I'm a fairly big spender but a grand is really kinda steep to spend at one time. I mean it is really great value, I can't deny that, but still that's a pretty bitter pill to swallow.
As far as free events go though, this valentines day one is fantastic. A bit hard to understand at first, but really solid rewards. Ultimately, there isn't much to complain about this event cycle - as much as I want to harp on the pricing, I can't deny it's a good deal for those who can spend at that level. If you keep up this quality of events, I think the mood of your playerbase will see a noticeable improvement :)