Set the Mood for the Perfect Valentine's Day Dinner

So, you've set the menu, but what about the rest of the details? We have ideas you can easily pull off whether you're hosting a party or setting a table for two.

By: Farima Alavi

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Photo By: Liz Gray; Styling by H. Camille Smith

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Etch Heart Designs

Etching glass is real easy, and you can etch any design your heart desires. Speaking of heart, we love the way the etched hearts on this wine glass bring a romantic feel to this tablescape.

MAKE THESE: Etched Heart Wineglasses

From: Michelle Edgemont

Ombre Your Floral Centerpiece

Carnations are one of the most readily available and affordable flowers found at supermarkets. Give them a stylish upgrade by arranging them ombre style. To do so, pick up three different shades of the same color carnation, cut them to size so they sit low around the perimeter of the vessel, then graduate from one color to another.

From: Brian Patrick Flynn

Monogram Cloth Napkins

Paint cloth napkins with pink fabric paint in the initial of each guest’s first name. Not only do they work as placeholders during the event, but they also provide a nostalgic keepsake they can use all throughout spring.

From: Brian Patrick Flynn

Write the Menu on a Wood Pallet

If you're holding your soiree outside, write the menu on a wood pallet. Using chalk, start at the top, with a welcome to your guests, then follow with each course.

From: Brian Patrick Flynn

Garnish With Something Fragrant

Aromatic rosemary is a great finish to your signature cocktail — especially if it's tart like cranberry or pomegranate vodka. Plus, it is easy to grow in a pot or in the ground, so you can always have some on hand.

From: Brian Patrick Flynn

Serve Easy Apps

Crostini is the perfect appetizer to start the party. Plus, you can get creative by using as many flavor combinations or assorted toppings that you like.

From: Katie Meyers

Don't Set an Ordinary Dessert Bar

If you don't have room for a dessert table (gotta save room for Champagne, duh), display cupcakes in a terra-cotta pot. Make it by securing unfrosted cupcakes to a foam ball using toothpicks. Then, use a piping bag with a star-shaped tip to create rose-like frosting swirls on the cupcakes.

Spritz the Signature Cocktail

Turn a cocktail into a spritzer by adding club soda. It's an easy way to lighten up any drink - in calories, alcohol and color. This beautiful, blushing drink is as pretty to look at as it is to drink.

From: Brian Patrick Flynn

Make Easy Place Cards

Write each guest's name on a small piece of white card stock, then draw or paint several red dots on one side of the card. You can also use stickers.

Homemade Pie = True Love

Show your love for your guests and pie with this crust design that's fit for the occasion. It's easier than you think!

See More Photos: 8 Unique + Homemade Pie Crust Designs

Set Up a Party Favor Station

Top off a fabulous party by sending guests home with handmade granola. Toast your favorite nuts, dried fruit and spices and have guests scoop as much as they want into adorable paper bags. There's no better way to share the love with your friends and thank them for coming over.

Go for a Romantic Palette

If the traditional red and pink aren't your thing, opt for a sweet, romantic palette of blues, greens and metallics. Designer Sarah Richardson pairs high and low elements — the brass candlesticks are thrifty finds and the china is vintage Royal Doulton — to create a table setting that is beautiful, balanced and not-too-fussy.

Skip the Vase

If you're wanting something a little unconventional, make a birdcage centerpiece in lieu of a vase for your flowers. You can find all of these blooms and greens at your local florist or grocery store floral department. If your birdcage isn’t the color you like, give it a quick coat of spray paint to match the party. It will look beautiful on a dessert table or as a centerpiece at the dinner table.

From: Michelle Edgemont

Transform Your Dining Room

Spruce up the dining area for your boo with this simple yet romantic hanging paper garland. It's also an excuse to bring out your sewing machine from the closet.

See More Photos: How to Make a Valentine's Day Paper Heart Garland

From: Michelle Edgemont

Bring Sparkle to the Table

Are you thinking to yourself, "Okay, these are great ideas but where's the glitter?" It wouldn't be Valentine's Day without some gold glitter accents, like these Champagne flutes.

MAKE THESE: How to Make Glitter Champagne Flutes

From: Farima Alavi Ferguson

Simple + Romantic

What's more romantic than a candlelight dinner? Place some tealights in wine glasses and sprinkle a few faux or real eucalyptus leaves on the center of the table.

From: Abby Larson

Go With Glitzy

Okay, so you want glitz and glamour instead. Try an all-white table setting, and top it off with a train of gold confetti down the center. Don't forget the bottle of bubbly.

DIY Drink Flags With Metallic Tissue Paper

Whip up some drink flags by wrapping metallic tissue paper around straws.

From: Kim Stoegbauer

Dress Up Plain Glasses

Glittery decorative tape, found at your local craft store, is a good way to dress up plain glasses, and you can color coordinate them so your guests don't mix up their glasses. Once the party is over, simply peel off the tape and wash as usual.

Get Cozy

If your chairs aren't comfy enough to enjoy a fun dinner night in, make it cozy by adding some sofa pillows.

Use Your China

Pull together vintage china, silverware and linens. If you weren't lucky enough to inherit the makings of a stunning table, you can pick them up for bargain-basement prices at thrift stores, flea markets and estate sales.

So You Don't Have China...

Mixing and matching your dinnerware brings a welcoming feel to your soiree. The secret to mixing like a pro: Vary the scale using large, medium and small designs but repeat at least one color to tie the pieces together.

Use What You Have

This stylish table runner is actually a sheet of leftover wallpaper from a home project. Look around your house for items you can use to dress up your table.

Keep it Simple

This chic table setting by designer Camille Styles proves that a beautiful table doesn't have to be complicated. For a clean look, she used a basic white tablecloth and plates then popped in color with striped fabric napkins and a gorgeous peach and chartreuse centerpiece. Photography by Michael Bullock

Scour Estate Sales for Sweet Vintage Finds

Break out the hand-me-down dishes or visit an estate sale to stylishly set the table with your favorite mix-and-match pieces and glassware. Add color with an abundance of blooms from the grocery store.