Galentine’s at Ramz ♡

Galentine’s at my place was an evening full of good company and some seriously good eats. From the cozy decor to the eclectic mix of homemade dishes, it was an intimate affair with the best friends that a girl could ask for!

Here’s the full breakdown of the evening, from the prep to hosting the event and beyond:

1. Theme:

I had a hosting itch. I was away from home for a while and hadn’t seen all my friends in what felt like ages! So, I decided to do what I know best and host a dinner party. It was also February so obviously this meant that the theme would consist of lots of pinks and reds.

I invited the best gals over for a potluck-style “Galentine’s at Ramz” dinner. But there was a catch. For a fun twist, everyone was required to make a homemade dish that was predominantly red or pink. And although it wasn’t a part of my rules, my friends added that everyone had to wear either red or pink outfits to match the theme.

2. Set up & Decor: I wanted the decor to be romantic, as it was in fact, a Valentine’s Day themed dinner. I needed a place that would comfortably fit 13 guests so I used my sunroom and set up foldable tables and chairs for seating.

For the decor and tablescape:

1. I layered white dinner and dessert plates and added gold utensils. I always opt to use actual glassware rather than disposable plates/napkins because it’s more sustainable and add a more elevated look.

2. I ordered a heart ribbon and tied a bow around each of the linen napkins and placed them on top of the plates. This small detail added such a cute look to the overall tablespace!

3. Table Center: I used mini floral vases and filled them up with fresh flowers and roses. I placed them down the center of the table and added heart-shaped lights. The mini vases were perfect as they didn’t obstruct anyone’s view around the table.

4. I hung up string lights for ambient lighting, and scattered heart-shaped balloons all across the room ceiling. Lastly, I kept the lighting very dim using the string lights and candles (no overhead lighting) to match the tone and mood.

3. The Food (The Main Event): We were a cozy group of 13, and everyone could either choose to bring an entree or dessert. I had about 6 entrees and 6 dessert spots for the taking to balance out the course. It was cool seeing the creativity behind everyone’s dishes. All of the dishes were conversation starters, and it was so fun listening to everyone explain how they made their dish and the challenges they faced while trying to keep it on theme.

The spread consisted of:

1. Pink waffles

2. Red chicken salad sandwiches

3. Chocolate-covered strawberries

4. Red velvet cupcakes

5. Tandoori chicken

6. Red fried rice

7. Chili

8. Chocolate-covered strawberries

9. Cinnamon Rolls

10. Raspberry Macarons

11. Rice Krispy Treats

12. Vegetable Biryani

My Personal Touch: My Personal Touch: I mean…I couldn’t host without serving up some pasta. It would’ve been criminal not to. Beets were my best friend for this event. I had to think through the best way to utilize them to create red and pink entree dishes. If I was challenging everyone else, it was only right to hold myself to that standard as well. Therefore, I came up with:

1. Blush with Love Pasta (beet-infused pasta): Read Recipe Here

2. Pink Deviled Eggs: Read Recipe Here

3. Beet Salad: a simple green salad with boiled beets, and a lemon dressing

4. Hosting Activities:

It wasn’t just all about the food though. Since most people didn’t know each other, I wanted to create an inviting and fun atmosphere.

I had set out scratch-and-win cards next to everyone’s plates as part of the tablescape. After dinner, we played a little game where each person had to pass their card around and when the music stopped, everyone got a chance to scratch and see if they won something (similar to musical chairs). We had three lucky winners win a gift card at the end of the night. It was a fun activity to get everyone involved and also my excuse to jam out to some throwbacks!

5. Party Favors:

If there’s one thing, I cannot do…it’s throwing a party without sending guests home with something memorable. I take party favors VERY seriously. For this event, I got valentine’s day, heart-shaped, sour patch candy boxes for each guest. It was a small treat that everyone could enjoy afterwards!

Overall, it was such a great night with the best gal pals, who are always worth celebrating! ♡