Any blank Valentine's Day card would work as an invitation,
of course, but why not get all old-fashioned and make a few Valentines
yourself? A few heart cutouts, a bit of lace and ribbon, glitter,
and some sweet stickers and you've got yourself a Valentine. This
is a perfect excuse for a couple's baby shower and one everybody
would really appreciate since they can escape the crush and rush
of a commercial Valentine's Day celebration.
If you think everyone would be up to it, ask them to come in costumes
representing famous couples (everyone from Romeo and Juliet to Lucy
and Desi would be fair game) and have prizes for categories like
Best Interpretation, Most Romantic Couple, and so on.
The obvious color scheme would be red and white but you can add a little pink to soften it up. This is one night that men won't object to having pink anywhere. Cheesy or romantic, the look is up to you. You can go all out and set out little tables with two chairs each; covered with solid red, pink, and white tablecloths and little bouquets of flowers and votive candles on each table. Sprinkle the table with heart-shaped glitter and you're on the way to the Land of Love. A nice surprise touch is to cut a paper napkin into a large heart shape and fold it on the table. Your guests will only know what it is when they shake it out.
Set the buffet table with the same care. Use crystal and silver if you can, this is a special Valentine's Day for more than one reason. A large heart-shaped balloon can form the centerpiece. Surround it with bunches of flowers in the same color scheme. Around the food, sprinkle flower petals and heart confetti in red, pink, and white.
Keep the romantic tone even with the food! Serve all the aphrodisiacs, if you want, or food that echoes a romantic scene in a movie. For example, you could have fried oysters, roast beef, tomato salad, steamed asparagus with butter, and rosemary-and-garlic roasted baby potatoes. Add a decadent dark chocolate mousse with strawberries and you've definitely set the scene for love. Or, spaghetti and meatballs (The Lady and the Tramp), heart-shaped cookies (Stranger than Fiction) with chocolate mousse or custard (Like Water for Chocolate) or chocolate truffles (Chocolat).
Valentine's Day themed games are many! You could play a trivia game based on famous couples, or a pictionary game with phrases based on love, marriage, and families.
Prizes for this Valentine's baby shower are anything
chocolate, maybe a gift certificate for a dinner for two, baby
bottles filled with red, pink, and white jelly beans, heart shaped
candles or soaps, and rose-scented potpourri. Your favors could
be very simple – a single red rose says it all.