Frugal Valentine's Bash

I volunteered to run the Sweetheart Banquet at church this year, which is always the weekend after Valentine's Day. So you know what that means - I get to decorate at a very cheap price!! I know it's (WAY) after Valentine's Day now but maybe you can use some of these ideas next year.

Please note - I am not a decorator and I have zero craft abilities, so I'm not really sure why I volunteered to run this except the fact that I've never done it before and wanted to give someone else a chance to enjoy the party.

First things first - pink tablecloths are a must. Hello, Dollar Tree. I picked up six tablecloths for $1.00 each, and some rose petals and "table scatter" to decorate the tables with. My friend Lora decorated last year so she gave me the candle centerpieces and candles to borrow. Total spent so far - $8.68.

Off to Michaels, where Valentine's Day stuff is 70% off. I got two  huge felt lips to hang on the wall ($0.59 each), Valentine's candy corn  to scatter on the tables for people to snack on (3 bags at $0.59 each),  and pink card stock (just one piece) to see if I can come up with a  craft using the card stock. Spent $4.14, so total is now $12.82.

Decided  on a craft I can do with the card stock so I return to Michaels to get  16 more pieces (on clearance at $0.29 per sheet). Spent $4.95 so my  total is up to $17.77.

Off to Dollar General to find some candy jars. I'm putting candy in them  and having people guess how many pieces are in each jar. The jars are  $2.00 each so I spent $6.57, putting my total up to $24.34.

I went to Rite Aid to get the candy for the candy jars at 50% off. I got  sweethearts, and a bunch of chocolate. I spent $8.57, which makes my  total spent $32.91.

When I saw the pink card stock I loved at Michaels I started searching  the web for things to do with it. I eventually came across this clip art  at Martha Stewart's website. I printed out the clip art onto the card  stock and then wrote people's names on them. These will be the name  settings for the tables.

Then I searched on the internet for "people in love" images. I printed out my top 15ish that I loved. Then I colored clothes pins to say "kiss me" with a heart. I clipped them onto hemp string and hung them on Command hooks. Price of this was free (I used my own printer and string and clothes pins).

I used the big felt lips from Michaels to put above our couch at church and took a "sweetheart" picture of everyone who attended. I printed them out for each couple.

Stephen hung, my friend Kim straightened, and I modeled. Team work!

Voila!

Some people got a little nuts (i.e. Cindy who publicly attacked her hubby)

and some were silly ("This is how we sit on our couch at home!)

and some just looked good.  :)

Like I said, I know it's way late to be posting this, but hopefully some of these ideas will help you for next year! We did the whole party for less than $40 but it was still really cute and tasteful.