I hosted a Valentine’s (Galentine’s, actually) party for our homeschool co-op mamas last Saturday. I needed to keep things simple, as we were busy every day that week, and I only had Saturday morning to prepare for the Saturday afternoon party. If you keep reading (and scroll through to see the few photos that were captured), you’ll find my ideas for throwing a last minute Valentine’s Day party! I’ll break it down into these different areas: menu, decor, crockery. It includes lots of thrifted and secondhand treasures!
P.S. Ever since reading a now-FAVORITE book on the subject of setting the table (aptly named The Set Table), I love using the term “crockery” which according to Google, simply means “tableware items are the dishware and utensils used for setting a table, serving food, and dining.” Try it; it’s fun! You’ll feel so British!
Now, on to the party details!
For the menu, I kept things simple. I found most of the food at Costco (no surprise there). The trick with Costco is simple: pour the food into silver plated dishes for an instant upgrade. My friend Jen made the scrumptious flourless chocolate cake, and my friend Sarah made these irresistible almond cookies. Here’s exactly what I served:
SWEET:
SAVORY:
To Sip:
For decor, I didn’t do *much*. Here’s what I used:
Next up, the crockery! I also somewhat obsessively collect crockery (do we see an obsessive trend here???). I happened upon these red pleated Lenox plates at a local Restore, and HAD to have them. They were NOT $18 each (I paid $2.08 per plate). Since I had more than 12 guests, to supplement, I put out assorted pink/red/white dishes from my collection.
For the serving dishes and utensils, I used ALL silver-plated (and a few white or marble) pieces. Silver plated serving pieces and utensils are SO easy to find secondhand and usually relatively affordable (especially if you are patient and wait for it to pop up at good prices). Silver plate just elevates like no other, and I’ve been incredibly drawn to it recently. We use collected silver plated flatware day-to-day, so I have tons on hand.
Last, I used an assortment (surprise, surprise) of glassware for the drinks. Not only does it look pretty, it helps guests remember which glass belongs to them. Some of my glasses are from Athena Calderone’s collection with Crate & Barrel (purchased on sale, and they’re no longer available). The remainder are vintage, and were slowly collected over time!
As you can see, last minute Valentine’s Day Party doesn’t have to take lots of time or be complicated! And as you can see, most of my decor and crockery is secondhand! If you aren’t throwing a party this year, you can keep these tips in mind as you thrift throughout the year. Make an effort to collect three things: taper candles, silver-plated serving pieces, and assorted luncheon sized plates! You will not regret this decision, I promise!
Three cheers for thrifty entertaining, and happy Valentine’s Day celebrating! ♥️♥️♥️
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