So last Friday night I threw a Galentine’s Day dinner party for some of my girlfriends. What is Galentine’s Day you ask? Well, it’s an excuse to get together with all of your gals for a fun filled night of celebration. The theme was Valentine’s Day so there were lots of hearts, flowers, strawberries, and chocolates involved. I know that hosting can sometimes be a bit stressful.  A lot of work + planning goes into the evening, and you want everyone {including yourself} to have a fabulous time. I wanted to share with you some tips + tricks that helped the night be a fuss-free {and most importantly FUN} party!

1. PLAN FOR SUCCESS
When creating the menu, go with what you already know. Don’t get too wild or exotic on the meal because it might not be the outcome you envisioned. Choose dishes that you have made at least once or twice before and that are easy for large groups. I wanted my menu to reflect all things pink + red {to go with my Valentine’s Day theme}, so I chose lasagna as part of the main course. It was easy to make ahead of time and portioned out well for my group of 8. Also, asking about food allergies or diet restrictions is always helpful because you want your guests to feel comfortable and able to eat some of the tasty treats you make.

2. PREP LIKE A BOSS
In my opinion, it’s important to get as much prep work as possible done ahead of time. That way you won’t feel rushed or stressed. I had to work on Friday, so I did a lot of the organizing the night before. I made sure to clean my apartment, set the table, decorate, and purchase all of my ingredients on Thursday. Even stuff like chopping veggies or baking some of those desserts the day before can really be helpful when you are in a time crunch. I was also lucky enough to have Kalla help me out with some of the decorations. They provided this beautiful bouquet, some champagne, and chocolates to assist us in our festive celebration. Kalla has by far the most amazingly beautiful bouquets out there. Their packaging, presentation, and attention to detail helps make it the perfect Valentine’s Day gift.

3. HOST WITH THE MOST
The party vibe and attitude starts with you! It’s important to be cheerful and peppy. Even if there are some spills, burnt dishes, or party fouls {whoops}, don’t sweat the small stuff. Shake it off {as Taylor Swift would say} and stay positive. Having a lively playlist pumping throughout the night also really helps set the mood and will keep the party alive. I was able to plug my iPhone into my living room speakers and play my partay playlist straight from iTunes. There are also apps like Spotify and Pandora that help get the job done.

4. HAVE FRIENDS HELP
All of my gal pals love to cook, so I suggested they bring an appetizer, dessert, or drink of their choice to share with the crowd. I  encouraged them to stick with my red + pink themed menu and they really brought their A game on this one. We had some extremely creative + delicious dishes {and pink champagne of course!}. Great team work ladies!

5. CLEAN AS YOU GO
You might not like the sound of this one, but will be thankful for following my advice. It is a good idea to wash all those pots + pans as soon as you finish using them. If you follow my lead, you won’t have that scary tower of dirty dishes at the end of the night engulfing your kitchen sink. Also starting with an empty dish washer is key and even having your friends help {only if they volunteer}, can be greatly welcomed {thanks Kara 😉 }.

So as you can see, throwing a dinner party really isn’t scary at all. It’s the perfect excuse to get all of your friends together for some fun cocktails, delicious food, and great conversation. My Galentine’s Day celebration was such a success that I might just have to make it a yearly tradition.

*Thanks again Kalla for my beautiful Valentine’s Day bouquet, champagne, and chocolates. You really helped make it a night to remember!