The Venus Return: meaning for your love life
- Julia Topaz
- Mar 27
- 11 min read
Updated: Aug 22
Venus Return astrology: What it means for love, money, and self-worth
Just as your solar return (birthday chart) sets the tone for the year ahead, your Venus Return pinpoints the exact moment Venus revisits its natal degree in your birth chart. The Venus Return reveals the annual themes around:
Relationships and love patterns
The type of partner or dynamic you’re attracting
Shifts in self-worth and boundaries
Your relationship with beauty, desire, and money
A Venus Return typically happens once a year. Because of Venus retrogrades, however, sometimes you may have more than one Venus Return in a year, or a delayed one.
What is a Venus Return?
Just like your solar return marks your birthday and tells us about the overall themes for your life in the upcoming year, your Venus Return is the exact moment Venus revisits the degree it occupied in your birth chart and tells us about the themes of your love life for the year ahead.
This typically happens once a year, but depending on retrogrades, it can happen more than once — or be delayed.
At the moment of your Venus Return, a chart can be cast to show:
The themes of your romantic year ahead
What kind of love you’re attracting
Emotional patterns being highlighted or challenged
Shifts in your relationship to money, beauty, and desire
Venus Return Frequently Asked Questions
What does a Venus Return mean in astrology?
A Venus Return happens when Venus returns to the exact degree it occupied at the time of your birth. This chart highlights themes around love, relationships, finances, beauty, and self-worth for the year ahead. It shows what you’re attracting, what patterns you may need to release, and how your desires are evolving.
How often does a Venus Return happen?
Most people experience a Venus Return once a year. However, because Venus sometimes goes retrograde, you can experience more than one Venus Return in a single year, or have it slightly delayed.
Does a Venus Return predict love or marriage?
Not necessarily. A Venus Return indicates the themes of your love life that year, but it doesn’t guarantee marriage or meeting “the one.” It may point to new relationships, deeper commitment, or lessons in self-worth. For marriage or major partnerships, astrologers often look at transits alongside the Venus Return.
Can a Venus Return cause a breakup?
A Venus Return won’t “cause” a breakup, but it can highlight relationship dynamics that are no longer aligned. If your Venus Return chart involves Uranus, Pluto, or Saturn aspects, you may go through endings or restructuring in love, often as a step toward healthier dynamics.
How does the Venus Return affect money?
Venus rules not only love but also money, especially income tied to self-worth. If your Venus Return chart involves the 2nd or 8th houses, or aspects to Saturn or Jupiter, finances may be a central theme. You might restructure your budget, change how you price your work, or make major purchases.
What’s the difference between a Venus Return and a Solar Return?
A Solar Return happens once a year at your birthday and reveals overall life themes for the year ahead. A Venus Return is more specific, it focuses only on Venus matters: love, attraction, creativity, beauty, values, and money.
Can I have more than one Venus Return in a year?
What It reveals about your love life
1. Who (or what) you're ready to attract and your love life evolution
The house and aspects in your Venus Return chart show the qualities of love you’re currently aligned with. You might draw in:
More emotionally available partners
Relationships that mirror deeper soul lessons
Passionate encounters that shift your sense of self-worth
Relationship strengthening
Relationship ending.
Example: Venus returning in the 7th house with a trine to Pluto may attract an intense but transformative bond — one that changes you permanently. This would be a year that has similar undertones to going through a transit of Pluto to your Venus.
Planets in the 7th house Example: The year I had a lot of dating experiences after a long-term relationship ending, my Venus return featured Mars/Moon/Uranus in the 5th house, trine Venus in the 9th house! It was indeed a year of experimentation and testing what I liked and didn't like. Example: A man in a long-term relationship was set to marry, but his fiance leaves before the wedding. Venus Return featured Venus/Uranus/Sun/Mercury all conjunct in the 4th house, representing her sudden and unpredicted departure. He will meet someone new when Venus Return features Venus/Saturn sextile.
2. What you need to release
Your Venus Return can also highlight patterns that are expired such as:
People-pleasing
Settling for crumbs
Using love as validation
Sometimes, it’s not about adding new love, but about clearing the blocks to receiving it fully. Do note: Venus being in the 7th house in your Venus return doesn't necessarily mean you will meet the love of your life. I generally prefer transits anyways to predict meeting someone new, but for example, the year I had both Sun and Venus in the Venus Return 7th house, yes, relationships were very important for me that year and I had a few relationships, but none of them were the right people. It was actually quite a defining year for me in terms of learning how to prioritize myself and discovering what I need through relationships. I had Saturn on the Ascendant for this Venus Return, so it's important to look at the whole chart and getting professional help to read your venus return. Another note: In the Astrology community, it's a bit of an old lore that Venus-Saturn = bad. I've written many times about how much Saturn seems misunderstood, and once again, experience proves me right. When I met my long-term partner, Venus Return Venus was in the 1st house, exact opposite Saturn.
Saturn - Venus in the birth chart: Will you love me, if?
3. Your emotional desires are evolving
Venus isn’t just about romance, she governs how we express affection, receive pleasure, and define what feels beautiful, fair, and worth it.
Your Venus Return may reveal:
Shifts in your standards
A shift in your aesthetic
New creative inspiration or artistic longing
Venus Return: What about money?
Yes, Venus also rules money, especially money tied to self-worth. If your Venus Return chart involves the 2nd or 8th house, or aspects to Saturn or Jupiter, this year may ask you to restructure your finances, price your work differently, or set clearer boundaries around what you're willing to give for free. For example, the year I bought an apartment, my Venus return featured Sun, Venus, Mercury and Mars, all in the 4th house while Moon sat in Taurus. Pretty telling!
The year Venus was opposite Saturn, my finances definitely suffered and I had to embrace minimalism and restrictions.
See also:
Venus return by house: Interpretation
The house where Venus lands in your Venus Return chart tells you where love, beauty, and self-worth will be most active in the year ahead.
Venus return in the 1st house: Your love life is tied to your identity this year. You want to be seen, pursued, and validated. Often marks a year of magnetic attraction and redefining your relationship to self-image.
Venus return in the 2nd house: Love and finances are intertwined. You may attract partners who reflect your values or push you to reconsider how you value yourself. Money themes are pronounced.
Venus return in the 3rd house: A year of flirtation, dating, and communication-based connections. Words, texts, and online dating matter more. Relationships may feel lighter, experimental, or short-term.
Venus return in the 4th house: Love and home merge. This can mark moving in with someone, buying property, or redefining family dynamics through partnership. Emotional safety becomes the focus.
Venus return in the 5th house: Pure romance. A playful, creative, and passionate year. Lovers may appear suddenly and bring excitement. Sometimes linked to pregnancy or creative projects.
Venus return in the 6th house: Relationships may feel like work. You might meet someone through daily routines, work, or health-related environments. The theme is “practical devotion.”
Venus return in the 7th house: Relationships take center stage. This is the most obvious year for commitments, breakups, or deepening partnership bonds. You’re confronted with what you want in love.
Venus return in the 8th house: Transformation in intimacy and shared resources. You may experience jealousy, passion, or deep sexual bonds. Sometimes money themes emerge through investments or debts.
Venus return in the 9th house: Long-distance love, travel romances, or relationships that expand your worldview. Spiritual or philosophical compatibility matters more than usual.
Venus return in the 10th house: Love intersects with status, career, or public image. You may date someone admired in your community or feel your partnerships affect your reputation.
Venus return in the 11th house: Love grows out of friendships or group dynamics. You may meet partners through networks, communities, or social causes. A year of experimentation.
Venus return in the 12th house: A hidden or karmic love story. Sometimes this brings secret relationships, subconscious desires surfacing, or healing from past heartbreaks. Can also be a solitary year of deep inner work on love.
Venus return by aspect
The aspects Venus makes in your Venus Return chart refine how love, desire, and money show up that year.
Venus aspects to the Sun in the Venus Return
Venus conjunct Sun in the Venus Return: This alignment makes love and self-expression inseparable for the year. Relationships play a central role in shaping your identity, and you radiate magnetism that attracts attention. A year of heightened desire for affection and validation.
Venus sextile Sun in the Venus Return: Love and creativity work together with ease. Opportunities for romance may appear through hobbies, friendships, or artistic pursuits. It’s a supportive year for expressing both individuality and affection.
Venus aspects to the Moon in the Venus Return
Venus conjunct Moon in the Venus Return: Love and emotions merge this year. Relationships may feel nurturing and deeply intimate, but can also slip into dependency if boundaries are weak. Emotional satisfaction becomes a central theme in your partnerships.
Venus sextile Moon in the Venus Return: Emotional needs and love desires flow with ease. You attract supportive connections, and relationships bring comfort and emotional balance. A good year for cultivating harmony in the home and in love.
Venus square Moon in the Venus Return: There is inner tension between your emotional security and your romantic desires. Relationships may trigger family dynamics, or you may feel torn between comfort and excitement. A year of learning to integrate emotional honesty into love.
Venus trine Moon in the Venus Return: Love and feelings align effortlessly. You feel emotionally supported in your relationships, and intimacy develops naturally. This is often a year of increased warmth, compassion, and connection.
Venus opposite Moon in the Venus Return: Partnerships reflect back your emotional needs. You may attract partners who embody the opposite of your comfort zone, creating push-pull dynamics. Balance between giving and receiving care is the lesson.
Venus quincunx Moon in the Venus Return: Emotions and desires don’t quite match up this year. You may feel misunderstood in love or notice mood swings affecting relationships. This aspect calls for adjusting how you express needs and affection.
Venus aspects to Mercury in the Venus Return
Venus conjunct Mercury in the Venus Return: Flirtation, conversation, and love blend. A year where dating, writing, or speaking about relationships is central.
Venus sextile Mercury in the Venus Return: Opportunities for connection through communication. Lighthearted exchanges open doors to romance.
Venus square Mercury in the Venus Return: Misunderstandings in love. Overthinking or conflicting communication styles may challenge relationships.
Venus trine Mercury in the Venus Return: Words and affection flow easily. A year of sweet talk, romantic messages, and creative inspiration.
Venus opposite Mercury in the Venus Return: Partners may challenge your thinking. You may be pulled between logic and desire, learning to reconcile heart and mind.
Venus quincunx Mercury in the Venus Return: Communication and affection don’t align neatly. You may feel misunderstood or need to clarify intentions in love.
Venus aspects to Mars in the Venus Return
Venus conjunct Mars in the Venus Return: Passion is high. This year emphasizes sexual attraction, chemistry, and strong desires.
Venus sextile Mars in the Venus Return: Opportunities for romance flow easily. Energy and attraction align with affection in balanced ways.
Venus square Mars in the Venus Return: Tension between desire and harmony. Relationships may feel passionate but also argumentative.
Venus trine Mars in the Venus Return: Love and passion align naturally. A year of playful attraction and healthy pursuit in relationships.
Venus opposite Mars in the Venus Return: Magnetic attraction to partners who embody your opposite. This can create exciting but unstable dynamics.
Venus quincunx Mars in the Venus Return: Sexual and romantic needs don’t fully align. Adjustments are needed in how you pursue or receive affection.
Venus aspects to Jupiter in the Venus Return
Venus conjunct Jupiter in the Venus Return: Abundance in love and money. Partnerships feel generous and supportive. A lucky, expansive year.
Venus sextile Jupiter in the Venus Return: Subtle opportunities for growth in love. Relationships feel optimistic and supportive without excess.
Venus square Jupiter in the Venus Return: Overindulgence in relationships or money. Love feels abundant but may lack grounding.
Venus trine Jupiter in the Venus Return: Love expands easily. Partnerships feel joyful and affirming. A year of celebration and harmony.
Venus opposite Jupiter in the Venus Return: You may overestimate love or feel pulled between freedom and commitment. Balance is needed.
Venus quincunx Jupiter in the Venus Return: A mismatch between values and indulgence. You may need to adjust financial or romantic expectations.
Venus aspects to Saturn in the Venus Return
Venus conjunct Saturn in the Venus Return: Commitments are tested. Relationships may feel serious, karmic, or demanding maturity.
Venus sextile Saturn in the Venus Return: Opportunities for stable partnerships. Love feels dependable and structured.
Venus square Saturn in the Venus Return: Challenges in love or finances. Boundaries, restrictions, or lessons in patience are highlighted.
Venus trine Saturn in the Venus Return: Commitment flows with ease. Partnerships deepen with reliability and responsibility.
Venus opposite Saturn in the Venus Return: Partners may embody responsibility or limitation. Love feels like a negotiation of freedom vs duty.
Venus quincunx Saturn in the Venus Return: Adjustments around commitment. You may feel out of sync in timing or expectations in love.
Venus aspects to Uranus in the Venus Return
Venus conjunct Uranus in the Venus Return: Sudden changes in love. Unconventional relationships or unexpected breakups may define the year.
Venus sextile Uranus in the Venus Return: Exciting opportunities in love through new experiences. Relationships feel refreshing and liberating.
Venus square Uranus in the Venus Return: Instability in love. Breakthroughs come through sudden disruptions or the need for freedom.
Venus trine Uranus in the Venus Return: Love feels exciting yet supportive. Innovation and spontaneity fuel attraction.
Venus opposite Uranus in the Venus Return: You may attract unpredictable partners. Freedom vs attachment becomes a central theme.
Venus quincunx Uranus in the Venus Return: Romance feels destabilized by sudden shifts. Adjustments are needed to handle unpredictability.
Venus aspects to Neptune in the Venus Return
Venus conjunct Neptune in the Venus Return: Love feels dreamy and idealized. Spiritual bonds or fantasies dominate, but illusions are possible.
Venus sextile Neptune in the Venus Return: Romantic opportunities with spiritual or artistic undertones. Love feels tender and inspiring.
Venus square Neptune in the Venus Return: Confusion in love. Boundaries blur, and projection or deception is possible.
Venus trine Neptune in the Venus Return: Love flows with inspiration. Artistic and spiritual connections thrive.
Venus opposite Neptune in the Venus Return: Partners may embody fantasy or illusion. You may swing between idealization and disillusionment.
Venus quincunx Neptune in the Venus Return: Romantic ideals and reality don’t align. Adjustments are needed to ground expectations.
Venus aspects to Pluto in the Venus Return
Venus conjunct Pluto in the Venus Return: A year of transformation in love. Relationships feel intense, karmic, and sometimes obsessive.
Venus sextile Pluto in the Venus Return: Opportunities for deep emotional bonding. Transformation flows without extreme conflict.
Venus square Pluto in the Venus Return: Power struggles or jealousy in relationships. Love transforms through confrontation with shadow dynamics.
Venus trine Pluto in the Venus Return: Deep intimacy feels natural. Relationships strengthen through vulnerability and shared truth.
Venus opposite Pluto in the Venus Return: Partners may mirror your deepest desires and fears. Attraction feels magnetic but challenging.
Venus quincunx Pluto in the Venus Return: Misalignment in intimacy or power dynamics. Relationships may feel transformative but unsettling.
