I know Valentines can sometimes have a bad reputation for being cheesy or unnecessary, especially if you’re in a single stage of life, but I’ve always been a fan. There’s never a bad time to express your love, why not celebrate that love with your girl friends over a Galantines celebration?
I have a smaller home, so a party with about 4-5 girls is just right for me. Do what works best for the space you have without adding extra stress to yourself.
For the menu, check first for any allergies or major food aversions. The last thing you want to do is make a quiche if someone is allergic or hates eggs with a passion. If that’s the case, you’ll want to make sure you have other food items for your guests.
When I’m hosting, I usually offer to make the main dish. Whether it’s a dinner or brunch, I always try to cook something I know (mostly) everyone will like. I then suggest that my guests bring a side item or something to drink. Don’t be afraid to ask your guests to contribute, usually they’re happy to help and it takes some of the stress off of you!
In addition to the main dish, I usually like to prepare a fun drink. For Galentines, it’s gotta be girly! My go-to is to take a champagne flute and dip it in frosting, but be careful not to get too much frosting otherwise it will drip down the glass. You need just enough for the sprinkles to stick. Swirl the frosting in a dish with pink and red sprinkles (or your color(s) of choice) to get a nice coat. Fill the glass with a nice sparkling wine, grap juice, or champagne and top with cranberry juice for a pretty and simple Galentines drink :).
For seating, try to plan in advance where you expect your guests to sit. If you’re serving a dish other than just finger foods, you’ll want to provide your guests with a seat at a table or a bar top. Think of cutting something with a fork and knife while standing, it’s almost impossible. Once you have your guest count nailed down, you can play around with a seating arrangement that makes the most sense for your guests.
To set up your food and drink stations, it’s usually recommended that these stations be separated in an effort to avoid a “traffic jam” in your kitchen. If you have a table or buffet of some kind in your living room, that may work great for drinks to separate it from the food!
For some non-food related tips, I usually clear out some space in our front coat closet to allow my guests to hang their jackets. It’s also super important you make sure everyone knows where the bathroom is. Make sure the bathroom is stocked with TP, soap, and a towel/napkins. There’s nothing more embarrassing than going to someone’s house and having to yell for TP while on the potty :D.
Of course, these are all just my tips to help make your hosting life easier :). There’s no right or wrong way to host a gathering, it’s more about the people. As long as you surround yourself with the best, you’re guaranteed to have a good time.
All photos on this post are by Aimee Nguyen
