February 2020

How to surprise your Valentine this year!

Have fun with Valentine’s photography from Venture Studios…

Valentine’s Day is nearly here. Well, you can tell from all the sea of red that washes over you as soon as you enter the supermarket. To escape the cards, balloons, cheesy placards and general tat it’s almost worth the indignity of taking refuge in the Easter egg section!

Expectations run high on Valentine’s Day. If you are in a new relationship then it can be quite fun and exciting: even if it is all rather cheesy. If you are newly single it can either be a poignant time or you may be relieved to be out of it all, depending on how your last relationship ended. But if you are in a longer term relationship then it can be really tricky to think of some fresh way to celebrate Valentine’s Day.

The immediate thing that most people think of is having a meal out together. Probably supplemented by flowers or champagne or chocolates. But the prices of many of these things are horribly inflated on Valentine’s Day, and the quality of the gift or experience doesn’t always make the grade.

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So this year why not do something a bit different? First make sure that you both take the day off work. Then try one of our six winning ideas to surprise your Valentine this February 14th:

• Dinner for two – chez vous

  If you do want to stick with the traditional dinner for two then why not make it so much better than throwing money at your nearest restaurant’s “Valentine’s Special”? Organise a special dinner at home instead. There are so many advantages to this. You can have dinner at whatever time you choose, you can take your time without feeling hassled to move on, and no-one has to drive so you can both enjoy a drink or two.

  If one of you enjoys cooking then that’s fine but there are alternatives. If the word takeaway conjures up unwelcome images in your mind of fluorescent curry then think again. Many restaurants of every description will deliver food: checkout sites such as Just Eat or Deliveroo to see what’s available in your area. Sites such as Home Cook can also link you to local cooks that will prepare and deliver food. Or if you want to really push the boat out then why not consider hiring a caterer or private chef for the evening? Search online for local catering companies or check out national websites such as Take a Chef.

• A walk and pub lunch
  How often do we really take the time to enjoy a leisurely walk and actually look at where we’re going? So why not head off either into the country or your favourite town or city and have a gentle stroll round. Breathe in the air and enjoy exploring either the joys of nature or some of the hidden gems of the city – perhaps all those places that you have always intended to go to but never have.

  Take your time and enjoy every minute. And when you’re ready, find a nice cosy pub for a well-deserved lunch.

• Have a lockdown day

  There’s something very comforting about having to stay at home for the day. If you have children you know how much they enjoy a snow day; mostly because it’s an unexpected day off school, but also because it’s different in that they can’t do some of the things that they are usually expected to do. So why not create your own self-directed lockdown day?

  Make sure that you have everything you need and simply stay home all day. Have a lazy breakfast in bed, watch daytime TV or old movies, play games, and crack open the champagne whenever you feel like it. There are no rules apart from relaxing and enjoying yourself. Why not also ban all devices for the day to completely cut yourselves off from reality and just chill out together.

• Spa day

  A spa day is probably something you’ve often talked about doing together but have never got round to it. So why not do it today? There are many offers around for a day at a spa; you don’t have to stay overnight (though this would be another option). But try searching online for a spa day pass in a hotel near you and there are likely to be several possible options around. Some include treatments, some just enable you to use the pool and other facilities: the choice is yours.

  Another alternative would be to organise your own mini spa day at home. Think candlelit baths, relaxing music, lovely facials or massages and a glass of bubbly to finish it all off nicely.

• It’s showtime!

  Why not treat yourselves to a special show this Valentine’s Day? Whether that is a stage production that you’ve always wanted to see, a new film that has just been released, or your favourite movie that you can watch again and again, indulge yourself this Valentine’s Day.

  Set aside the afternoon to either go to a theatre or cinema matinee, or to settle down for a movie afternoon at home (with drinks and popcorn naturally!). Forget about the rest of life for a while, and enjoy immersing yourself in your favourite fantasy world.

• Venture Studios photo shoot

  As we are all too aware, time flies past incredibly quickly. Just think how it feels like last year’s Valentine’s Day was only last week – yet here we are again. So why not take the opportunity to celebrate this Valentine’s Day by preserving it for the future? At Venture Studios we can offer you our wonderful Gold photography experience worth £550 for the special price of £95. As a little extra we’ll also give you a box of delicious Hotel Chocolat chocolates when you book your viewing session.

  So for a really special Valentine’s treat that will last, book your photography experience online, contact your nearest Venture Studios, or give us a call on 01606 558854. But hurry! This offer has to end on Friday 14th February.

We hope that you have a wonderful Valentine’s Day, and that as well as enjoying the day itself, you create some very special #memoriesforever.

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