Planning the Perfect Valentine's Day Party

Valentine's Day doesn't just have to be for couples. A Valentine's Day party can be a great excuse to get together with the people you love. Whether you're hosting a dinner party with your favorite couples or putting together a Lonely Heart's bash, here's everything you need to know.

6 Tips for the Perfect Valentine's Day Party

Think About the Type of Party You're Hosting: Valentine's Day means different things to different people. Are you planning on celebrating love, or do you want a chance to commiserate with your other single friends? Your attitude towards V-Day will dictate the direction your party goes, so set your intentions before doing any other planning.

Pick a Date: Throwing a party for your single friends? Great! It's likely they'll all be free on February 14. Planning on inviting some couples you know? Pick a different date so you won't butt in on date night.

Choose Your Menu: Valentine's Day is one of those times when it's okay to be decadent. Let this simple fact guide you as you create your menu. If you're hosting a dinner party, choose rich dishes with high quality ingredients. Bonus points if you can work the color red into your meal. If your party isn't centered around dinner, choose decadent appetizers based around chocolate, strawberries, and any other favorite indulgence.

Make a Valentine's Day Punch: Don't waste your Valentine's Day playing bartender for your friends. Make up a big bowl of Valentine's Day punch instead. Choose a punch recipe that focuses on a red juice - cranberry is a great place to start. It's up to you whether it features alcohol or not, though depending on the tone of your party your guests might appreciate it! Don't forget to serve it in unbreakable cups to reduce your risk of broken glasses (and hearts).

Help Your Guests Connect: Entertaining a group of single friends? Help them get to know each other. It can be especially awkward meeting new people on Valentine's Day, so try introducing people in groups. If you think a couple of your friends will hit it off particularly well, don't hesitate to do a little matchmaking. But be careful! Pair up too many of your guests and you may run out of single guests for your party next year.

Have a Game or Two in Your Back Pocket: If you're having trouble breaking the ice, a party game or two can go a long way. Valentine's Day lends itself especially well to party games. Grab a phone and play "guess the love song" by playing the first few seconds of iconic tunes. Romance movie charades will definitely get your guests engaged, especially if there's alcohol in the punch. Keep things light hearted and fun for a Valentine's Day full of happy guests.