Do you celebrate Valentine's Day? I know some people think it's all a bit commercial but really what's not to love about being extra romantic, being showered in flowers and cooking a special dinner together? Yes you can do that year round but there is something extra special I love about Valentine's Day {probably my obsession with love hearts and a lot of pink?!}. Some photos from our Sunday if you'd like to see..

Ever since we had our first flat together it's become a tradition that I decorate for Valentine's Day. I bought the LOVE banner years back from etsy and fill an old jar with some seasonal appropriate sweets for Ben. The heart candle was from M&S a few years back and at this time of year the house is full of flowers which add to it all.

Sweets for my sweet! 

We then headed up to Columbia Road, an old favourite {see here and here} where I was being treated to flowers. Ben knows I'm anything but a red rose kind of girl.

The market is always beautiful but on Sunday the tulips were probably the best I've ever seen. Tubs and tubs of them in all different colours.

As well as ranunculus, some of my all time favs. 

We always walk up and down the whole market before deciding what to buy, usually always coming back to the first stall at the end which tends to have the biggest selection and the best looking bunches.

I thought the market would be covered in red roses for Valentine's Day but there were only a handful of stalls selling them, mostly it was business as usual which meant alll the pastel spring blooms! 

 

We ended up buying some plants for the new garden, some unusual hellebores and foxgloves.

And then I finally got round to picking my blooms. I ended up going for a mix of three different colours of ranunculus, two lots of pink cherry blossom and some scented white narcissi. All for a grand total of £20!! Such a beautiful bunch and it beat the Sainsbury's overpriced bouquets by miles.

I also loved how they matched my coat and the famous Columbia Road pink door! 

Ben refused to be in any photos as his hair was too long! Talk about vanity... it's finally got cut this evening as I'm writing this. Anyway, after the pretty Columbia Road loot we went for brunch at The Modern Pantry over in Finsbury Square about five minutes away. It's somewhere I've wanted to visit for ages and we luckily secured the last slot on the online booking system. Little did we know that it had got named as Time Out's best spot for Valentine's brunching! 

The food was amazing, as was the menu. I wanted to order so much. In the end I plumped for the waffles with poached rhubarb and cardamon with coconut yogurt. 

Ben went for the halloumi and spinach cooked breakfast which apparently was a tastier combination than you'd ever imagine putting together as a breakfast.

The art-deco building was gorgeous too and we sat with the sun shining in on us, a perfect Sunday romantic morning. The weather was a lot better than expected that day with bright blue skies albeit a chilly wind. We headed home after brunch and stopped off to visit Ben's Grandma on the way back before a chilled out afternoon at home. We actually ended up in bed all afternoon and evening {no not like that...} with our laptops planning the new house out which was exciting. After a walk that afternoon we cooked pizzas and had caesar salads in bed followed by a lot of Hotel Chocolat. A perfect end to a perfect weekend! 

We never need an excuse to celebrate being together but Valentine's sure gives a good one!

Hope you all had a lovely weekend.

R <3 xx