Host A Valentine’s Day Cocktail Party

The 14th of February is fast approaching, and with it come all the red-wrapped reminders of romance —
in grocery aisles, convenience stores, coffee shops and offices. Whether you’re finding the perfect present for your partner or flying solo this time around, preparations for this mushy holiday can sometimes be cause for stress. This year, shake off the edge — instead, celebrate the beauty of love with a chic Valentine’s Day cocktail party where friends and family, couples and singles, can appreciate each other’s company and rekindle their belief in romance.

Need some ideas for decorating a Valentine’s Day party? Keep the décor elegant with a playful edge. Here are some great décor inspirations to get you started:

1. Magnetic Flowers

Add some extra charm to your curtains and tablecloths on bars and snack tables at a Valentine’s Day cocktail party by arranging a myriad of magnetic flowers. Gather silk flowers in romantic hues of pink, apricot and fuchsia and use fabric glue to secure small mini-magnets to the back of each flower. Place mini magnets on the other side of the fabric to attach the flowers. Your drapery and table settings will never look lovelier. And when you think flower district NYC, pick Jamali Garden for all your silk flowers.

2. Slate Heart

Looking for a sweet way to show off your drink menu? Write the party’s featured cocktails with chalk on these slate hearts with hemp rope and place them on the bar — they make for some adorable adornments with a practical purpose. You could also use the hearts for table numbers, or if you’re feeling extra romantic, add some uplifting quotes about love.

3. Bold Red Flowers

A large vase of roses is romantic, but standard — instead, do something different with the floral arrangements at your Valentine’s Day cocktail party. For an arrangement that speaks to the soul with its ravishing red in various shapes and shades, gather a bouquet of red amaryllis, tulips, and carnations in our matte black ceramic cube vases.

4. Charming Seats

Use your décor to remind guests of the delicate, fluttering feelings of first attraction. Love will be in the air when you hang this different hearts on the backs of chairs or along the edges of the bar. Corral cocktail accouterments, like stirrers, in mini bud vases and square vases for an extra flair.

5. Ombré Arrangement

Aiming for soft sophistication and endearing elegance? Create an ombré effect by arranging lilies, asters, tulips, roses, Queen Anne’s lace, and carnations by color in our mirror strips vases. The subtle color variations between the flowers, combined with the mirrored edge finish of the vases, will leave guests in awestruck by your arrangement.

6. Sparkling Votives

Looking to add a little glitz and glamour to your cocktail party vases and centerpieces? Sparkling vases and votive holders add modern charm to bar counters and dining tables. Place roses in silver julep cup vases and group them on mirrored table runners for extra shine. Cast a romantic, glimmering light by accenting the vases with deep tea lights placed in ribbed and diamond antique mercury glass votive holders.

7. Red Wood Hearts

Sometimes the best love is simple and kind. Add a touch of whimsy with these wood hearts. Group the hearts in teak wood bowls and place them on the bar or scatter the hearts across tables.

8. Sweet Bouquet

Show the sweet side of a love connection. This flower arrangement is almost good enough to eat. Place a large bouquet of red tulips or roses in a glass cylinder vase. Place this container in a larger glass vase, then fill in the surrounding space with red jellybeans, candy hearts or cinnamon drops.

9. Heart-shaped Bar Snacks

Keep the love alive with tasty treats at your Valentine’s cocktail party. Serve fun bar snacks like heart-shaped pretzels on antique brass trays to keep everyone feeling full of love and tasty treats.

10. Bud Vases

Add some romantic décor that’s delicate and dazzling. Arrange single spray roses in porcelain heart bud vases and mini bud vases for tables and bar counters.

11. Antique Glow

Channel romantic, vintage glamour with tea lights placed in colored antique tapered votive holders.

12. Heart Cookies

Show your love and affection like a sweetheart with these Martha Stewart heart cookies. Use a heart-shaped cookie cutter to stamp the cornmeal cookies, and once baked, cover the shape with a pink glaze for a delightful reminder of first love.

13. Single Roses

Don’t forget the powder room in your preparations — cut the stems short on white, pink, or violet roses and place the roses in square crystal candleholders for a classy look.

14. Red Velvet Heart Cake

After cocktails, indulge everyone’s deepest desires by enjoying a decadent red velvet cake. Show off the confection to your crowd on a crystal cake plate. Whether it’s flirty flowers, elegant vases or dazzling dishes to serve your desserts, trust Jamali Garden for all your Valentine’s Day cocktail party décor. Bon appétit to amour!

THE SOURCES
1. Martha Stewart. 2. Slate Heart With Chalk. 3. The Wall Street Journal. 4. Style Me Pretty. Photo: Carla Ten Eyk. 5. Florists’ Review. 6. Colin Cowie Weddings. 7. Red Hearts. 8. Martha Stewart. 9. Say Yes. 10. Glass Heart Bud Vases. 11. Antiqued Tapered Votive Holders. 12. Martha Stewart. 13. Martha Stewart. 14. HGTV. 2, 7, 10, & 11 Photos: Peter Tak.