Google searches for ‘Galentine’s day’ are up 780% in the last month, and the hashtags #galentines and #galentinesday have gained a cumulative 30M views on TikTok – just in the last seven days!
With this in mind, we joined forces with the experts at Cartwright & Butler to compile some tips on how to celebrate Galentine’s at home (and how to set up an enviable tablescape for the girls who have been there through it all).
1. Send out romantic invitations
Whether you and your gals are single or not, there’s a current trend of romanticising our friendships and we all ought to jump on it. Use an online tool like Canva to create some gorgeous mini invitations for your friends, inviting them to your Galentine’s celebration, or alternatively, head down to your local craft shop to pick up some pink or red paper and envelopes and create something special yourself!
Going that little way extra to create an event out of your celebration is sure to woo your friends, and show them how much you appreciate their friendship. Plus, the crafting or design process can be quite enjoyable – particularly if you have a creative eye.
2. Create an enviable Valentine’s day tablescape
Want your guests to ‘ooh’ and ‘ah’ as soon as they walk through the door? Start by laying your table with a tablecloth to really mark the occasion – any colour will work, but pink or red may be especially fitting.
Next, work on setting up some place settings for your guests with matching coloured napkins to your tablecloths, decorative crockery and your finest glassware. If you’re feeling extra attentive, make up some little name cards for each of your guests and either tuck them into the napkin or sit them behind the plate.
Lastly, you’ll be needing a centrepiece. While a bunch of fresh flowers can look beautiful, don’t feel the need to overspend in this area. If you already have dry flowers or fake flowers in your home, consider bulking these out with stems and twigs and popping them into your favourite vase for the occasion.
3. Set the ambience
The final touch needed for any tablescape is always candles. Try to purchase these in varying heights (candlesticks, tinned or jar candles and tealights) and dot these along your table. This helps to create warmth across your whole tablescape and is essential for getting your guests into the fine dining mood (no matter what’s on the menu). If you’re cooking up anything with a strong scent, consider opting for some scented candles – floral smells are a great fit for the Valentine’s day celebrations.
When dining at home, it’s also important to make sure your guests aren’t sitting underneath any unpleasant, stark white lights. If your lighting does not dim, swap out your usual lighting for some small lamps, placed around the room. The key here is to make sure your guests have enough light to easily see what they’re eating, but also that it is dim enough so that it isn’t distracting or unpleasant.
4. Provide some lovely nibbles
Of course, the main focus of your Galentine’s Gala should always be the food. Whether you feel like popping your chef hat on and cooking up a storm, or going for more of a charcuterie vibe, try to source the best ingredients for your best gals.
Make sure your table is laid with a good mixture of hors d’oeuvres – some of the most common tablescape nibbles include bread, crackers, crisps, dip, cheese, chutney and sliced vegetables. When hosting any sort of event at home, your shopping list can become quite overwhelming, quite quickly. If you’re not sure what to pick up, consider purchasing a ready-made hamper to get you started.
5. Get creative with serving cocktails and mocktails
Sweet and refreshing cocktails and mocktails are the perfect accompaniment to your Galentine’s Gala – no matter what you’re serving up.
If you’re not into sweet cocktails, consider serving prosecco, topped with balls of candy floss for a girly, sweet twist on a beloved classic. No matter how strong your mixology skills are, you can always up your game with a bit of pearlescent powder sprinkled in your drink or some freshly sliced strawberries placed neatly on your glass.
6. Be generous with the sweet treats
No Galentine’s Gala would be complete without a healthy serving of sweet treats. Make sure sweeties and chocolates are plentiful – you could even scatter wrapped sweets across your tablescape – and don’t forget about dessert when planning your menu.
Post-savoury snacks and/or courses, mark the Galentine’s occasion by serving up a delicious cake – perhaps a luxury chocolate cake or date and walnut cake. Serve in small bowls with cream and berries for an extra decadent touch.
7. Prepare music and movies
Of course, your Galentines will likely be in need of entertainment. Be sure to set up a fantastic playlist in advance (perhaps including some of your girl group’s favourite girl-power tunes) and if you would like your guests to hang around and get cosy, perhaps choose a rom-com for when the celebrations are over.
8. Don’t be afraid to ask for help
Hosting Galentine’s doesn’t have to feel daunting (or be too expensive). Don’t be afraid to ask your guests to pitch in and help with providing courses, setting the table or cleaning up. After all, isn’t that what friends are there for if not to support each other in all situations?
