Valentine’s Day around the world

Jacob Lee of Thrifty Balloons at 8th and Wall in the Flower District of downtown Los Angeles prepares for Valentine’s Day shoppers. Lee said the price of helium has tripled in the last year, but he still hopes for strong sales on Valentine’s and Mother’s day.  (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

A unusual assortment of flowers that resembles the face of a dog is on display at the California Flower Mall in downtown Los Angeles as Valentine’s Day shoppers crowd the area.  (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

Yordy Mantalvan carries a giant bouquet he purchased for his mother on Valentine’s Day morning in the flower district of downtown Los Angeles.  (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

Couples kiss on stage at the Qingdao Olympic Sailing Center during a kissing contest on Valentine’s Day, in Qingdao, China. Nine couples took part in the kissing contest to celebrate Valentine’s Day.   (Lee / EPA)

Portuguese performer Pauliana Almeida, 34, kisses her fiance, Japan’s Yuga Hatta, 26, after rappelling down the Clerigos’ Tower during a performance to mark St. Valentine’s Day in Porto, Portugal.  (Paulo Duarte / Associated Press)

Newlyweds Danielle Brabham, 39, and Michael Lynch, 41, from Miami Shores, Fla., kiss while posing for pictures on the Empire State Building viewing platform after their Valentine’s Day wedding. Brabham and Lynch were among three couples chosen for the 19th annual weddings event “Love is in the Air,” designed by celebrity designer Preston Bailey, after submitting their personal love stories to the Empire State Building’s Facebook page.  (Bebeto Matthews / Associated Press)

Kieran Lewis, 4, attends the wedding of Michael Lewis and Rebecca Anderson on Valentine’s Day in Gretna, Scotland. Gretna Green is one of the most popular wedding destinations in Scotland, hosting thousands of weddings each year, with a particular rise on St Valentine’s Day. Gretna Green has been hosting marriages in the blacksmith’s shop since 1754.  (Jeff J Mitchell / Getty Images)

Couples take part in a group wedding on the steps of the Bexar County Courthouse steps in San Antonio. Each Valentine’s Day, the Rev. Joe Sullivan performs weddings for free on the steps of the courthouse.  (Eric Gay / Associated Press)

Wanda Smith, left, gives Clarence Coleman a bouquet of red roses he ordered for Valentine’s Day at Flowers Texas Style in Conroe, Texas. Workers at the shop estimate they will have assembled more than 700 arrangements before the end of Valentine’s Day.  (Jason Fochtman / Associated Press)

Boys sell heart-shaped balloons on Valentine’s Day in Lahore, Pakistan. Saint Valentine’s Day is considered to be un-Islamic in Pakistan.   (Rahat Dar / EPA)

Turkish women dance during the ‘One Billion Rising’ campaign on Valentine’s Day in Istanbul, Turkey. Women around the world expressed their support for the campaign against poverty and violence against women by dancing in the streets, in school and other places.  (Tolga Bozoglu / EPA)