Another Valentine's Day is upon us, and many of you are wondering how you can beat years past.
Not only have we rounded up the best apps and sites to create the ideal Valentine's Day for your special someone, but we'll show you how to use them creatively and unexpectedly. Ladies love surprises, and any of these tips would make her swoon.
So read on for romantic ways to woo your partner and ensure you have a truly memorable V-Day.
1. Send a card before the date.
Planning ahead will show your lady you are thoughtful, that you are genuinely looking forward to celebrating the day with her. A simple message like, "Can't wait to see you tonight, beautiful" will go a long ways. Trust me.
Red Stamp [1] : This free download allows you to email, text, tweet, Facebook, Instagram and paper mail personalized photo cards, invitations and announcements from your iPhone, iPad or iPod. You can send a paper postcard from 35 countries to anywhere in the world, starting at $1.99 for the first card.
justWink [2] : For those of you with an Android device, you can send cards through justWink. JustWink also allows personalization, and you can send physical cards anywhere in the world starting at $2.99, including postage.
I recommend sending a physical card, of course. Ladies are sentimental, and we love having physical mementos to remind us of a fun experience.
2. Send flowers the day before, morning of, or while she's at work.
Photo courtesy of Flickr, Τϊζζ¥ [3]
Although a little cliché, every woman loves to receive flowers. The key is to make the flowers a surprise. Preparation is important here; florists can charge a ton if you make a last minute order on Valentine's Day, so schedule a delivery a few days beforehand, if possible.
Ava's Flowers [4]
Ava's Flowers is a great website that works with nationwide florists to deliver premium flowers at discount prices. Starting at just $19.99, Avas Flowers boasts same-day local delivery and 15% off discounts, if you place an order within 30 minutes of entering the site.FTD.com [5]
This is another website that is great for flower delivery. It offers a lot of different Valentine's Day packages, including chocolate-covered strawberries, teddy bears and (tacky) jewelry. However, it does have a cool section for gifts under $35, for the budget-conscious, that includes some really pretty flower arrangements.
3. Make her heart melt with lines from famous love quotes.
Whether from her favorite romantic comedy or her favorite poem, ladies swoon over beautifully expressed displays of affection. Find a line you know she loves and memorize it, then say it to her over dinner. Or write a few of these lines on pieces of paper and slip one into her purse, one into her coat pocket or maybe a gym bag. This is just another little way you can bring a smile to your special someone's face.
Love Quotes 500 [6]
This free app has great reviews, and features love quotes from poets such as William Shakespeare and Emily Dickinson. It's very simple to use, and allows you to flip through quotes and favorite the ones you like. It is currently only available on iPhone or iPad.
4. Plan an intimate dinner at home.
Photo courtesy of Flickr, Flower Factor [7]
Valentine's Day constantly gets knocked for being overpriced, but one way to beat the pricey restaurant rush is to avoid it completely by planning a delicious meal at home. A dinner at home will be much more intimate. Also, staying in will let you enjoy more time together without pesky commuting. Maybe choose something that you have been wanting to try for awhile, or spice up an all-time favorite.
Epicurious [8]
This app has over 8 million downloads and is the clear winner among meal-planning apps. It is free, available for iPhones, iPad, Android, B&N Nook Color, Windows Phone and Kindle Fire. You can search by type of meal, including Decadent Dinners or Weekday Dinners. It will also generate a shopping list, so you don't have to write everything down.
I recommend choosing a meal equal to your cooking experience. For example, if you never ever cook you probably shouldn't try Julia Child's Bouef Bourguignon for your Valentine's meal. Maybe try experimenting with some new sides or seasonings, without the fear of messing up the entire dinner.
5. Pair your dinner with the perfect wine or champagne.
There aren't many holidays that beg wine or champagne like Valentine's Day, but don't get intimidated by the overwhelming choices out there. Everyone can benefit from a sommelier's experience with the fantastic wine pairing apps in the market. One great rule of thumb, choose a wine with a similar intensity as the food you are preparing. You wouldn't want to serve a Pinot Noir with a NY steak; instead, choose a bolder and more flavor-forward wine, like Merlot or Zinfandel.
Hello Vino [9]
This app is incredible. Even the newest wine drinkers should feel at ease pairing a wine with their Valentine's dinner. A free download for iPhone and Android devices, Hello Vino is easy to navigate and can help out with a variety of situations, for example, wine pairing with food, wine for an occasion or wine taste by preference.
6. Brush up on current events and pop culture so you can have interesting conversation.
When I polled a group of friends about their ideal Valentine's Days, great conversation was the one constant among them all. If you go through all the preparations listed above but then have nothing to talk about over the delicious dinner you just made, the night is going to feel awkward. In order to avoid this situation, brush up on current events or peruse conversation-starters online.
Fluent News Reader [10]
This app is a great tool for learning about current events, breaking U.S. news and world headlines. It is a free download, available for iPhone and iPad. It is really straightforward, so you can quickly familiarize yourself with topics you and your partner are interested in.
7. Create a romantic playlist to set the mood.
Photo courtesy of istockphoto [11]
There's something about beautiful music that strikes a certain chord with the ladies (pun intended). As far as planning the music for your special night is concerned, there are two basic ways you can go about it: 1) Draft a playlist of meaningful music that recalls experiences or inside jokes, or 2) Choose an artist or a mood and let the Internet create a playlist for you.
Pandora Radio [12]
Pandora isn't anything new at this point, but it's a tried and true way to set mood music. Choose an artist both of you enjoy and specify the mood by choosing additional artists or songs. It is a free download as both a mobile and web app.
If you have an iPod dock or connected stereo, I recommend downloading the app and playing from there. Typically the speakers are better, and aesthetically it will look better in the room than an open laptop.
Songza [13]
Songza is similar to Pandora, but you choose a mood based on the day and what you are doing. For example, if I selected "Saturday" and "Evening," my options are: Hosting a Cocktail Party, Putting on Your Party Dress, Pre-Gaming with Friends, Relaxing at Home or Cooking. Both the website and iOS app are free.
Additionally, I recommend playing an Internet-generated playlist while you are cooking and socializing before dinner, because you will probably just be chatting and distracted. Afterwards, I think it would be ideal to put on a more personalized playlist, so you could reminisce and relive some memories associated with old songs together over dinner (and wine, of course).
8. Go for a romantic stroll around the neighborhood, or find a park near you.
After a delicious dinner together, you are both probably feeling full and lethargic. Grab your coats and take a stroll hand in hand; the fresh air will revitalize you. Also, this time will allow you to decide what to do the rest of the evening...
Oh, Ranger! ParkFinder [14]
This app finds parks near your zip code. You can narrow results by searching by category, such as bird watching and picnicking. It has a comprehensive list of federal and state parks, national forests and wildlife refuges. It is a free download for iPhone and Android devices.
9. Find some local live music and relax together.
Dinner and a movie is the go-to date scenario, but if you're looking for something a little different, find a local live music show. Whether it is a jazz quartet or a musician you both enjoy together, there's something inherently liberating about listening to live music.
Timbre [15]
This app is amazingly sleek and extremely easy to use. Type in your zip code to access a list of local music. If you click on an artist, a sample from one of his or her songs will play. You'll also find a link to purchase tickets in-app. It is a free download currently available for iPhone.
If you're not into music, you can always try finding some stand-up comedy or a new art gallery you haven't been to.
10. After a successful day, go home and get a little creative.
Photo courtesy of Flickr, Serenae [16]
I'm pretty sure you all know where I'm going with this one. If you and your lady are already intimate, try mixing things up in the bedroom. You've already had an incredible evening together; keep it going into the night by experimenting with some new positions. She'll be thrilled to know that you've thought ahead about how to please her, and I'm sure she'll return the favor.
Kamasutra Sex Positions [17]
This app gives you a list and descriptions of different sexual positions you and your partner can try. It is easy to navigate, and you can tailor your search by interests. This one in particular is available on Google Play, but there are many comparable apps available for iPhone. One tip: Turn off the comments feature; some are quite creepy.Sex Positions and Kama Sutra [18]
I can't write about sex positions without referring to the ultimate authority: Cosmopolitan. Its website includes categories like Advanced Sex Positions, Water Sex Positions and simply Great Sex Positions. It is completely thorough and includes helpful images to show you exactly what to do.
Valentine's Day isn't a typical day, so your night shouldn't be typical either. Don't be afraid to step out of your comfort zone and try something new. If it doesn't go well, you and your partner can laugh about it later.
If you're having trouble getting the mood set, put this song on. If this doesn't help, I don't know what will.
So now you know how to create the perfect Valentine's Day using apps and websites. Pick and and choose the tips you like best, or use all 10 to really impress your special lady.
What do you think makes the perfect Valentine's Day? Let us know in the comments.
Photo courtesy of Flickr, ChrisGoldNY [19]
Links
- ^ Red Stamp (www.redstamp.com)
- ^ justWink (www.justwink.com)
- ^ Τϊζζ¥ (www.flickr.com)
- ^ Ava's Flowers (www.avasflowers.com)
- ^ FTD.com (www.ftd.com)
- ^ Love Quotes 500 (itunes.apple.com)
- ^ Flower Factor (www.flickr.com)
- ^ Epicurious (www.epicurious.com)
- ^ Hello Vino (www.hellovino.com)
- ^ Fluent News Reader (itunes.apple.com)
- ^ istockphoto (www.istockphoto.com)
- ^ Pandora Radio (www.pandora.com)
- ^ Songza (songza.com)
- ^ Oh, Ranger! ParkFinder (www.ohranger.com)
- ^ Timbre (itunes.apple.com)
- ^ Serenae (www.flickr.com)
- ^ Kamasutra Sex Positions (play.google.com)
- ^ Sex Positions and Kama Sutra (www.cosmopolitan.com)
- ^ ChrisGoldNY (www.flickr.com)
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