Quick tips to take Your Romance to Next Level

They say that romance is all about flowers and chocolate, wine and back massages. They also say that it comes easy, that romance is something that just happens with the minimum of effort. By the way – ‘they’ are Hollywood blockbusters. It’s multimillion dollar movies that have spread the notion that romance is mandatory but ultimately straightforward. In real life, romance doesn't always work out exactly how you want it to. A curtain might catch fire in a room full of (not so) expertly positioned candles. Maybe it starts to rain on the way home from the store and your girlfriend’s present gets all soggy.

image source

We’ve all seen those Hollywood scenes where the guy clears the kitchen table in a hurry, only to throw his lover down upon it and spend the night with her in a kinky but oddly unhygienic fashion. That would never work in real life. You’d be too worried about whether or not your eggs were broken or where you’d put that stray steak knife you were using. They do get one thing right though – romance is all about the setting. It just takes a bit more work than that. 

Lighting

When it comes to lighting your romantic scene – think soft and think mellow. Good lighting is key to creating a romantic environment, says EHow.com journalist Miranda Brookins. Fortunately, this step is pretty easy to achieve. Avoid bright lights of any kind. Replace them with low level dimmer lighting or a multitude of red and white candles. If you’re going to use candles though – be careful. The most unromantic thing in the world happens to be watching a naked man or woman trying to put out a candle fire with nothing but a glass of red wine. If you don’t feel safe lighting lots of candles, why not drape lamps and shades with red cloth or red scarves? 

Aroma

Smell tends to be something that’s often forgotten when it comes to setting the scene for romance. It’s a shame because it’s one of our most vital senses. Think about it – soft lighting, candles, wine and chocolate make a person feel sensual but they’re not absolutely essential for romance. A person can feel sexy in a brightly lit room in the middle of the afternoon if circumstances are favorable  but nobody could ever feel romantic in a room with a bad smell in it. If you’re planning to cook your lover a special meal, do make sure that the smell is either very far away from your romantic scene or that you have some handy essential oils on hand to get rid of it. Your chicken in white wine sauce might taste superb but you don’t want a nose-full of it when you’re trying to feel romantic. According to relationship expert Lori Thayer, joy essential oil is said to inspire feelings of love and togetherness.

Taste

So, you’ve got your candles set out in the shape of a love heart. You’ve scattered rose petals across the bed and left a note on the door directing your guy or girl towards the bathroom where there’s a romantic bubble bath waiting. All that’s left to do is dish out your expertly cooked meal before he or she comes home and pour yourself a glass of something nice. Should you go for wine or champagne, excitement or sophistication? LiveScience.com journalist Stephanie Pappas believes that nothing says romance like the pop of a freshly opened bottle of champagne and it’s hard to argue with her. You don’t have to buy the most expensive bottle you can find. Just pick something that’s not too bog standard and add some raspberries or strawberries. You won’t believe the fun you can have playing ‘pass the strawberry’- using only your mouths of course. 

Creating the perfect setting for romance isn’t particularly hard but it does require a little bit of thought and a fair amount of practical knowledge. Lighting  a hundred candles, whipping up a prawn cocktail, struggling with the champagne cork – these things aren’t particularly romantic when you’re in the midst of them. They are worth the effort though, especially if your loved one really is as special as you’ve always suspected them to be.

About The Author : Lisa jane has been a relationship counselor for seven years. She can’t do romance without a long bubble bath and a glass of champagne from the Telegraph online wine store.