Love is in the air! And we’re not just talking about romance. We mean that love that comes with deep friendship, appreciation, respect, and adoration. The love that has solidified Galentine’s Day with a permanent stamp on the calendar! Sharmaine of iHeart The Details created some pure magic with a Galentine’s Day party you won’t soon forget. We love it SO much and Sharmaine’s tips to throw a socially distant party work for ANY holiday — not just Valentine’s Day. You’ll want to save this one and apply it to any celebration you have coming up! Here’s Sharmaine’s inspiration for the party:
Even though this year has been rough, I’ve noticed how creatives have used this unfortunate time as an opportunity to think outside the box. I wanted to create a design that embraces safe ways for small groups to gather, have fun, and do it in style! I work with so many amazing ladies in the event planning space — women from all different backgrounds and circumstances. They deserve a celebration! So, I brought together a team of fiercely talented ladies in the party industry and we took some rare and much needed time to create + enjoy a special Galentine’s Day soiree.
Sylvie Rosokoff was the perfect photographer to truly capture the love among the ladies AND all the stunning details. Trust us when we say: you are not ready! And now, let’s hand it off to Sharmaine as she shares how to throw the perfect Galentine’s party!
1. To throw a socially distant party, you need a spacious venue.
The waterfront venue was a perfect party location! Sound River Studios combined the best of both worlds: a bright space with plenty of room to spread out and an outdoor deck for fresh air and city views.
2. Pinpoint your wow factor.
It’s no secret that balloons make everything better. So, we teamed up with The Balloon River to fill the space with about 1500 of them! This massive 12-foot installation hung over the garage door leading out on to the deck to frame that incredible Manhattan skyline. Looking for ways to give your party that wow factor? Balloons are the way to go.
3. Focus on the entrance.
Set the tone as soon as your girlfriends enter the room. Our girl gang immediately knew how the day was gonna be when they were greeted with this wood and acrylic welcome sign by Common Oak and gorgeous floral arrangements from Diva Blooms. It was gonna be awesome (to say the least)!
4. Create a mask display.
Masks are a must-have accessory now, but they don’t have to be boring. You can wear your mask and make it fashion! I teamed up with Common Oak to design mask stands that included sassy and fun quotes to encourage the girls to wear their hot pink masks proudly. Each mask was individually displayed on white shelves from Taylor Creative Inc. The vibrant flowers from Diva Blooms helped complete the look. You can find cute and simple ways to display your masks — like, on a pretty tray with a few flowers next to them!
5. Spotlight your guests.
Event creatives are used to enjoying their designs from behind the scenes. But for this small Galentine’s Day party, it was time to bring their names to the spotlight. I was inspired by flash floral installations that pop up throughout the city, adorning street signs and filling garbage cans. I wanted to use this street art influence to design a vendor display and give these boss babes the shout out they deserve!
The floor decals made a bold statement thanks to Heather Made’s graphic design.
Common Oak stacked each vendor name on top of each other to spell out “The Dream Team” down the center. Diva Blooms display of soft baby’s breaths and roses created the perfect juxtaposition between the wood signage and concrete flooring.
6. Choose meaningful, outside-the-box colors.
For this boss babe celebration, I wanted the space to be filled with sparkling energy. So I decided to liven up the color scheme and add bright pops of pink and orange to stir up positive vibes. As we navigate through this new year, let’s do it with uplifted spirits. Don’t be afraid to go beyond red. Think about fun colors that make you feel fabulous and incorporate those into your color scheme.
7. Throw a socially distant party with an individual dining experience.
Because of the need for space, I wanted to reimagine the way we mingle and dine and encourage guests to do it safely. We combined lounging and dining by creating a “private-dining” experience for each lady. Taylor Creative Inc‘s cozy cane chairs and throw pillows were the perfect way to make each guest feel at home.
Their side table was placed next to each seat to enjoy personal charcuterie grazing from Tavola with a personal acrylic name tag from Common Oak on each box that read “Work Hard, Snack Often”. We finished our brunching with the most delicious pink chocolate bar with rosé champagne gummy bears from Sugarfina. You can make your guest feel like the VIP she is by sprinkling in small personal touches throughout the space like personalized name tags or drink stirrers so that she can keep track of her yummy cocktail. Common Oak can make the perfect one to fit any occasion.
8. Remember, the delight is in the details.
We all love our heels but our feet deserve a break too! So we let the ladies swap out their shoes to get nice and comfy. We set a fuzzy pair of blush pink slippers in a clear shoebox in front of each seat.
Tie A Bow adorned each table with the perfect little details like bud vases for florals and petite jars used to add reed diffusers with essential oils. The smallest things make the biggest impact so don’t forget about the little details. And if you’re looking for ways to spice up your at-home collection of table décor, consider renting fun and colorful accent pieces that you won’t have to commit to long term.
Seating was arranged around a round floor decal designed by Heather Made. It summed up the whole experience for our gathering. Along with floor florals from Diva Blooms, the lounge area creatively added space between each guest for social distancing while keeping us together at the same time.
See it. Read it. Speak it into existence. We’ve experienced so much this past year and your Galentine’s Day soiree may be the perfect time to talk it out. Each woman was given an affirmation card deck from Starlight and Love which was used as a conversation starter to discuss topics of growth, dreams, and opportunity. It was so comforting to hear from others in the group and connect. And it’s great to know that for every purchase you make at Starlight and Love, they donate one dollar to the pennies4girls project; helping to educate girls around the world.
9. Don’t forget to create room for play!
We lightened the mood with a 15ft ball pit, filled with over 6,000 balls from Little Palms Soft Play. Their focus on cleanliness made it an easy choice to “have a ball.” All of their ball pits are thoroughly sanitized pre and post events for peace of mind. We finished the styling by adding an over-the-top balloon backdrop from The Balloon River, florals from Diva Blooms, and an acrylic wall sign by Common Oak, for an eye-catching photo-opp.
Galentine’s Party People!
Don’t you love it when the guests get down with a dress code?!
A standing ovation to these incredible creatives showing us how to throw a socially distant party without taking away any of the fun. A true dream team!
SO. MUCH. FUN.
With a view like that, how could you not be inspired? If a Galentine’s Day party isn’t in the works for you, we could see ALL of these tips applying to a socially distant bachelorette party, wedding shower, baby shower, birthday — you get it. All the parties.
photography: Sylvie Rosokoff // venue name: Sound River Studios, Long Island City, New York, USA // event design: iHeart The Details // planning: iHeart The Details // florals: Diva Blooms // tabletop rentals: Tie A Bow // furniture rentals: Taylor Creative Inc // balloons: The Balloon River // ball pit: Little Palms Soft Play // affirmation cards: Starlight and Love // graphic design: Heather Made // acrylic design: Common Oak // charcuterie box: Tavola