If you have been to a Czech wedding any time in the last few decades, you are probably familiar with the classic format: the same bleak communist-era town hall with an uninterested official repeating the same old clichs, the same Wedding March, and even the exact same menu in a local restaurant afterwards. But just as so many other things have changed in Czech society in recent years, Czechs weddings, too, are becoming a whole different affair. .

Romantic makeover: Cupid is as cupid does

This year, Mary Naumann gets to celebrate Valentine's Day with flowers and a dinner. And Larry, her husband of 21 years, got a revelation of sorts. “So this is what flowers look like," he said with a grin, just before handing his wife a large Valentine's Day bouquet from Porterfield's. As winners of Daily Dose's Most Unromantic Romeo Valentine's Day contest, the Naumanns received the flowers and a $50 gift certificate for dinner at Harrah's Prairie Band Casino's Three Fires Steakhouse. Mary and the other long-suffering sweethearts of these unromantic Romeos all expressed their love, usually just before telling their sad, head-shaking, laugh-out-loud stories. Here is Mary's winning entry, along with top contenders. Entries were edited for spelling, punctuation and length. .

Couples Paradise

With its calm Caribbean waters, white sand beaches and glorious sunsets, Jamaica offers couples an idyllic retreat for Valentine's Day.

But the island's romantic atmosphere is palpable year-round, so any excuse for a "just the two of us" getaway will do.

Lovers, no matter how stressed they are when they arrive, soon chill out listening to the gentle lap of the turquoise sea on the beach, the twitter of tree frogs and the chirping of the island's "quick quicks."

While there has been talk in recent years of crime on the island, it's easy to avoid such problems by visiting resorts and going on designated tours.

Four highly-rated resorts -- Couples Negril, Couples Swept Away, Couples Ocho Rios and Couples San Souci -- are designed to enhance the romance of a couple's time on the island by cocooning them in an all-inclusive paradise with a cornucopia of food, drink and recreational activities.

The -ist List: Romantic Restaurants

Houstonist loved Valentine's Day as a child - poking all the chocolates in the Whitman's Sampler box Mama Houstonist "hid" on the refrigerator - gotta get the good ones! Now that we are all grown up, things are more serious and any Houstonian in love or like needs to impress that special someone with a fancy or just romantic dinner (flowers, gifts, sparkles, cards - at least a stinking card). If you haven't made the reservation already, we're here to help, with a list of places you may want to give a whirl. Don't get excited over the order of things, it's really random, so if your favorite doesn't look like number one on our list - it's not intentional.

-Bistro Moderne: Located at 2525 W.