The signs that get kept say a name or a private phrase. The ones that end up in a cupboard say the occasion.
For Valentine's specifically, order by mid January. Your sign is made and delivered in 7 to 12 days with express shipping, or 18 to 25 days with free shipping from drawing approval, and February is not a month to leave to chance.
What to have made
| Idea | Why it works |
|---|---|
| Both first names | Goes up the same week and never comes down |
| A phrase only you two use | The most personal option, and invisible to guests |
| Their handwriting | A note, a signature, a card. Send a photo of it |
| A shape rather than words | A heart, a line drawing, an outline of somewhere that matters |
| A significant year | Quiet, and it dates in the right way rather than the wrong one |
What to avoid
- ✗ Happy Anniversary. One day of use, and it is not really about the person.
- ✗ A specific number of years. Lovely on the tenth, awkward on the eleventh.
- ✗ A long quotation. At readable letter height it becomes enormous, and shrinking it hits the 5 cm minimum bend.
- ✗ A color you like rather than one they would choose. It is going on a wall they look at too.
Color
Warm White is the safe answer and the one most likely to still suit the room in five years. Hot Pink is the most ordered color we make and it is unmistakably romantic; Red is the most saturated tube in the range and reads bolder than people expect. Light Pink is softer than it looks on screen and needs a darker wall behind it.
Using two colors in one sign, names in one and a heart in another, costs nothing extra.
Timing
Your sign is made and delivered in 7 to 12 days with express shipping, or 18 to 25 days with free shipping counted from drawing approval. Large or complex pieces sit at the top of that range. For Valentine's Day, order in the first half of January. For an anniversary, work back 35 days from the date and start there.
The clock does not start when you order, it starts when you approve, so reply to the drawing quickly even if the answer is a question.
Two names in Warm White, around 70 to 90 cm. It is unglamorous advice and it is what people still have on the wall a decade later. If you want the gift to feel less predictable, use their handwriting instead of a font. That is the one that gets a reaction, and it costs the same.
Frequently asked questions
What should an anniversary neon sign say?
Both first names, or a phrase only the two of you use. Those go on a wall the same week and stay there. Wording that names the occasion or the number of years works for one day and then becomes something to put away.
Can you make a neon sign from someone's handwriting?
Yes, and it is one of the most personal things we make. Photograph the writing flat in daylight, straight down rather than at an angle. We redraw it as a bending path and send a scaled drawing first. Bold writing bends well; very fine writing has to be thickened, and we will tell you before building.
When should I order for Valentine's Day?
The first half of January. Your sign is made and delivered in 7 to 12 days with express shipping, or 18 to 25 days with free shipping counted from when you approve the drawing, and the approval step is where most lost time goes. Leaving it to late January means relying on express shipping and a fast reply from yourself.
What color is best for a romantic sign?
Warm White is the safest and the most likely to still suit the room in years to come. Hot Pink is the most ordered color we make and unmistakably romantic. Light Pink reads much softer in person than on screen and needs a darker wall behind it to carry.
Does using two colors cost extra?
No. Multiple fixed colors in one sign cost nothing extra, so names in one color and a heart in another is free. What costs extra is RGB color changing, which is a different feature and adds 50 percent.
We have made neon since 1998, and we still make it ourselves. If something here does not answer your question, ask us.
