Occasion
A 'Will you be my Valentine?' website with a runaway No button
'Will you be my Valentine?' is an easy question to ask and a hard one to make feel new. Cards say it the same way, and a text can get lost under everything else on the 14th. A page gives the question an opening, so it feels like something that happened to them rather than something that appeared in their phone.
The Question template starts as an envelope. It bursts into flowers, and then 'Will you be my Valentine?' appears with a Yes and a No. The No runs away from their thumb. When they press Yes, you get an email, and they see whatever plan you wrote underneath.
What happens when they open it
They tap the link and see an envelope. A tap opens it, and flowers burst out across the screen. Only then does the question appear, with two buttons. Yes sits there politely. No tries to be pressed and then slides away. It is a gag, and it works because it gets a laugh before the sincere part. After Yes they see your line for the day, and underneath you can put a photo or a little note. It takes under a minute to read through, which is a comfortable length for a phone on a morning commute, and it is the sort of thing people show to whoever is sitting next to them.
Use the line after Yes to make a real plan
The line that appears after Yes is up to 60 characters, and it is the most useful part of the page. 'Yes' on its own is a nice feeling, but a Valentine's yes needs a plan, so write one: 'Dinner at 7, wear something warm', 'Pancakes at mine, 10 sharp', 'Pizza and a terrible film, my turn to pick'. It also solves the awkward bit of coordinating the evening, because you have already told them. If you are doing something expensive, keep the line mysterious. If you are doing something cheap and silly, say so, because that is part of the charm. Either way, a specific plan beats a general sweet thing.
When to send it
Early enough that the answer can change what you both do, which usually means two or three days before the 14th. Sending on the morning itself works too, but it only really suits a couple who have no plans yet and want to make some. If you want the surprise to be the first thing they see on the day, send the link the night before with a short note: 'Open this tomorrow morning'. Because you get an email when they say yes, you can go about your day and find out at lunch. Check the page on your own phone before you send; previewing is free and private, so you can test the runaway button as often as you like.
If you are not dating yet
The page works for a crush as much as for a partner, but tone matters more. Keep the question light, 'Will you be my Valentine?' with a plan that sounds low-pressure, like coffee, a walk or a film. Skip the long note. One photo and a joke is plenty. And remember that a joke is easier to say yes to, but not a guarantee. If they do not press Yes, you will not get the email, and that is a perfectly fine answer to take gracefully. It also works for Galentine's: change the question to something your friend will enjoy being asked, and let the flowers do the rest.
Long distance Valentine's
If the 14th is going to be spent on a screen, make the yes line the plan: 'Video call at 8, I'm cooking the same thing as you'. Order the same food, put on the same film, hit play together. It turns a day that can feel lonely into something you built on purpose. Add a little note and a photo for after the yes, so when they finish the question there is something to read. If you want something for when you actually see each other, the Ticket template counts down to the day you land, and the two pages go together well.
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