A Sentimental Valentine's Gift: The Story of How You Met

Your names fit on a mug. Your story needs a book.

The most meaningful Valentine's gifts are the ones nobody else could have given. This one is a book about the two of you: where you met, what you thought of them that first day, the moment you knew, and everything since. You answer the questions, it is written as a letter from you to them, and every page is painted in watercolour from your own photos.

What makes a Valentine's gift meaningful?

It is about the two of you, specifically. Plenty of gifts are personalised: a mug with your initials, a print of the night sky on your wedding date, a necklace with a name on it. They are nice, and they carry your names. A meaningful gift carries your story: the friend's party where you nearly didn't go, the first thing they said to you, the flat with the broken heating, the trip you still talk about. That is what this book is made of.

What goes in the book

The questions walk you through it in order. Your life before you met, and what you know of theirs. Where and how it happened, and your honest first impression. The moment it tipped from "maybe" into "them". Then everything since: the headline moments like a wedding or a first home, something you came through together, a favourite trip, and what life looks like for you two now. Last, the heart of it: what makes the two of you, you. You can type your answers or speak them, and the book is written from your words, as a letter to them.

You add four photos: you today, you around the time you met, them around the time you met, and them today. Anyone else who belongs in the story, a best friend, a sister, the cat, can be added with a photo or described in a few words.

A personalised Valentine's gift for him or for her

The book works whoever is giving it, because it is your letter to your partner. It works at any stage, too. A couple of years in, most of it is how you met and the adventures since. Twenty years in, there are moves, children, a hard year you got through, and a hundred ordinary days that turned out to matter. If you want ideas for what to put in, start with these questions about how you met.

Keeping it a surprise

Tell us it's a surprise and our emails stay discreet. The trickiest part is a photo of them from around when you met. A shared album, an old phone backup, a friend or their family can usually help. Everything you write saves as you go, so you can do it in a few sittings when they are out.

How it is made

1. Share your photos and stories. Around 30 minutes on a web form (plus time to gather good photos).
2. Your book takes shape. 30 minutes to 2 hours. Your answers become the story and every page is painted in watercolour. AI does the drafting; you decide what stays.
3. Review and perfect it. Every page online. Up to 50 free regenerations: faces, outfits, scenes. Nothing prints until you approve.
4. Your hardcover arrives. 5–10 working days print and ship (EU + UK; US around 7–10 working days). 24 pages, full-colour, archival paper.

When to order for Valentine's Day

For 14 February, finish your review by Monday 25 January. Books approved by Thursday 28 January usually still make it; after that we can't promise. The questions take around 30 minutes and your draft is ready the same day. After that the timing is yours, because nothing prints until you approve. Print and shipping take 5–10 working days (EU and UK; US around 7–10 working days), so starting in early January leaves plenty of room.

Frequently asked questions

What is a sentimental Valentine's gift?

One that could only have come from you. Flowers, chocolates and a card are lovely, and anyone could have bought them. A sentimental gift carries something only the two of you share: the night you met, the joke that started it, the year you came through together. This book is that story, written as a letter from you.

When do I need to order for Valentine's Day?

Finish your review by Monday 25 January. Books approved by Thursday 28 January usually still arrive in time; after that we can't promise. The questions take around 30 minutes and your draft is ready in 30 minutes to 2 hours, so the review is the only part that takes as long as you make it.

Can I keep it a surprise?

Yes. Tell us it's a surprise and we keep our emails discreet. The hardest part is usually the photo of them from around when you met: a shared album, a friend or their family can often help.

Is it a good Valentine's gift for my husband, or for my wife?

Yes, for either, and for a boyfriend, girlfriend or partner of thirty years. It is written as a letter from you to them, so it works whoever is giving it. Same-sex couples too: the story follows who you are, and nothing is assumed.

What does it cost?

A How We Met book costs incl. VAT, with free delivery. You get a 24 pages full-colour A4 hardcover on archival paper.

Will it look like us?

The illustrations are painted by AI from the photos you upload, and you see every page before anything prints. If a face or a scene is not right, you have up to 50 free regenerations.