the soubrette brunette: Galentine's Day Brunch 2022: How to Throw a Party Your Gal Pals Will Love

Let's go, girls.

If that line doesn't make you want to strut, I'm not sure what will.

It's nearly time for Galentine's Day 2022! It surprised me to recently learn that a lot of people aren't actually familiar with the phenomenon of Galentine's Day. Maybe it's a generational thing. But this one's for the ladies – so it's a holiday that deserves more attention.

Ever since I first watched Parks and Recreation, I've been a fan of Galentine's Day. (Check out my previous Galentine's Day post!) How could you resist Leslie Knope's commitment to celebrating female friendships? I'm lucky enough to have a bunch of lovely ladies in my life and I was thrilled to have the chance to bring some of my Galentine's Day party ideas to life with a few of them!

Those who still follow my blog are getting this content a little bit early than everyone else will on Instagram, since Galentine's Day is officially on Sunday (yes, the same day as the Super Bowl... which seems... a bit unfair). So if you want to know how to host a Galentine's Day Party in advance, feel free to draw inspiration from these photos and my tips below.

Galentine's Day Decorations

I believe that when you're learning how to host a Galentine's Day party, you have to go all out. I picked up decor from Target, Amazon, Marshall's, Michael's, and my mom's house. I even ordered a bunch of balloons (and had them delivered!). My vision was inspired by Carrie and Miranda's ill-fated Valentine's Day dinner in the Sex and the City movie mixed with a child's birthday party.

Some of my decorations are no longer available, but I'll include some links below to what I used (or very similar items).

Since I love pink, I already had a lot to pull from. I'm a bit of a traditionalist, but feel free to come up with your own theme! You could do all red, red and white, all black, or bright and bold colors! There are no Galentine's Day decor rules, in my opinion.

Galentine's Day Menu

I've seen a number of posts on TikTok showing some Galentine's Day party ideas and Galentine's Day menus, but I planned my celebration early this year.

I knew from the beginning that I wanted to host a brunch. Not only do I love breakfast food, but it's a meal that I can handle making! It's also easy to supplement ready-made items (or ones you can heat in the oven). In comparison to a fancy dinner party, it's relatively low stress while still feeling festive.

Of course, a Galentine's Day brunch is a natural choice for February 13th (thanks to Leslie Knope's love of waffles). There are a ton of possibilities for Galentine's Day brunch foods, which made it difficult for me to narrow it down. But when I finalized my Galentine's Day menu, I was pretty pleased with my selections.

For Galentine's Day 2022, I served:

Quiche Lorraine
Apple maple chicken sausages
Spring mix salad with lemon dressing
Heart-shaped waffles and fresh strawberries
Real maple syrup
Breakfast potatoes
Fresh fruit
Chocolate and almond croissants
Strawberry mousse cakes
Heart-shaped macarons
Chocolate covered strawberries
Assorted juice, sparkling cider, and coffee

Surprising no one, I made way too much food for the number of guests in attendance. But that meant I got to send everyone home with Galentine's Day brunch leftovers (and I was able to enjoy some myself for the rest of the week)!

Don't forget to grab yourself this adorable Dash mini waffle maker to satisfy your heart-shaped waffle cravings! It's so easy to use and comes in a bunch of different styles.

How to Plan a Galentine's Day Party: Quick Tips

I'm definitely not an expert and I'm not really someone who loves hosting parties. But I care about my friends, I love food, and I get a lot of joy out of creating beautiful spaces. With that said, here are a few quick tips to keep in mind if you're wondering how to plan a Galentine's Day celebration.

Use what you already have. I save decorations from year to year and ended up borrowing a bunch of stuff that could work with a pink-and-red theme. (Thanks, Mom!) I love that I had access to lots of heart-shaped bowls and plates, but you don't necessarily have to go out and buy a lot to make your tablescape look valentine-y. I raided my own china cabinet for some floral antiques to use, a red or pink tablecloth on a card table with plain white dishes will look just as elegant!

Keep your guest list small. I suggest this all the time as an introvert, but having only a handful of guests will make things much more manageable. You won't have to buy as much Galentine's brunch food (in theory, anyway!) and you won't feel overwhelmed trying to balance social obligations while you cook. And if you have limited seating like I do, it won't be a problem to fit everyone around the table! That way, no one feels left out of the conversation.

Remember dietary restrictions. I admittedly could have done better on this one! I'm a cheese lover, so I had a number of items on my Galentine's Day menu that contained dairy. Not every person with lactose intolerance will be able to take medication, so remind yourself to check in with your guests about dietary restrictions. If you have vegetarian, vegan, or gluten-free guests, make sure they can enjoy a complete meal (even if they aren't able to sample every dish). If your guest list is a bit larger, you may want to use place cards to label dishes as being vegan-friendly, gluten-free, or non-dairy to cut down on confusion.

Dress up (if your friends are game). It's no surprise that I love any excuse to dress up. While most of my friends keep things a bit more casual than I do, something I adore about them is that they appreciate my enthusiasm for a good theme. My friends dressed up in a way that felt right for their personal style, which made things even more fun (and they were still comfortable!). For reference, the dress I wore is from Unique Vintage!

Don't bite off more than you can chew. Except when it comes to waffles. :) Learning how to host a Galentine's Day party (or any kind of event, for that matter) can be stressful. Plans can go awry and if you're too focused on perfecting every detail, you might become overwhelmed. During the planning stage, check in with yourself to ensure you're not taking on too much. Give yourself plenty of time to prepare and keep your expectations in check. In the end, it's not about pulling off a party without a hitch; it's about celebrating the most important ladies in your life!

Are you planning anything special for Galentine's Day 2022? With only a few days left until the 13th, there's still time to schedule something with your best gal pals! Even if it's just a virtual hang or a quick cup of coffee, Galentine's Day gives us a great excuse to show our most favorite women how much they mean to us. But really, we should try to do that every day.

Wednesday, February 9, 2022

Galentine's Day Brunch 2022: How to Throw a Party Your Gal Pals Will Love

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