Flowers

• $416 million
  The combined wholesale value of domestically produced cut flowers in 2007 for all flower-producing operations with $100,000 or more in sales. Among states, California was the leading producer, alone accounting for about three-quarters of this amount ($320 million).
  Source: USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service
• $29 million
  The combined wholesale value of domestically produced cut roses in 2007 for all operations with $100,000 or more in sales.
  Source: USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service
• 20,227
  The number of florists nationwide in 2006. These businesses employed 98,373 people.
  Source: County Business Patterns

Jewelry

• 28,300
  Number of jewelry stores in the United States in 2006. Jewelry stores offer engagement, wedding and other rings to lovers of all ages. In February 2008, these stores sold $2.6 billion in merchandise.
  Source: County Business Patterns and Monthly Retail Trade and Food Services
• The merchandise at these locations could well have been produced at one of the nation’s 1,777 jewelry manufacturing establishments.
  Source: County Business Patterns

Be Mine

• 2.2 million
  The number of marriages that took place in the United States in 2007. That breaks down to a little more than 6,000 a day.
  Source: National Center for Health Statistics
• 126,354
  The number of marriages performed in Nevada during 2007. So many couples tie the knot in the Silver State that it ranked fifth nationally in marriages, even though its total population that year among states was 35th (California ranked first in marriages).
  Source: National Center for Health Statistics and population estimates,
• 57% and 60%
  The percentages of American women and men, respectively, who are 18 or older and married (includes those who are separated).
  Source: Families and Living Arrangements: 2007
• 72%
  Percentage of people 30 to 34 in 2007 who had been married at some point in their lives — either currently or formerly.
  Source: Families and Living Arrangements: 2007
•  73%
  Among women who married for the first time between 1985 and 1989, the percentage who marked their 10th anniversary. This compares with 87 percent of women who married for the first time between 1955 and 1959.
  Source: Marriage and Divorce: 2004
• 6%
  The percentage of currently married women who have been married for at least 50 years. A little more than half of currently married women have been married for at least 15 years.
  Source: Marriage and Divorce: 2004
• *The Census Bureau data in this section do not include same-sex marriages; the National Center for Health Statistics data do.

Looking for Love

• 904
  The number of dating service establishments nationwide as of 2002. These establishments, which include Internet dating services, employed nearly 4,300 people and pulled in $489 million in revenue.
  Source: 2002 Economic Census

Try Looking Here . . .
Romantic-sounding places to spend Valentine’s Day:

Roseville, Calif.
Loveland, Colo.
Romeo, Colo.
Lovejoy, Ga.
Loves Park, Ill.
Lovington, Ill.
Romeoville, Ill.
Rosemont, Ill.
Romeo, Mich.
Rose City, Mich.
Darling Township, Minn.
Sacred Heart, Minn.
Heart Butte, Mont.
Valentine, Neb.
Lovelock, Nev.
Loving, N.M.
Lovington, N.M.
Love Valley, N.C.
Rose Hill, N.C.
South Heart, N.D.
Loveland, Ohio
Loveland Park, Ohio
Love County, Okla.
Loveland, Okla.
Lovelady, Texas
Loving County, Texas
Valentine, Texas
Rose Hill Acres, Texas
Rose Hill, Va.

Source: American FactFinder

Giving Love a Second Chance

• 8
  Average length, in years, of first marriages ending in divorce.
• 3 1/2
  The median time in years between divorce and a second marriage.
• 12% and 13%
  Percentage of men and women, respectively, 15 and older who have married twice. Three percent each have married three or more times. By comparison, 54 percent of men and 58 percent of women have made only one trip down the aisle.
• 52% and 44%
  Among adults 25 and older who have ever divorced, the percentage of men and women, respectively, who were currently married.
• Source for the data in this section: Marriage and Divorce: 2004

Creative Commons photos courtesy of the following photographers:
vday hearts by somadjinn at www.morguefile.com/archive/display/155504
together by xenia at www.morguefile.com/archive/display/90818
together by clarita at www.morguefile.com/archive/display/95995
lovenote by hotblack at www.morguefile.com/archive/display/101450
love candy by kakisky at www.morguefile.com/archive/display/195333
hershey kiss by ppdigital at www.morguefile.com/archive/display/16785
hearts by somadjinn www.morguefile.com/archive/display/213360
hearts by ladyheart at www.morguefile.com/archive/display/151999
heart cookies by kakisky at www.morguefile.com/archive/display/181525
flowers by ladyheart at www.morguefile.com/archive/display/155395
candy hearts by ladyheart at www.morguefile.com/archive/display/154868