Even though they’re often over-the-top and seemingly impossible to pull off in real life, we love a grand romantic gesture. There’s just something so swoon-worthy about someone putting their heart (and their dance skills) on the line to make their feelings crystal clear.
Because we know everyone deserves more romance in their lives, we’ve put together this list of the best romantic gestures, complete with any items you’ll need to pull them off. Pro-tip—in real life, grand gestures only come off well if the person you’re doing them for already has some idea how you feel (and you’re pretty sure they feel the same way about you). We don’t suggest doing any of this for a person you’re not already dating!
The Boombox Over the Head
- Photo Credit: 20th Century Fox
Perhaps the most iconic romantic grand gesture of all time, this scene from Say Anything perfectly captures the magic of teenage love. Just like Lloyd Dobbler, all you need is a trench coat, a boombox—we especially love this retro one with both cassette and bluetooth capabilities—and the song “In Your Eyes” to pull this one off.
Serenading Your Love
- Photo Credit: New Line Cinema
Also set in the 80s (but made in 1998), The Wedding Singer is easily one of our favorite 90s rom-coms. Pulling off the iconic plane scene is next to impossible–especially if you’re a stickler for details and need to track down rock star Billy Idol—but we’d be happy if someone just learned to play “I Wanna Grow Old With You” on a beginner’s guitar.
Writing Down Your Love Story
- Photo Credit: New Line Cinema
There’s a reason The Notebook is far and away the best Nicholas Sparks film—the entire movie is essentially one big romantic grand gesture. After his wife, Allie, loses her memory to Alzheimers, Noah reads her their love story in hopes that it will bring her back to him. We suggest taking inspiration from this and writing down your love story as a gift to your partner—preferably in a cute notebook like this one.
Serving Breakfast in Bed
- Photo Credit: Unsplash
Not all romantic gestures have to be over-the-top! We would totally appreciate being woken up with hot coffee and a tasty breakfast followed by a lazy morning with the person we love. All you need for this idea is a breakfast tray.
Learning a Dance
In New Girl, one of our favorite romantic tv shows, Schmidt and Cece’s road to happiness was a long one—but nothing melted our hearts like seeing the traditional Indian dance Schmidt learned in order to surprise Cece at their wedding. The surprise dance routine is a time-honored tradition in the world of romantic grand gestures—and it’s one anyone can take on with a little help from YouTube or a dance lesson dvd.
A Room Full of Candles
- Photo Credit: NBC
We can’t explain exactly why candlelight is so romantic—maybe it’s just that everyone looks good in it—but we do know that it’s an excellent way to set the stage for a grand romantic gesture. Case in point: When Monica proposed to Chandler in Friends, and filled the apartment with candles to make the moment even more magical. Note: If you’re going to do this, we recommend using flameless candles.
Giving Someone a Gorgeous Library
- Photo Credit: Disney
Since we were little, we’ve dreamed that someone would give us a gorgeous, giant library just like the one Beast gave to Belle, complete with spiral staircases. But since we know this one is a tad unrealistic, we’ll settle for these romance book deals instead.
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Featured still from "Big Fish" via Sony Pictures Releasing
