How to Plan a Romantic Dinner
2011-01-31
It’s just a few day before Valentine’s Day. Surely, you’re already thinking of a way to show your loved one how much he means to you. You can take him to a fancy place for dinner; but if you want to celebrate it differently, you can just make him a romantic dinner at your place! Yes, it will be more work for you since you will be cooking but you can be sure that it will all be worth it. As the saying goes, “The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach.”
How do you plan a romantic dinner? Here’s a step-by-step guide you can follow in helping you create a memorable dinner!
1. Plan Your Dinner Menu
The first thing you always have to plan is the food. Think of all your favorite dishes and combine it into one menu. However, make sure that these dishes all go together so as not to ruin your appetite. Once you’ve come up with your course, the next step is to learn how to cook them. A great tip is that you try to cook it first before you prepare it for your Valentine's Day Menu. You don’t want your guy to be eating crappy food, right? If this is your first time, then maybe it’s best that you enroll in a cooking workshop. At least, you will have a hands-on experience and you will have a mentor to help you. With the experience you get from it, at least you can be sure that the food you will be serving for dinner is scrumptious!
2. Send an Invite
If you’re not planning to surprise him, then it’s best that you create an invite for him. It might be a bit cheesy to send him a heart-shaped card, but it’s Valentine’s Day! It’s OK to get all lovey-dovey during this season of hearts. In your invite, include the dress code and the address. Best of all, include the time so that if ever he has plans of working overtime, he can skip it and rush to you instead!
3. Set the Mood
Wherever you decide to hold your dinner, it’s always important to set the mood. How can you make it more romantic? Firstly, you can decorate the place by placing rose petals on the floor. A good lighting is also important. For a more romantic ambience, use candles instead of your house lights! One friendly tip is to not use scented candles as its smell may overwhelm the scent of your cooking. It’s also advisable that you make the table more romantic with candles, fancy plates, and cutleries.
Music also helps set the mood, so why don’t you set your iPod with some Eric Clapton or any songs that you find romantic. Do you have a theme song? Then, include that in the playlist as well. For sure, he’ll gush he hears it playing in the background.
4. Prepare the Dishes
In cooking the dishes, it’s always advisable that you prepare it on the day of your dinner so as they’re freshly-cooked and hot upon serving. If you have a few courses that you need to prepare on that day, then ask someone if they can help you. Or, if you have vegetables that need to be chopped, you can do this in advance and just store it in the refrigerator.
5. Dress to Impress
On the day of the dinner, you should manage your time wisely. Set a schedule so that you have something to follow. Also include there an hour or two for prepping yourself. You don’t want to look haggard and smell like the kitchen during dinner, right?
6. Enjoy the Night
After all the hard work that you’ve done in coming up with a romantic Valentine’s Day dinner, it’s only right that you both enjoy it! So, pop in some romantic music, open a bottle of wine, and enjoy your dinner.
Fine dining ideas for Valentine's Day
Alternatively, head to hipster cafes for a chillout-date
