For couples, celebrating Valentine’s Day can too easily fall into a routine with restaurant reservations, bouquets, chocolates, or a familiar retreat to a movie. Offer them an alternative by organizing a Valentine’s Day workshop — they can enjoy time together while avoiding crowded reservation lists and unexciting prix fixe menus.
A workshop is a tried-and-true way to learn and explore, but you want your workshop to give a nod to Cupid’s big day. The right mix of fun and flirtation will attract couples to your event and provide them with a fun and engaging holiday. Read on to discover ideas for how your Valentine’s Day event can do just that.
Table of contents
How to organize a Valentine’s Day workshop
How to organize a virtual Valentine’s Day workshop
Valentine’s Day workshop ideas
How to organize a Valentine’s Day workshop
The first step when planning a Valentine’s Day workshop is to get organized. Write down your thoughts about what you want your event to be, then follow these key steps.
Determine the goals of your workshop
What do you want attendees to come away with? Remember it’s a Valentine’s Day workshop, so consider activities where couples will work together — like cooking or dance classes — or enjoy separately as a gift from one to the other, such as an art or craft workshop.
Choose your budget
Staying within your budget makes it much easier to come away from the event happy and satisfied alongside your attendees. And when you’re using the right tools, it’s a lot easier to plan your budget and stick to it.
Think about where you’ll host it
Your venue will largely depend on the nature of your workshop. A single-evening workshop will need a different venue from a weekend-long affair; a watercolor course will need a different space than a workshop for building birdhouses. Contact local colleges about using studio space, or see if a gallery or museum can make space available as a cross-promotional opportunity.
And don’t just consider the workshop’s needs, but your attendees’ needs. Check out the venue’s restrooms, Wi-Fi, lighting, air conditioning, seating, and power sources.
Create an agenda
Once you know where your event will be, map out the workshop itself. Create an agenda that sets out what’s happening and when. Include introductions and opening remarks, and then present the workshop itself. Plan to break the workshop into easily digestible segments, allowing for breaks and meals. Don’t forget to leave time for goodbyes and exchanges of contact information.
Plan your workshop activities
If you’re not leading the workshop, work with your workshop leader to plan the activities. Include icebreakers, an introduction to the workshop’s subject, some demonstrations, and class participation. Tie in the Valentine’s Day theme by asking participants how they met or quizzing them on how well they know each other. Give the teacher or workshop leader ample time to demonstrate and teach, but remember to break up the pace every so often to keep attendees engaged.
Prepare your materials
Now your event is planned out and you know how you’ll accomplish your goals, the next step is to determine what equipment and materials you’ll need. A cooking workshop requires not just ingredients but also ovens and stoves, pots and pans, and forks and knives. A woodworking class will need plenty of wood, saws, hammers, nails, eye goggles, gloves, and similar hardware. Determine what your event needs, and then go get it.
Market your Valentine’s Day workshop
Spread the word about your class with marketing and promotions to drive attendance. Be clear in your materials that it’s both a Valentine’s Day event and a workshop. Lean into how it’s different from the regular dinner date. Tools like Eventbrite Boost amplify your promotional power, letting you target those who are most likely to be interested.
How to organize a virtual Valentine’s Day workshop
A Valentine’s Day workshop doesn’t have to be a night out — consider offering a virtual workshop to reach couples who would rather stay in. Ensure you’ve got all the tech and equipment you need for a smooth-running event.
Consider the what and why of your workshop
Your first task is determining the kind of virtual workshop you want to host and why. Pulling off a successful virtual event takes more than setting up a camera and microphone feed to capture it live. Regional cooking workshops, candy-making workshops, arts-and-crafts style classes, and similar events work well in a virtual format.
Choose a streaming platform
You’ll need to choose a streaming platform for your virtual event. Before you make a final decision, know how many attendees you’ll need to accommodate, how much interaction there will be, and whether data (including recipes, for example) will be shared. Consider website security, too, and research to see who’s got the best record when it comes to protecting data. Virtual events have their own distinct features — think chat boards, waiting rooms, and breakout sessions.
Source your equipment
Equipment plays a crucial role in a virtual workshop. The last thing you want is a technical failure, so source quality equipment and ensure you know how to get it working. Along with the supplies you’ll need for any workshop, you need a camera, sound equipment, cables, lighting, and makeup.
Think about content and materials
The best presenters of virtual events realize that online events have distinct challenges and opportunities, and know how to handle both. Much of the audience will be separated from each other physically, so finding ways to connect everyone and make them feel included and involved, rather than mere passive viewers, is essential. Include chat rooms, quizzes, Q&A sessions, and other audience activation strategies to keep attendees engaged and having fun.
Market your virtual workshop
Many of your creative marketing efforts will be effective for both in-person and online events, but there will be some differences. For example, since the event is online, make sure your promotions reach nationwide. And don’t forget the advantages Eventbrite Boost offers, like easy access to social media advertising and other advanced marketing tools.
Run through your workshop
In the days before you go live, do a practice run-through to ensure your equipment is working properly. Do a beta test of the livestream and test audio and chat functionality. Test malfunctions and know how to respond when problems occur, so you aren’t left scrambling on Valentine’s Day.
Valentine’s Day workshop ideas
Need some Valentine’s Day event ideas? Here are some ideas to get couples working and learning together.
Craft workshop
Making something creative is always satisfying — think quilting, origami, or wood-carving. Creator Mandy Greer is teaching students how to make rose-laden wreaths and other romantic decorations. If your event is online, ship essential workshop supplies to registered attendees as an add-on before the event so everyone can take part.
Cooking class
Hosting a cooking class fits the romantic bill. The flavors and smells create a sensuous experience that puts a fresh spin on a Valentine’s Day standard. Teach guests to cook a full, romantic meal with candles and a centerpiece. Schedule the class before the holiday so guests can make their own meals. Or focus on a single course, such as an amuse-bouche or dessert. Ship any special ingredients to your attendees, along with some romantic candles and a centerpiece for atmosphere.
Cocktail-making class
There’s more to mixology than combining alcohol with a flavor base. Couples cocktail-making classes are the next big thing: Toledo Spirits Co.’s Couples Cocktail Class focuses on one spirit — bourbon — and only a handful of drinks, so attendees don’t get overwhelmed. Teach attendees how to blend different kinds of alcohol, when to add bitters or simple syrup, the difference between a digestif and an aperitif, what garnishes to use, and more. A cocktail workshop can cover it all or focus on a specific drink, as long as there are enough sips and tastings to enjoy the occasion fully.
Mindfulness workshop
Reinvigorate your guests’ mental health with a mindfulness workshop. Feature activities that cast out everyday noise and worries, helping attendees find greater peace and happiness. For a virtual mindfulness event, ship add-ons such as aromatic candles, oils, or an eye mask to facilitate the right mood and mindset. Encourage attendees to make themselves comfortable on a mat or couch.
Painting class
A painting workshop works well virtually, as the video camera can provide close-up images of painting techniques that may be missed in a live session. And they’re great for bonding. Since painting is permanent, participants can decorate their homes with reminders of their time together. At ARTrageous Brush & Flow‘s Valentine’s Day “Paint and Sip” event, participants get their own canvas to share and then paint wine glasses and beer mugs while enjoying complimentary drinks.
Eye gazing workshop
Eye gazing is the practice of staring into one another’s eyes. It can be part of a tantric practice that increases intimacy and communication for couples. While it doesn’t work for couples in separate locations, it can be a powerful stimulus for couples attending the virtual event together.
Dance workshop
Teach some new moves with a dance workshop. Whether it’s ballroom waltzing or disco hustling, dancing lets couples enjoy physicality and can prepare them for an upcoming occasion, such as a wedding reception or school reunion. Like the eye gazing workshop, this event works best when couples are in the same location, even if the dance instructor is virtual.
Makeup classes
Encourage couples to explore new looks and styles. Teach them how to apply foundation, eyeliner, and other essentials. If your event is online, ship makeup samples to attendees before the event, so everyone has what they need. A makeup workshop is also an excellent giftable experience. At Beauty for Every Woman‘s Luxury Valentine Makeup event, participants will learn different makeup techniques, how skin tone affects their makeup choices, and more.
Massage workshop
Learning to do a proper deep massage is a perfect way for couples to celebrate Valentine’s Day. Invite a respected massage expert to lead your workshop and reveal tips and tricks that will have everyone’s muscles relaxed.
Get ready for romance
Now that you’re inspired to celebrate love creatively, start planning your Valentine’s Day class so couples can begin making their own plans!
