How To Host A Fabulous Galentine’s Party

Galentine's Day is one of my favorite celebrations—a chance to spotlight the wonderful friendships in our lives! As an actual celebration of “ladies celebrating ladies,” it’s the perfect excuse for a fun gathering filled with laughter and love. Here’s how I threw an unforgettable Galentine's party, along with some personal anecdotes that made the night truly special.

3-4 Weeks Before

Gather Inspiration: I kicked off my planning by diving into Instagram and Pinterest. I wanted a theme that embodied joy and fun. Eventually, I settled on a "Mon Cheri" theme, embracing vibrant reds, hot pinks, and darling frills, reminiscent of the over-the-top romance comedies we’d all watched over the years.

Create Your Guest List: I prefer gatherings that are intimate, 4-8 people is the ideal number.  I decided to invite a small group of friends, ensuring they’d all at least know one other person. That way, everyone could connect right from the get-go.

Design Invites: Using Canva, I crafted charming invitations that matched my theme perfectly. 

1-2 Weeks Before

Plan the Menu: I love to cook, but I also know that it’s crucial to accommodate my guests’ dietary needs. With a vegetarian and someone gluten-free in the group, I had to invent some culinary magic. After some brainstorming, I chose a delicious Italian spread selfishly because it is my favorite cuisine and it is the ultimate indulgent experience in my opinion. The menu was finalized, and I designed a menu on Canva that matched the theme! 

Decor and Activities: I spent some time gathering pretty decorations, all on theme. I went a little wild with frills and hearts, but I wouldn't have it any other way! Believe it or not, designers usually don't consider themselves to be “crafty.” I invited all Designers, so I wanted to make sure it was a simple craft, yet something we could use as decor. I chose a simple yet elegant craft—painting taper candles. 

 Day Before

- **Grocery Shopping:** Best done the day before so there is no rushing the day of! I opted for Grocery pick-up to make it easy.

- **Clean the House:** Enough said! 

- **Arrange Florals:** I genuinely love having fresh flowers around. I put together chic arrangements to brighten the atmosphere and give it a welcoming touch…what is more Galentines than fresh florals?

- **Prep Food:** The day before, I made as many dishes as I could, so that way I could enjoy the party. 

Saturday Morning

- **Prep Time!** 

  - ✔️ Bruschetta: I spent about 20 minutes dicing tomatoes and herbs.

  - ✔️ Pie: I love french silk.The ultimate decadence! I decided to top it with cherries this time.

  - ✔️ Wash dishes and tidy up: this makes it so much easier at the end of the night to start with an empty dishwasher.

3 PM

I set the table and finalized the menus while humming along to my favorite playlist. I prepped all the craft supplies, and wrote little love notes for each of my guests, what is Galentines without love notes? 

5:30 PM 

It was time to bring the flavors to life!

- **Arancini** I drizzled it with olive oil, sending it off to the oven with my fingers crossed..this was my first time making this. I don't usually like to experiment for parties in case something goes wrong, but I wanted something that was delicious and could pop out of the oven when guests arrived.

- **Lasagna:** Popped it into the oven.

- **Bread:** I sliced it for bruschetta.

- **Salad:** I prepared the dressing and toppings, I even made the strawberries into little hearts! 

- **Snap Photos:** I captured my beautiful spread in the golden hour light, I wish I had taken more photos…but I was so in the moment! 

Menu Highlights

- Heart-shaped strawberry salad with poppyseed dressing

- Toasted bruschetta, which I tried for the first time in Florence. The trick is adding rosemary instead of basil! 

- Arancini balls—easy to share and perfect for dipping.

- Traditional lasagna, because what's a celebration without it?

- Decadent French silk pie topped with maraschino cherries, just for fun!

Enjoy the Party!

As my friends started arriving, the atmosphere filled with warmth and excitement. Time to finally enjoy the party!

A Few Tips:

A little prep can save a lot of stress; I forgot to fill the glasses with water and leave out utensils…make sure to do that when setting the table.

Fun Activities

We ended the night with two fun activities. First, “Who is Most Likely To?” led to hilarious laughter as we put each other in funny scenarios, and we all shared warm memories that resurfaced with each guess. It was a beautiful way to bond.

The second activity was writing heartfelt love notes to one another. I’d pre-written my words, so I could clean up while everyone was writing theirs. 

With a bit of prep work, love, and creativity, you too can create a memorable Galentine's celebration that honors friendship. Here’s to all the incredible women in our lives!

XOXO

Eden Stringham