How to Host Ladies Night (Guest Post)

Laughter and a nice long chat with your girlfriends helps to lower stress levels that can induce headaches, fatigue, and even poor cardiovascular health. You don’t have to have a super fancy France-inspired, golden-retriever-puppy favor soiree circa Bridesmaids the movie to make sure that your guest have a great time. Follow these tips to keep hosting to-do’s and party planning fun and carefree. 


Invitations


Depending on the occasion, invitations can range from text messages the week of the event for an impromptu get-together to handwritten request for a more formal affair like bridal showers and birthdays. Generally, an email invitation is appropriate for a casual girl’s night.  Email invitations services like Evite or Paperless Post have tons of fun templates to choose from and are great for organization and RSVP’s. The best feature? If you need to change your plans or send reminders, the service will send updates to all of your guests, no matter how large the party is.  


Food and Drinks


This is probably the most important part of planning an event—drinks and vittles. If you’re expecting a fairly large group, make sure to get a headcount a few days in advance so you know how many ladies will make the event. I always take the estimated number of guests and add one or two more so that I have plenty of food for everyone (and leftovers for me!). If you’re hosting a full-blown dinner party, don’t be shy about asking guests to bring a dish or beverage. You would be surprised at how many of your friends are willing, and will probably offer, to bring nosh and beverages. For drinks, I like to make a large pitcher of punch like sangria or a cocktail like margarita and then have one or two other choices. Don’t forget to have non-alcoholic options as well. 


Don’t forget to keep it easy and simple. If you’re having wine night, cut up some cheese and place them next to fruit, crackers, and olives on a place. Voila! Perfect hor d’oeuvres in less than five minutes! You can also find make-ahead recipes if you don’t have enough prep time to cook the day of. Besides, who wants to be stuck in the kitchen when you can be gabbing with your guests? 


Décor 


Again, simplicity is key. What’s important is that you make your guest feel at home. Adjust your thermostat to a temperature optimal for most people, have plenty of chairs for your friends to sit on, and have some snacks and drinks available when they arrive. A fresh bouquet of flowers and music at a low volume create a nice ambiance. There’s usually no need to bust out your great-great-grandmother’s trousseau of fine china and silver. Paper plates and plastic cups are your best friends: they’re carried at almost any store and there’s no easier cleanup than disposable and recyclable.  


When you’re hosting girl’s night, you can’t lose if you take care of the basics first. True friends don’t care about balloons and party favors. All that matters is that you’ve created time for everyone to get together for a fun night (or day) out. 

This is a guest post by Sumun Rahim, content editor for Personal Wine. To learn more about Personal Wine, check out our site –> www.personalwine.com