We all know that Valentine’s Day is usually about romance and cozy date nights with your partner. But who says it has to be so buttoned up and formal? This year, host a party that works for anyone with a special place in your heart! We have some Valentine’s Day party ideas that will make you swoon.
Find the prettiest color combination
Let’s face it, you can’t plan Valentine’s Day decorations without including some shades of pink and red. Depending on the tone and audience for your party, you can use different shades or complementary colors to achieve a pretty palette.
Bright Red and Pink
This classic combo works wonderfully for parties for kiddos and tweens. The cheerful, eye-catching colors can be used in balloon bunches, garlands, and DIY photo backdrops. Using it in an ombre automatically increases the trendy factor! You can also add glitter to pretty much anything and make it more fun.
Here are a few tutorials to try for vibrant decor:
Light Pink and Mauve
Throwing a Valentine’s Day party for a crowd that’s a bit more sophisticated? Create a muted color scheme that focuses on elegant pastels or natural colors with hints of metallic. For crafty hosts, try this felt and pom garland. If nothing else, track down a rose gold ‘Love’ balloon and add simple party decorations to round things out! These tones are perfect for a party with family, work friends, or even your book club.
Plan the perfect menu
The time of day you hold your event can help determine the best type of party food. One thing is for sure — you need at least a few heart-shaped treats! A cookie cutter may be your best tool to turn everything from cheese slices to Rice Krispie treats into a fun Valentine-themed snack.
Savory Snacks
Sugar usually takes center stage on Valentine’s Day, so your party guests will likely appreciate some appetizers that are a bit more filling. You can get creative with all kinds of savory snacks, from pizzas to full-on charcuterie boards!
Try one of these easy recipes for your menu:
Tasty Treats
You can’t host a Valentine’s Day party without themed desserts! Whether you prefer a salty/sugary combination or choose to embrace your love of rich dark chocolate, there are lots of sweet Valentine’s treats to make for your gathering.
Here are a few sweet recipes to try out:
Sweet Sips
Whip up some tasty Valentine’s Day cocktails for your guests! It’s more exciting to mix and mingle when you have a cute cocktail in your hand. Most of these can be made into mocktails for kiddos (or adults who’d rather not partake). Since they’re so pretty, feel free to use them at a baby or bridal shower, too!
There are plenty of delicious recipes to make; here are a few of our faves:
😍 For those who only wanna celebrate with their sweetie: 10 Valentine’s Day Ideas for Couples Who Love New Experiences
Keep your guests entertained
Your Valentine’s party ideas should include captivating activities for your crowd! After all, that’s the point of the celebration — to get some extra time and make memories with the ones you love. The best part is these activities work for both family-friendly and adults-only parties.
Valentine’s Day Bingo
Put those bags of conversation hearts to good use with an easy Valentine’s Day game! These simple Bingo card printables from Playground Parkbench are perfect for little ones to match colors or older players to match phrases. Offer cute prizes like scented candles, nail polish, boxes of chocolate, or $5 restaurant and coffee gift cards.
💋 Add something special: For adult parties, book a drag queen to host the game and make Bingo even more fabulous!
Heart-to-Heart Conversation Starters
If you’re throwing a Valentine’s Day celebration for a crowd that needs a little extra push to mingle, we love this conversation starter idea from Passion for Savings! It can certainly work for those who know each other, too, because the questions are a great way to learn something new about friends and family. Just cut out the questions, place them in a bowl, and then pass the bowl from person to person to allow everyone to choose a question to answer.
Hearts and Crafts
Get creative with your Valentine’s Day party ideas this year! Break out the pipe cleaners, yarn, glitter, and glue, and let your guests create something adorable. You can even “paint” with frosting and set up a cookie or cupcake decorating station. Partygoers of all ages will enjoy getting crafty!
Test your skills with one of these activities:
Capture Hearts (with a Cute Photo!)
It’s not really a party if you don’t have lots of fun photos! Hire a professional photo booth company, or set up a Valentine’s or “love” themed backdrop for your guests to snap some sweet keepsakes. It can be as easy as some colorful DIY fringe or Dollar Store garland or as elaborate as a balloon arch. Just don’t forget the glittery props!
💒 Planning your big day on V-Day? Check this out: Romantic Ideas for a Heartfelt Valentine’s Day Wedding
Valentine’s Day should be about spending time with those you love, no matter what activity you choose. With some tasty treats, sweet sips, and charming crafts, your Valentine’s Day party can’t go wrong! 💝
Book something sweet for Valentine’s Day! Find the best performers, musicians, and event services on GigSalad.
Megan is the Director of Customer Experience at GigSalad and has gained 9+ years of insight on what makes a great event on both sides of the booking process. Her favorite things include books, true crime podcasts, coffee, hiking, puns, and making people laugh.