Valentine’s Day Contest Winners!

Congratulations to all of our winners! If you’ve been following The Intimate Couple on Facebook or Twitter, or browsing the site recently you’ll already know about our grand-prize winner—and the 20 other second place winners. Our 2011 contest was all about loving rituals couples use in their marriage to keep the romance fires burning!

Here is the first place contest entry:

My husband of 14 years frequently lip syncs songs to me that are being played on the radio. With hand motions and all (like he’s in a musical). He ends up holding out his hand and we act like we are ballroom dancing all over our living room. Our 5 children who think we are crazy, end up joining in!

Meet our first prize winning couple, and read more winning entries here! Thanks to all of our 90+ contest participants!

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Was Valentine's Day 2011 a bit of a romantic and sexual letdown? Is your sex life going the same way as your gym membership? You’ve got one somewhere, but you haven’t used it in ages—then it’s high time to get on track!

Here are the 7 Steps to the Bedroom:

1. Use Your Imagination! Life becomes richer when you see it as a process and not just a series of isolated events. With that in mind, the sexual experience isn’t just the orgasm at the end of the day: it’s the process. It’s the mid-morning phone call about how fun it’s going to be when you get together after work; it’s the text message (no photos, please!) with subtle references to what you’re going to do to each other! How about leaving a suggestive note in your husband’s brief case, or post-it notes strategically placed in your home before you leave for work?

2. Breathe, Eat, Hug! There are a few things in life you can’t live without: air, food (and water), and hugs! Medical studies indicate that hugs of 20 to 30 second durations will release oxytocin into the bloodstream. You’ll remember oxytocin is called the cuddle hormone; it helps couples feel closer to each other.

Before leaving each other in the morning—and then again after coming home from work—invest that time together enjoying a meaningful and satisfying hug!

3. Speak Your Partner’s Language! You remember reading our article on love languages? If not, check out: Characteristics of Healthy Relationships - Marriage. Your partner gives and receives love best in one of five ways. You have to make sure you’re doing something to capitalize on that fact! For example, if she receives love through words of affirmation—then you need to write out a love note. If he thrives on giving and receiving gifts—then pick him up some lubricant for sex and wrap it up as a gift!

4. Remember the Ratio! Have you heard of the 5 to 1 ratio? Experts believe that if you can have 5 positive interactions—like friendly conversation, hugs, kisses, big smiles, for every 1 negative/neutral interaction, then your relationship will be much healthier and richer. Eliminate all complaining, whining, and pessimism for an entire day! Be grateful, compliment, and stay positive! You’ll be surprised how good it makes both of you feel!

5. Let the Sex Play Begin! What we mean is to engage in a substantial amount of choreplay (yes, we said that right—choreplay)! Men, choreplay is doing chores your wife normally does, in order to lighten her load, make her feel special and cherished, and emotionally prepared for foreplay later!

6. Get Moody! OK, set the mood: a glass of wine, scented candles, tidy the bedroom and turn down the covers, put on your favorite music, make sure the cologne/perfume and breath mints have done their job.

7. Use Some More Imagination! The sexual responses we experience are both physiological and psychological: in the body, in the mind. When you’re in the bedroom together and the mood has been set—then take ever so long to slowly and gently, touch, caress, and kiss. Most importantly: it’s time to talk to one another about what you’re going to enjoy doing with each other… use your imagination! This psychological foreplay will go a long way in heating things up!

Some of the ideas of this article were adapted from the article Valentines Day: Skip the fancy meal and go straight to the sex! by Ian Kerner.