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Happy almost Valentine’s Day! 💌 If you’re anything like me (and if you’re here, you probably are), there’s a very good chance you’re making handmade Valentine’s cards this year. And while cutting paper and adding embellishments is fun… eventually you have to write something on the card.

That’s where this post comes in. I’m sharing some of the most common Valentine’s Day phrases — written in modern calligraphy — along with layout ideas you can use to make them actually fit your cards. This isn’t a full calligraphy lesson (that would be a very long post), but it is meant to give you inspiration, confidence, and practical options you can use right away.

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Supplies Used

• Tombow Fudenosuke Brush Pen (Hard Tip / Black)
• Smooth marker paper or calligraphy practice paper
• Tracing paper or marker paper (for layouts)
• Pencil (optional, for sketching layouts)
• Light box (or a bright window / sunny glass door)
• Valentine’s Day card or cardstock (for final lettering)
• Optional but helpful:
  • Scrap paper for warmups
  • Ruler (for aligning stacked words)

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Rather watch than read? Check out the full video by clicking the video below!

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Let’s Get Started: A Quick Disclaimer

Before we jump in: this post assumes you already have some familiarity with modern calligraphy.

I’m not breaking down basic strokes or pressure here — I’m simply showing how I write these words and how I think about layout. If you’re brand new and trying to copy these letterforms without learning the fundamentals first, it can get frustrating fast.

If that’s you, I highly recommend starting with a free calligraphy crash course so you can learn the basics properly and then come back to this for inspiration. Once you understand the strokes, everything here becomes much easier.

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Common Valentine’s Day Phrases (and How I Write Them)

I stuck to phrases that show up on cards again and again — the classics you’re most likely to need.

Happy Valentine’s Day

I wrote this in my signature bouncy, modern style, mostly lowercase. That’s just my preference — it feels softer and more whimsical to me.

If you like uppercase letters, no problem. You can mix them in however you want, and I’ll talk more about that below.

I Love You

For some reason, I love writing this phrase with a lowercase “i.”
Yes, it’s grammatically incorrect. No, I don’t care. 😄

I also played with a couple versions of the word “love” — one slightly more formal, one more relaxed — just to show how much flexibility modern calligraphy gives you.

Be Mine

Short, sweet, and perfect for smaller cards. This one works beautifully on gift tags too.

XOXO

X’s are notoriously tricky in calligraphy, so I showed my go-to approach:

• Write the shape first
• Add the cross strokes afterward

They might look a little wild mid-process, but they come together in the end.

You & Me / You + Me

I love this phrase for Valentine’s Day. I also showed a few different ways to handle the “and”:

• A traditional ampersand
• A plus sign
• Writing the word “and” in a small, simple style

There’s no right choice — it depends on the vibe you’re going for.

Forever and Always

This is one of those phrases that almost always needs a stacked layout rather than one long line. Which brings us to the most important part of this post…

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Easy Layout Tricks for Valentine’s Cards

Even beautiful lettering can look awkward if it doesn’t fit the card properly. Most cards aren’t very wide, so long phrases almost always need to be stacked.

The Tracing Paper Hack

This is my favorite low-effort layout trick:

1. Write all your words separately on practice paper.
2. Place tracing paper over top.
3. Trace one word at a time.
4. Slide the tracing paper around until the layout feels balanced.

You can stack words, overlap slightly, or adjust spacing without committing to anything permanent.

Using a Light Box (or a Window)

If you’re lettering directly onto your card:

• Place your rough lettering on a light box
• Put the card on top
• Turn the light on and trace

No light box? A bright window works just as well — nature’s light box.

This method lets you focus on writing well instead of stressing about placement at the same time.

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Uppercase Letters (When You Want Them)

Even though I personally lean lowercase, I showed several uppercase options for letters like:

• H
• V
• D
• I
• L
• Y
• B
• M

Uppercase styles can change the entire feel of a piece — from playful to formal — so having a few options in your back pocket is always helpful.

The key takeaway: You don’t need one “correct” alphabet. Mix, match, and choose what feels right for your card.

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That’s a Wrap – Final Thoughts

Valentine’s Day calligraphy doesn’t need to be complicated. A handful of well-written words, a simple layout, and a little planning go a long way.

Write your words first.
Figure out your layout second.
And give yourself permission to keep things simple.

Whether you’re making cards for a partner, friends, kids, or just for fun, having a few go-to phrases (and a reliable layout trick) makes the whole process way more enjoyable. 💕

And if you’re looking for more Valentine’s Day crafts, check this out.

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And finally, your dad joke…

Parallel lines have so much in common.
It’s a shame they’ll never meet.