544 ($$$)
- Fanciest on this list! A nice, pretty dress fits the vibes!
Activity – Planned at least one day before (at the latest)
If I had to guess right, your girlfriend makes you plan the “activity” of your dates or hangouts most of the time. Why else would you have gone pottery painting, horseback riding, or ax throwing? I doubt you’d have ever watched The Notebook without her too. But now, it’s your turn to make her feel special by planning the activity! This doesn’t even have to cost a lot of money! Check out this list full of ideas! Don’t forget to think about making reservations or getting all of the supplies ahead of time!
- Pottery Painting at Made in Muncie
- Ax Throwing at Mad Axe Muncie
- Make matching charm bracelets
- You’ll need wire, colorful beads, letter beads, and scissors (You can visit Hobby Lobby or Michaels for these supplies!)
- Watch a new movie together
- There’s a cool app called Handshake where you can both choose movies and then, like Tinder, can “match” on ones you both want to watch
Gift – Planned at least one day before (at the latest)
Gifts are great, and no matter the financial cost, what matters is the sentimental feelings and thoughts that go into a gift! If you want your girl to love you forever, here are a few ideas to fit any budget!
- Make a scrapbook with photos of your favorite memories!
- You can print pictures at Walgreen and Walmart for just a few dollars
- Gift her a small keychain with her name, a reference to her favorite thing(s), your names together, a photo of the two of you, etc.! There are so many available on Etsy from $5 to $25 in so many styles.
- A framed photo of the two of you!
- You can print a photo of the two of you and add it into a cute frame! For frames, Goodwill has fun and cute ones for cheap, or you can pay a visit to Michaels or Hobby Lobby to find a wooden frame you can paint and personalize, or even hit up TJ Maxx for cute on-theme, heart-shaped frames for the holiday!
- Jewelry!
- Most girls love jewelry! Take note of what she wears most often (necklaces, bracelets, rings, or earrings) and in what metal (gold, silver, rose gold, etc.) and find a cute piece on Etsy, at TJ Maxx, at Target, etc.!
- Sentimental art/decor.
- Whether it’s a poster with her favorite song lyrics or artist, a post of her favorite movie, or even a vinyl record personalized with “your” relationship song! Check out Etsy, Amazon, and other retailers for these more specific, personalized items.
The Card – Day Of (at the latest)
Cards are easy and self-explanatory! Whether you grab cheesy children’s Valentines cards from Walmart or splurge for a “Dear Valentine” card from the aisles of Target, it’s important that you express your feelings for your girlfriend/situationship/partner in the card. Sign it with your name, a heart, and give it a spritz of your cologne for her to smell. Bonus points if you present this card to her on her doorstep with flowers, a teddy bear, chocolates, or a boombox playing a love song like in a John Hughes movie.