JACKIE WONDERS :: PHOTOGRAPHER

Adam F - My best Valentine's memory has yet to even happen! February 14, 2010 will undoubtedly go down in the books as the best Valentine's Day ever, the day I get to marry my sweetheart, Dana Lisa. We'll be at our favorite resort in Indian Wells, CA to share this incredible day with our closest family and friends and we've got an amazing photographer to capture it all (wink, wink!) I can't wait to get that first peek of Dana in her dress . . . And of course, the best part: every Valentine's Day we get to re-live the day we were married!

Tara - this is a tough one... i've always thought of valentine's day as a commercial holiday so i've never really payed much attention to it. however, when dom and i were dating we did do a special night that i will never forget. i was living with 3 other girls at the time and decided to make dinner for him and another couple (to keep us "accountable"!) and i made fillet mignon with a veggie and some salad. it was very martha. dom showed up in a red cardigan sweater. we watched a chick flick and he and the other dude gagged while me and the other chick oooo-ed & awww-ed. good times.

jen }i{ - The Valentine's Day before Jase and I were married, he transformed his mom's house into a cozy restaurant for the two of us. He designed and created the menu and had it printed and placed on the ornately decorated dining room table. It was really cute, with three variations (that I could "choose") of the salad, chicken, potatoes and veggie that HE had already prepared for dinner - with ice cream as dessert. The house was completely done up with fanciness and he served me. Surprisingly, for a guy that lived off of cereal, he did an amazing job on the meal. :) He topped off the night with having a song already set to play at the end of dinner so that we could get up from the table and dance, to Jewel's "Near You Always." It was perfect. I can honestly say that this Valentine's Day memory has helped us float through the interspersed-hard-times of our 11 year marriage. He hasn't done anything as extravagant since, however, doing something like that - all the time - would get old. It's the little things that build this beautiful life we have now. Things like this: http://the.oppositeofbreaking.com/apples-to-apples/

Carrie - Oh, and what NOT to give? Men should never ever give their love a little blue box unless it ha somethin' sparkly inside! I once had a man give me a Tiffany's box and I about passed out while hyperventilating! He smiled with delight as he watched me untie the little ribbon and I, anticipating earrings..or a RING...was nonetheless let down by the KEYCHAIN I found in the box! Granted, I thanked him profusely for the gift but inside I was thinking..."now that would have been MUCH better received had it NOT been in the little blue box!" So men, take note....no blue boxes lest ya mean it! And who really needs them anyway? Gifts I mean? My fiance and I absolutely adore staying in on Valentine's Day...no gifts, no dressing up for an evening out...just us on the floor in our PJ's with a movie, some pizza and ice cream. Oh and wine...thankfully I have that keychain still cuz it works wonders opening bottles now!

Carrie - Well, I have two Valentine's Day memories...The first one took place in the early 80's in Los Angeles and the latter in 1994 in Connecticut. My Great-grandfather, after having lost his wife of over 50 years to breast cancer, found true love again with one of our family friends, who also coincidentally, had lost her husband of almost as many years. Having been given a second shot at love, they thought the best way to honor that gift was to be married on St. Valentine's Day. It was truly beautiful to see the both of them, once again happy and in love, as they stood at an alter made of rose petals and branches. Breathtaking. The latter was just funny. My boyfriend at the time, bless his little heart, decided to surprise me before we left work on Valentine's Day...he dragged me to the car, ruffled around in the back seat, and then popped up with a grin and gave me, I kid you not...one of those clear plastic wrapped chocolate boxes and a dozen LOTTERY TICKETS! If it had been ANYone else, I would have been disappointed that my significant other merely stopped at the gas station to grab me a gift as an afterthought on the way to work. But with him, he was clearly so pleased with himself...I couldn't help but to see the love in the gesture. So while i've yet to have gourmet chocolates on Valentine's Day...I've at the very least seen 2 very different expressions of love!