It's that time of the year again when hearts melt, emotions are expressed, cakes are enjoyed and sparks fly.  From romantic candlelight setups to specially crafted desserts and an elaborate menu, city diners are all set to make Valentine's Day a grand success.

Malls and popular hangout zones in the city are soaked in the colour red with the young and old displaying their affection for their loved ones in many ways on V-day today, unfazed by the antics of those who oppose it. Cupid-struck couples exchanged gifts, and roses and thronged cinema halls and other popular hangouts.  Cake shops across the Vizag are decked up with beautiful hues and have unravelled a new range of cakes, pastries, and sweets with tantalizing flavours to make your Valentine's Day remember. 

Couples in Vizag are celebrating this Valentine's Day with a twist, instead of spending thousands on expensive gifts and teddy bears, customized cakes made according to their choice of design and flavour have become all the rage.  

“Customised cakes are all the rage this year. What customers are demanding is edible masterpieces that taste and look equally good. We have already got a number of orders this year” says NSR Prabhakar Varma, Director of Sarvani Sweets, and adds “Wheat Rich Bakery, part of Sarvani Sweets dishes out valentine's Day special cakes which are in much demand and one can get his or her photograph of your beloved embossed on the cake. 

Stating further Mr. Prabhakar says “The icing on the cake is when your preferred cake is offered at the most competitive price without sacrificing the quality or freshness of the delicacy. Thus, it illuminates the aura and gives the sweetness of affection to your bonds of love” 

Cashing in on the trend, gift shops in the city are filled to the brim with personalized gifts, stuffed toys, imitation jewellery, heart-shaped pillows, and cards.  Red, the colour of love, was the theme at many restaurants and eating joints which have made special arrangements for youngsters, who were seen making a beeline for these outlets. SPAs and salons are also offering pampering sessions for couples at discounted prices. While Archies has come up with a digital campaign, Give a Gift of a Card, on the occasion of Valentine’s 2023 with a message of sharing a gift of a card to your loved ones.

Kulwinder Singh, a software developer in a BPO says “handmade gifts can surely be a true emotion you can share, but e-commerce platforms have made gift selection easy and unique. They not only reduce the effort of going out and choosing the best gift but also make purchases cost-effective with deals and discounts”.

On the other side, much in demand are roses which are the best gift for your dear one on Valentine's Day and city florists are working overtime to meet the demand for roses. According to florist Suresh Naidu of Siripuram said “Due to the sharp surge in demand of flowers today, we are only accepting orders for rose bouquets. While long-stemmed roses sell like hotcakes during Valentine's week, there are other types of flowers that people gift to important people in their lives. Like a yellow rose signifies friendship, a pink rose stands for admiration. A red rose symbolizes true love. 

"Last year, we sold a bunch of red roses (20 pieces) for Rs 400, but this time we are selling them between Rs 500 and Rs 700, depending on the sizes and quality. The roses that we acquire from Bangalore are costlier than the local ones," added Suresh Naidu. 

For Sravanti, a homemaker "Valentine's Day is the day to express love. It doesn't necessarily mean that you have to celebrate it with your partner. The concept of V-Day has changed. I am ordering a bouquet of red roses for my children as that's my way of expressing love for them."