North West based event specialists, The Festive Group, say they had barely finished taking down clients’ Christmas installations, when the phone started to ring for Valentine’s Day bookings.

It seems that romance is definitely alive and well, as couples pull out all the stops to make Valentine’s Day 2021 special. Tough lockdown restrictions have seen the usual clamour for last-minute restaurant bookings replaced with a whole range of thoughtful and ingenious ways of saying ‘I Love You’.   

While the top of the Empire State Building or the stunning backdrop of the Eiffel Tower may be on hold this year, creative couples are still determined to put the wow factor into their proposals by creating stunning backdrops for the big moment.

Head of Operations at The Festive Group, Paul Lally, commented: “Romance is definitely in the air. The pandemic has certainly encouraged our clients be more organised and creative this Valentine’s Day. Our team have worked extremely hard with our customers to make sure that pandemic proposals and celebrations will be every bit as personal and breath-taking as what they might have initially planned. Popping the question to the one you love is one of the most important moments of your life so we just want to make sure it’s a memorable as possible.  

Charlotte Donoghue from ‘Say it with Diamonds’ said: “We have definitely seen an increase this month in sales of engagement rings and most men are telling us that the difficulties of the past year have confirmed to them that if couples can get through a pandemic, they are confident that they can get through anything life has to throw at them.”

Whether you are thinking of going all out for your loved one this year, or making a special space a little more magical, Jackie Chapman, stylist with The Festive Group, has given us some of her top simple tips to help you set the most romantic space for you and your partner:

·        Choose a space that is special and makes you feel comfortable and one which you think you will be able to transform relatively easily (current guidelines permitting)

·        Identify any key features in the space, i.e. a fireplace or table, and make sure that whatever decoration you choose to include is balanced either symmetrically or asymmetrically.

·        Pick out your dominant feature, colour or theme and use this to create flow and a journey through the dressed area.

·        Using different textures is a great way of creating contrast – shiny satins and matt contrasts work very well together. Drapes can create dreamy atmospherics if twinkly lights are included and rugs scattered with petals can look impressive.

·        Make sure that your dressing is in proportion to the surroundings and to scale.

·        The use of lighting, candles and uplighters can add warmth and depth to create a romantic ambience and set the mood.

·        Add some personal touches, such as your favourite glasses, special photographs, or gifts.

From the archives: The Festive Group shares their top seven tips to make your home magical this Christmas