Happy Valentine's Day Eve - I'm thrilled to welcome Great Performances {one of NYC’s premier event production companies} to the blog today. They are here to share their tips for turning an ordinary Valentine's Day celebration into an extraordinary one! First up is the menu . . .

Menu Planning

1. Focus on aphrodisiac menu items such as oysters, dark chocolate, truffles, red wine and ginger to set the mood for your romantic evening.

Recipe Suggestions:
Mini Truffle Mushroom Pizzas
Chocolate Decadence Cake
Carrot Ginger Soup

2. Create a menu inspired by the Seven Deadly Sins with rich and creamy items representing gluttony, gold leaf garnishes for greed, a spicy dish for anger or beautiful desserts for vanity.

Recipe Suggestions:
Mae Mae Café Pasta with Kale and Sausage
Spicy Vegetarian Chili
Sylvia’s Table Meringue Kisses

3. As a nod to Cupid, serve a kabob style dish skewered on Cupid’s arrows.

Recipe Suggestions:
Tequila and Lime Chicken Skewers

Decor

1. Create a dramatic and romantic atmosphere by buying inexpensive candles in bulk – with varying heights and widths – so you can fill your space with the warm glow of hundreds of flickering candles. Cover every surface with candles to make a bold and beautiful statement.

2. Stop in to your local bodega or corner market and buy several dozen of their inexpensive rose bouquets. At checkout, have the store bundle all of the bouquets together to create one huge assortment of bright red roses. By skipping the florist and taking this semi-DIY approach, you can make a giant bouquet for a small investment.

3. Rethink the usual reds and pinks and use deep purples and golds to create a more dramatic and sophisticated table. Adding in a touch of black lace ups the ante with a seductive flare.

4. Be playful with your centerpieces – a collection of ostrich feathers on the table are a light and seductive accent for the evening.

Misc.

1. Instead of simply giving a gift, design a special treasure hunt for your special someone. Incorporate each course of the meal by hiding clues under plates or with certain dishes – get creative!

2. If you don’t have time to cook a full meal, you can still make the evening special by setting a beautiful and simple table – don’t forget the candles! – and ordering in from your favorite takeout restaurant. This way you don’t have to worry about dishes and will have more time for a relaxing and romantic evening together.

About the Guest Author: Great Performances is New York City’s premier catering company spearheading the evolving “food as fashion” movement. The company is known for incorporating seasonal ingredients into its delicious, innovative and beautifully designed food presentations. Counting many of the city's most high-profile cultural institutions and landmark properties as clients, such as Sotheby's, The Plaza, Asia Society, BAM, and Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola (at the Home of Jazz at Lincoln Center), Great Performances is the only New York City caterer to own and operate its own 60-acre organic farm, Katchkie Farm, in Kinderhook, NY.

Images Credits for Decor Ideas: Purple and Gold Place Setting via fabyoubliss.com, Ostrich Feathers, Roses from Market via kimberlytaylorimages.com

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Happy Wednesday. Today I have another lovely romantic photo shoot to share with you. Continuing with the Wedding Vendor Challenges, Lissahn of Enraptured Events joins us today with a beautiful table for two in front or a roaring fireplace, which she says was an important detail for her since it's cold outside. And, wait until you see her napkin fold - it's a heart shape!!! And, the beautiful calligraphy on the menus is by Distinctive Inscriptions Calligraphy along with photography by The Studio B Photography. Lissahn writes that she has been “itching” to do that particular napkin fold and this vendor challenge was the "prime opportunity". As Lissahn writes . . . "February is all about love and falling in love, so I wanted to ensure that the table represented that without being over bearing with flowers but just enough to add the touch of romance and elegance. I used the upside down wine glasses because wine is often a part of a great meal. Also, I wanted to make it where anyone could afford to put it together and many of us can get a dozen roses and a few wine glasses. With the colors being fuchsia and black, it made it easy to incorporate Valentine's Day but I didn’t want to do solid pink and black, so I used a damask pattern that added a little bit of brightness against the two dark colors."

And, I had to end with a close-up of the amazing heart napkin fold - don't you just love it? I also love the texture of the napkin, so fancy.

Vendor Credits:
Tablescape: Enraptured Events
Menus: Distinctive Inscriptions Calligraphy
Popcorn: Popcorn Palladium
Venue: Windermere Golf & Country Club
Photographer: The Studio B Photography