V-DAY KISS: PRETTY IN PINK

Pink...not just a color, but an attitude. Can we get an amen?

Let's talk all things Valentines Day. This week, Thursday, the 14th we celebrate love. Flowers. Candy. All in the name of St. Valentine. But who is this mysterious saint, and how did this holiday begin?

One legend contends that Valentine was a priest who served during the third century in Rome. When Emperor Claudius II decided that single men made better soldiers than those with wives and families, he outlawed marriage for young men.

Valentine, realizing the injustice of the decree, defied Claudius and continued to perform marriages for young lovers in secret. When Valentine’s actions were discovered, Claudius ordered that he be put to death. And now you know...

Other stories suggest that Valentine may have been killed for attempting to help Christians escape harsh Roman prisons. According to one legend, an imprisoned Valentine actually sent the first “valentine” greeting himself after he fell in love with a young girl–possibly his jailor’s daughter–who visited him during his confinement. Before his death, it is alleged that he wrote her a letter signed “From your Valentine,” an expression that is still in use today.

By the Middle Ages, perhaps thanks to this reputation, Valentine would become one of the most popular saints in England and France.

Did you know? Almost 150 million Valentine's Day cards are exchanged annually, making Valentines the second most popular card holiday after Christmas.

Unsurprisingly, the classic rose is "the most popular choice for Valentine's Day," Roses symbolize love, romance, beauty and perfection. All over the world flower growers hold back their rose bushes for months in order to have them bloom just in time for February 14th.

Another favorite: tulips, which stand for perfect love. The elegant and easily identifiable blooms are one of the most popular flowers in the world but are most often associated with the Netherlands, where they flourished in the 17th century. They convey comfort and warmth, and are a good Valentine pick since they're classic and affordable.

Last is ranunculus, such colorful, swirly flowers, also called "buttercups". They symbolize charm, attraction and radiance. Give a bouquet of these beauties and you'll be letting the recipient know, "I am dazzled by your charms".

Where then, did the gifting of Valentine sweets come from? By the 1840s, the notion of Valentine’s Day as a holiday to celebrate romantic love had taken over most of the English-speaking world. It was Cupid’s golden age: The prudish Victorians adored the notion of courtly love and showered each other with elaborate cards and gifts.

Into this love-crazed fray came Richard Cadbury, scion of a British chocolate manufacturing family and responsible for sales at a crucial point in his company’s history. Cadbury had recently improved its chocolate making technique so as to extract pure cocoa butter from whole beans, producing a more palatable drinking chocolate than most Britons had ever tasted.

This process resulted in an excess amount of cocoa butter, which Cadbury used to produce many more varieties of what was then called “eating chocolate.” He recognized a great marketing opportunity for the new chocolates and started selling them in beautifully decorated boxes that he himself designed.

Treat bags - perfect for filling with chocolates, cookies, and more. Shop treat bags here.

UR A QT. Yes you, are cutie. Tie valentine tags onto coupes, vases, gifts...all the things. Shop this gift tag here.

Stylist tip: Fill coupes with sweet treats like macaron, cookies, chocolates and more.

A sweet for my sweet...fill your coupes with sweet treats and our cheeky confection cubes. Shop confection cubes here.

Mac - the world's cutest shop pup - wants to be your valentine. He's wrapped, ready, and oh so full of love. Cheers and kisses.

Styling, gifts, florals A Perfect Event

Venue DL Studio

Photography Hallie Duesenberg

China, glassware, flatware Festive Frog