Ladies, let’s chat brunch. How many group chats have you been a part of where brunch is mentioned like clockwork? You plan a weekend getaway – Brunch. You’re hosting after a big night out – Brunch. You need an excuse to order a pitcher of champagne with a splash of orange juice and pair it with some Belgian waffles? The answer, ladies, is brunch. So, while I was brainstorming about what to do #forthegirls this Valentine’s Day, I knew right away that brunch was the move. Here’s a list of everything that you need to host a killer Galentine’s Day brunch in celebration of the amazing ladies in your life. Plus, some ideas from the Galentine’s Day brunch that I planned at home!
Color Scheme
Color scheme is super important to the look and feel of your home. It’s also a major factor to keep in mind when transforming your space into a Galentine’s Day brunch aesthetic.
When I think of Galentine’s Day, I’m here for shades of pink, but I find that red can read very serious, romantic, and bold. Even though it’s the predominant color in a Valentine’s Day palette, I tried to lean away from incorporating reds into my Galentine’s Day brunch, and instead, I used it minimally as a secondary accent color.
Exploring other colors, less traditional to Valentine’s Day, can suggest a brighter, more cheerful and feminine ambience. Hues of pink, shades of purple, and champagne tones like glossy golds and coppers embody a chic and joyful vibe. It also makes for an inviting and warm atmosphere, which is why I chose this color scheme to create my Galentine’s Day Brunch.
Remember that this brunch is your version of Galentine’s Day, and you know your group best! Don’t be afraid to mix in other non-traditional Valentine’s Day colors. Your friends are sure to appreciate your own unique spin and color interpretation of the holiday.
Decorations
Is it even Valentine’s Day if flowers aren’t involved? These are a no-brainer for your Galentine’s Day brunch decor. But, just because we love flower arrangements in abundance, doesn’t mean that we want to spend a lot to get that high impact look of overflowing floral. There’s a ton of local florists out there, as well as bodegas and farmers’ markets that carry gorgeous bundles of flowers.
My recommendation, is to buy a handful of assorted bouquets from one of those locations (I worked with Freyer’s Florist & Greenhouses) that vary in type of flower and color. Once you’re home, spread out all of the flowers across a wide surface, and create your own whimsical and organic shaped arrangements.
If you have bud vases on hand (which typically hold between one to five stems), consider using these in clusters to create a heavily concentrated row of floral arrangements. These look très chic without requiring too many stems. A singular row of bud vases compliments a narrow surface, like a mantle, entry table, or shelf. If you don’t have bud vases, you can recreate the same effect by repurposing highball water glasses or short round glasses (think: rocks or double old fashioned).
Aside from flowers, consider incorporating some festive balloons in your Galentine’s Day decor. I purchased heart and star shaped balloons as well as XO balloon letters. If you can get your hands on those cute lip shaped balloons, they would look awesome too.
Add depth to the balloons by requesting various hues of a certain color. Then, choose one or two balloons that you want to pop against the rest (I chose these XO letters). Purchase those balloons in a metallic color to create a contrasting effect that draws the eye in.
Your Galentine’s Day brunch decor is almost complete between the flowers and balloons. Next, source a few other finishing touches to really pull the look together. Anything thematic, like heart shaped dishes, miniature glass heart paperweights or lip shaped sprinkles can go a long way!
Waffle Bar
I love a food installation that doubles as an activity. It gives your guests something to do, and tends to be a big talking point that doesn’t require a lot of effort. Waffles are my go-to order at brunch (chicken and waffles if I’m feeling fancy), but you can use just about any brunch dish as the focal point of your DIY bar. Here a few other options to consider: omelet bar, açaí bowl bar, avocado toast bar, the list goes on!
Now, back to my waffle bar. A couple years back, I purchased this white miniature waffle maker from Urban Outfitters, which made its official debut at this Galentine’s Day brunch. I kept the toppings minimal with four main ingredients: strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and chocolate chips. The ingredients were served out of these heart shaped dishes that I placed next to the waffles.
I also offered maple syrup, Nutella and whipped cream that were served from their original jars. Guests made their own mini waffles, added their favorite ingredients, and topped it off with something sweet. Again, this is super easy to do and really low maintenance, given that each guest does the cooking themselves!
If you want to take this one step further, double the ingredients to include other options like peaches, honey, caramel syrup, or strawberry jam. Create some simple signage (using a chalkboard or card stock) that lists different waffle recipes. Think: s’mores waffle, peaches and honey waffle, ice cream and chopped nuts waffle… the options are seriously endless.
The final component of my waffle bar featured assorted truffles, heart shaped chocolate lollipops, and chocolate caramel pretzels from Hudson Valley Chocolates (which were insanely delicious that I 10/10 recommend). Some guests chose to eat these alongside their waffle creations, while others enjoyed the chocolates as dessert. This special touch elevated the look and feel of the waffle bar, by bringing in a luxe element that also gave a nod to traditional Valentine’s Day sweets.
Bevi’s
Keep this category sweet and simple by offering classic breakfast beverages like water, coffee and tea, as well as boozy brunch classics like Mimosas, Bloody Mary’s, Bellinis, or Sangria (if that’s your groups thing).
If you want to jazz it up, scoop up some mini bottles of rosé and matching straws for folks to drink straight out of their own bottle. These also double as great props for Instagram-able moments.
If you’re feeling really festive, create a mimosa bar and invite your guests to enjoy mixing and muddling ingredients like pineapple, watermelon or strawberries for a fresh take on a traditional mimosa. Offer these flavors in fresh squeezed juices as well as whole pieces of fruit to use as garnishes.
Vibe
Despite the fact that I’m type-A and usually want to plan out every last detail of an event, this type of gathering is different. Celebrating Galentine’s Day lends itself to having great conversations, reminiscing and catching up on the latest and greatest.
If you’re looking for a scandalous spin on those conversations, check out For the Girls. Fair warning, this is a drinking game, which some would say is pretty fitting for a boozy brunch but its contents are definitely not for everyone. Think: truth or dare, never have I ever, and rapid fire questions.
Dollar Signs
Galentine’s Day doesn’t have to be expensive to plan! All of these ideas can be toned down or built up, depending on how many guests you plan to entertain and the vibe that you’re after. Take a look at this TikTok of my Galentine’s Day Brunch, which showcases everything I’ve shared in this blog post. To give you an honest glimpse at pricing, here’s what I spent:
Flowers: Compliments of Freyer’s Florist & Greenhouses (but I typically budget between $10-25+ per bundle of 12 stems)
Balloons: XO letters, two heart shaped and two star shaped from Party City: $35
Waffle Mix, Fruit, Mini Cupcakes, Orange Juice, Whipped Cream, Nutella, Syrup: $64
Champagne & Mini Bottles of Rosé: $83
Chocolates: Compliments of Hudson Valley Chocolates (but I typically budget $20 for 16 pieces)
Decorative Items (Heart Dishes, Glass Hearts, Paper Plates, Napkins, To-Go Coffee Cups, Place Cards): $0 (repurpose whatever you can from home!)
X O
I hope this post gives you all of the details that you need to plan your own Galentine’s Day at home! This brunch is such a simple yet special way to spend Valentine’s Day and celebrate the friends in your life.
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