Kayla LeBaron

easy last minute valentine's tablescape + printable name tags

We don't do Valentine's Day too big in our house. The last couple of years the kids exchange cards, we might get them a little gift/treat with a card (if we remember) and then we have a nice family dinner with a preset table and everything.That is the only real tradition we have. The kids love having a candle lit dinner and eating from the "fancy" dishes. Haha. Some years I am ON. TOP. OF. IT. Others...lets just say that heart shaped pizza from Papa Murphy's comes in real handy to easily stick on those "fancy" plates of ours. Life is busy. We are busy. So dinnertime is very sacred to me most nights. Dinnertime is family time. So for special holidays and birthdays I try to have a nice tablescape that is simple and easy. It really doesn't have to cost much. I feel like bloggers always show tablescapes and then you are left feeling overwhelmed about the execution or frustrated that to create the same look you are going to have to put down $200! This is quick, inexpensive and took me 10 minutes to put together.

What you will need:

Trader Joes $5 mini rose bush

6-8 candles

Pack of taper candle sticks (if you don't already have some)

Printable name tags (see printable at bottom of post)

Napkins (paper works too)

Dinnerware & Glasses

STEP 1: Linens

If you are like me and currently have a folding table as your dining room table cause your husband is taking a year to finish your nice wood one, then throw a tablecloth ontop. Otherwise...skip this step.

Gather your napkins. There are a ton of tutorials on how to fold them all cute but the knot is by far the easiest. You literally just knot it in the middle. DONE!

STEP 2: Place Settings

Set out your "fancy" plates. I double stacked mine with a dessert plate because I know that is what we are having this evening with dinner but single plates work too.

Set your glasses and silverware out as well.

STEP 3: Centerpiece & Candles

I found these cute mini roses at Trader Joes for $5 but you can use any flowers you want. IT came in a cute galvanized pot but I traded it out for my basket because I liked the look better. I already had the little votive candles as well, so i sprinkled a few here and there. For my kids, the more fire the better. Haha.

The candlesticks I already had but "splurged" and bought these little raw wood candle stick holders from Hobby Lobby. I paid $2 for a pack of 5 (use the 40% off coupon). I did have to trim the candlesticks a little to fit but I usually always have to do that with any candlesticks. Can somebody please come out with a universal diameter of these things!?!?! I mean, really.

STEP 4: Printable Name Cards

This is just a special extra touch that I like to do. I made it a printable below so it is easy to just print it out and write your family members names on the top.