Inexpensive Valentine Mood-Setters
When you add up the flowers, candy, dinners and all the other typical aspects of Valentine's Day, it can get pretty expensive.
But it doesn't have to be.
It's easy to have a romantic day, even if you're a little short of cash right now.
On The Early Show Friday, celebrity event planner David Stark shared some simple ideas to help set the right mood without blowing out your budget.
His ideas don't require hard-to-find items or a ton of money. Most of the items can be bought at local drugstores, grocery stores or crafts sections of discount stores.
The ideas involve looking at the ordinary things with a different eye.
Stark says you shouldn't be turned off by candies or other Valentine's Day-day related items in bad packaging. Remember: You can always take things apart and reuse them the way you want to.
The most common mistake most people make with flowers, Stark says, is sticking them in a vase without cutting them. People don't realize they can and should cut the flowers. The key is to make sure the arrangement is one-and-a-half times larger than the vase.
Stark notes that grocery stores have gotten better over the last few years, so buying flowers from them doesn't carry the stigma it used to.
He suggests going outside the roses category, since they cost so much during this holiday season. Instead, be creative, go outside the box, and pick other flowers that still make a statement.
Stark showed three centerpiece ideas sure to please.