events — Blog — Amanda Warren

Are you looking for a unique and fun way to celebrate Valentine's Day this year? How about throwing a Rosey Pink Galentines Party? This fun and festive celebration is perfect for getting together with your closest friends and celebrating love, friendship, and all things pink and rosey! Whether you're hosting a dinner, brunch, or an afternoon tea, a Rosey Pink Galentines Party will bring a bit of cheer and joy to your special day. From decorations to activities, we'll show you how to plan the perfect Rosey Pink Galentines Party. Read on to find out more!

Galentines.. a fun way to celebrate the season of love with your favorite gals. I am always looking for a way to incorporate my very favorite color of pink into any dinner party I throw, and for this time of the year it fit the theme perfectly. Valentines is a month where my favorite color is EVERYWHERE! I turned our dining room into a rosy pink Valentines oasis filled with the most stunning flowers and pink touches everywhere.

For the balloon wall I found a listing on Etsy that lets you pick whatever letters or numbers you want. I measured the wall to see how many X’s and O’s I could fit onto the wall. The exact ones I got on Etsy are linked -here-! The best part is you can deflate these after you use them and save them to reuse the next time!

For the table setting I used two different sets of glasses to add differing heights and dimensions. One set were crystal wine glasses and the other antique pink glasses that were my grandmothers. To make them even more special I dipped their rims in melted white chocolate and then sprinkles. It adds a cute element and tastes delicious! To layer up the place setting I found the cutest pink heart shaped plates at target for only $3 each! Such a steal and so popular they keep selling out! Just add Target to notify you and they will when they come back in stock, but hurry.. they sell out very fast! Next, I folded and placed cheesecloth napkins (They are the same ones I used on my Thanksgiving table linked -here- for another way to style.) on top of the plate and put my silverware on top then wrapped in a bow. Its super simple but oh so cute! All the layers add such great detail as well!

Onto the superheroes of any good party.. the Vendors! Luckily for parties we have help and resources and don’t have to hold all the weight of it all. I found the best food and floral vendors to help put this fun party together.

I was so excited to work with Emerald Grace who did all the floral arrangements for the gorgeous table! She is such a doll and did AMAZING work!! I have loved all of her beautiful arrangements she’s done for me in the past but this table really took the cake! She also added a very special unique element that any girls party needs…a bouquet bar! She brought different types of greenery and flowers to put on my bar cart with butcher paper and string. This added a cute focal point and something special for each of the ladies to take home and enjoy the rest of the week! For more of Julie’s work from Emerald Grace head to her website -here-.

In my opinion party favors are something that every party, big or small, needs. I added an adorable touch next to each place setting with a yummy cookie favor from Just Dough With It! They have a Valentines cookie with The Moira Rose (rose shortbread). They are so delicious and they came individually bagged to perfection! To get cookies for your valentine or for your next event head to their website -here-. On top I placed a valentine card.. because after all it is that time of year. I found the cutest small valentines cards from Minted that went perfectly with everything else!

Food! It’s probably the most memorable good or bad part of any party. If you leave with a full and happy belly you will never forget it! For this event I started with the most delicious charcuterie board that was perfectly made with heart shaped cheeses and strawberries along with salami folded into the shape of roses. Sandra from Fig and Olive totally created a masterpiece of food. I don’t think I can ever make my own board again haha!! For more info on Fig and Olive and to hire her for your next event or for just a box of yummies on your next date night at home head to her website -here-.

Dinner was absolute perfection! My friends at Tacos San Marcos made the most delicious spread! They made tacos, Strawberry Limeade, Quesadilla, Quesatacos, rice and beans and delicious churro cheesecake! Each and everything they made was delicious. They even cater so I highly recommend they for your next event! Everything was amazing and they send all the toppings you could possibly want. To see where they will be located this week or to book for your next event head to their website -here-.

Vendors Instagram Accounts:

@emeraldgrace_floraldesign

Welcome, lovely readers! As we approach that wondrous time of year when we gather around the table, sharing laughter, stories, and, of course, a bounty of delicious food, I can't help but share my excitement with you all. Thanksgiving is more than just a holiday; it's a sentiment, a feeling of warmth and gratitude. So pull up a chair, pour yourself a cup of hot apple cider, and join me as we prepare to celebrate. Welcome to my Thanksgiving table — a place where food meets tradition, love, and gratitude.

Creating the table decor for the Holidays has always been such a special hobby for me. I can remember being a young girl and loving helping my mom set the table for a regular weeknight dinner. It was so important to me to have a dinner for our family at the table. It helped me feel all grown-up and explore my creativity in decorating skills! So now that I officially am a grown-up I put a lot more thought and energy into my table settings, and I still love every single moment of it! This year I had the pleasure of hosting our Friendsgiving, so of course I decided to make a real production of it. I got to work with a few of my favorite companies to showcase all the amazing work they do.

Here is a list of Vendors I was so blessed to work with! Feel free to click on their Instagram handles to see more of their amazing work along with how to get in touch with them for your next event this year!

Rentals by @stockroom_picks

Floral arrangements by @floraflowercart

Photos by Lauren Westra

Leaf Logo Design by @willemina_typography

Pans by @360cookware (use code Amanda20 for 20% off the entire website!)

Meat by @exeter_meats & @westsidelockers

Cheese by @adutchmasterpiececheese & @parranocheese

Wine by @roberthallwinery

Pumpkins from @avilavalleybarn

The Charcuterie Table

A charcuterie board or table is such a fun element to add to any party! It adds a relaxed vibe to any elegant event and makes for a great meeting point. The foods you can get creative with and can range from anything like traditional cheeses & salamis to veggies and fruit. Anything in season goes so well here! A board also makes for fun textures and color schemes. There should be plenty of options for even the pickiest of eaters! I love using everything that is in season for this because provides the freshest of ingredients and gives a great vibe to your table, board or plate!

The Drinks

No party is complete without a drinking station!! I try to put the drinks in a different area than the food just so people will move around and not stick to one place or corner at a party. It's always best to fully utilize the space you have and spread things out! For most of our events, I have a mix of beer, wine and one signature cocktail. Doing one signature cocktail cuts down on the waste of alcohol along with the cost (as well as the tipsy guests haha!!) I loved using all Robert Hall wine varieties so that everyone had a wine they would enjoy! No two people or wines are alike so the variety made sure everyone had something that they could enjoy!

The Tablescape

This might be the most memorable thing for your guests if they are visual people! I always love a table that is functional as well as gorgeous! I try to keep room for glasses in the center and my centerpiece below or above eye level so people can see across the table. Since this was a Thanksgiving gathering I wanted to use a Fall color scheme, but I of course wanted to incorporate my all-time favorite color of pink on this table as well. I am always keeping colors on the lighter side because that is the vibe I love and they looked nice against the wood tones in the tables and chairs. I added a mix of different collections of chairs to add a home/family element to the table and give an instant feeling of warmth. They are all from Stockroom Picks, a local vendor, along with the glasses and candlesticks that gave an eclectic style and charm. The beautiful flower centerpiece fits in just perfectly with these elements from Floral Flower Cart! The dishes and place settings are my everyday dishes that added a light touch to the darker table, and I LOVE how they turned out together! I finished off the place settings with a personalized leaf place card that was handwritten. This added a decorative piece to the autumnal place setting and was a perfect special touch.

The linens I used here are cheesecloth that I ordered on Amazon and died myself with Ritdye. I ordered it all on Amazon and shared them on my Instagram stories of how the dyeing process went. To get the light color I suggest using VERY little dye and following the instructions exactly. I ended up dyeing mine twice. The first time the pinkness came out too bright and I washed them with hot water several times to get it a little lighter and used those inside on the charcuterie board and drink station. I wanted them lighter on the table so I did it again and used very little dye! I used a mix of the petal pink color and tan, linking them both below for you. For the napkins, I used the same process and cut the tablecloth into the amount of napkins I needed. Tied them in a knot and they were good to go.

The Food

After about 7 years of hosting events as a married gal, I’ve learned a few tricks on how to manage my time and not have a meltdown in the kitchen. Two tips of advice are to know what your strengths are and how to simplify. I know that my strengths are as a baker and although I cook meat fairly well, if someone can do it better I’m all for it! So this Thanksgiving I gladly handed off the task to my friends at Exeter Meats. They smoked the turkey for our Friendsgiving (and are making one for our family Thanksgiving) to perfection!! It was so moist and delicious that I don’t think I will ever go back to cooking turkey myself! Another helpful hint when planning for a party is when you can do something the day before, do it! This always helps too in the case of something unexpected coming up. I made most of the dishes the day before and left a little time off of each recipe to finish cooking the day of right before it was time to eat! Last note on the food, having good high-quality pans that cook food well helps to ensure each dish will always be the best. I will link my favorites I used for this Thanksgiving below from my friends at 360 Cookware.

Thank you for having a seat at my table where you are always welcome! I hope this Thanksgiving is one that you enjoy with the people you love most. Let the times we have with our love ones remind us of what we are most thankful for. I am so thankful to share my life with you and hope I am always here to bring joy and helpful tips that will simplify your life and add just a little more beauty to it!

Have A Very Blessed Day, Amanda Warren

Everything I could link for you is below and things I couldn’t I found similar items.