Recently i had an epiphany. it came to me after attending my friends wedding. It was the night of the Bachelor and Bachelorette parties, we were all at a hotel. Both events were scheduled to happen at 9pm. All of the respective parties went to their rooms to get ready around 7pm, but…You know how girls get we all went to one room to get ready because the turn up was real.
We had music blasting, the tv playing (although nobody paid it any mind), a makeshift make-up station fit for two at a time because it was glam time and a lot of snacks courtesy of Courtney who flew in just for the festivities. It was a whole vibe and then suddenly the Bride to be turned down the music and started handing out parcels to each of us wrapped in brown paper. You know that brown paper that your parents use to use to wrap books in when sending you to school, yes that OG stuff.
At first given the packaging everyone was lost as to what the contents were. Finally I opened it and the loveliest Kimono set revealed itself. All of us got various patterns. Flowers, Animals, Sushi and mine in particular had a blue bandana pattern. Bold silk accents and highly detailed pieces. Everyone had that brand new look and all of the ladies were ravishing.
All of us went down only to see the Bachelor party already underway. The men were given silk pajamas and robes with tassels. They were handsome and well put together in their wears. After spying we went to our party. That night was one of the greatest nights I have had in recent memory. Just girl power through and through. We played games, drank wine and ate snack platters prepared by the hotel staff. Now back to my epiphany. It simply
I think we should have more fun in life
This event really left a mark on me and since then I have planned two successful game nights for me and my girlies. Most of us consider ourselves too old to have fun, but what if you have a controlled vibe, one that’s at your pace. Your never too old, call your friends. Without further adieu, let’s plan a get together that slaps!
Theme & Aesthetic
Now to start from scratch can never be easy, but let’s begin with a theme. Themes tie i the overall mood and tone that you wish to convey during your gathering. Creativity can go from 0 to 100 real quick and we advise you stay simple for the sake of your purse as well. How about something like glitter balloons or this novelty option that says “No Boys Allowed”. These balloons are so pretty and add a more grown look to the affair all for under $12. In this same way streamers can be hung in various places and glitter can be put on the floor for added aesthetic. Lighting also comes to mind. Now we aren’t saying that you party has to look like a stage show but choosing the right combination is important. You might want vibrancy, if so lighting like fairy string lights may be your best bet. these provide ample illumination and will not disturb your other setups. Of course all of this is subjective as you are free to explore based on your own taste.
Actvity & Bedding Space
It is essential to make use of space. as apart of our no girl left behind policy we cannot have Courtney cramped in a corner when its time to actually sleep. So before setting up bedding designate a space that can be used for fun activities, please note that if you are really strapped for space the activity area can be converted into a bedding area later. This all depends on how many guests you plan on having. So now we get to sleeping arrangements. We all know that most likely 2 of your friends are bunking with you, but what about the others? The solution is inflatable matrasses. Get a couple of these for your guests and sheets as well. They’re not expensive either as you have options for under $50 like this twin air mattress. Best of all they can be stored away when not in use and serve multiple purposes like beach trips. With a little planning you can structure your specific situation accordingly.
Comfort Food & Snacks
Things get tricky from here on out because everything will be based on you and your friends likes and dislikes. Never have I had a friend that agreed completely with me. For example I love pasta gone to bed, but my one bestie from high school love pizza. If i said pasta is the best in contrast to her pizza prerogative then neither of us would be wrong. So let’s shoot some ideas and if anything sticks you can adapt it to your liking.
Noodles/Pasta
Now to label me a pasta fanatic is an understatement but it just works. you can dress it up or down and you don’t have to be a world class chef to do it either. Samyang Noodles have entered the chat, these have been my go to for the longest time. They come in different varieties like spicy, 2x spicy, cheese and others.
Chips & Dip
The go to for any meet-up has to be chips and dip. So many varieties from Spinach chips to potato offerings and the same for dips too. One pairing that I’ve found always goes well are Doritos Tapatio and Rico’s cheese sauce, mainly because of the spice, but you can try whatever you like.
Cereal
To me a theme must be kept and cereal for sleepovers always makes sense. whether you have it in the night of for breakfast this is a must. It seems as if everyone is now in the cereal game and you can have anything from cookies, muffins or coffee in your bowl. Some of our favorites include Oreo cereal, Dunkin Donuts Cereal and Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal
Candy & Sweets
No better joy than a bowl of your favorite sweets. M&Ms, Trollis, Jolly Ranchers and Chocolate which we all have in store. A wide world indeed. When you make your choices your going to need proper presentation. This is where Ramekins come along, in particular porcelain ones for the clean look. You can buy them in a set an save money, get a set of six for under $25 here.
Wafer Sticks
I didn’t always like wafers, but I found one that I like among other brands. Pepperidge Farm Pirouette basically comes in three flavors, but French Vanilla is the magnum opus. You can eat them by themselves or do like me an use them as literal straws to slurp coffee and milkshakes through. Versatility in a snack…sign me up!
Wine
The best part of adulting is wine. if you disagree, get more wine in your life and check back in a week. It’s so good and not to get technical but when you pair it correctly, magic ensues. Always readily available at your local supermarket you can try a few bottles and your friends will enjoy. Don’t forget your wine opener. At one point I had so much trouble opening wine bottles with normal openers. something always got stuck or was jus not happening. I highly recommend trying an electric opener as it saves me and will save you a lot of time. The one I have prevents the bottle neck from breaking, came with batteries and charges with a usb. Similar to this Electric Wine Opener.
We could be here a really long time if we consider all our options but we can always mix and match to suit us. Whatever you do don’t forget disposable containers because you don’t want to be the one to wash up after this event. You can get those at your local supermarket if your in need.
Normally with this being a games night we would include some games, but there really are too many to list. The key is to find a balance that is both entertaining and that your friends will love. My friends love Ludo and Snapchat filter games, but your friends might be different. Hold a vote beforehand to decide what your going to do and don’t make a program because you do not want to schedule fun. If you do that then its no longer fun but a task. We hope you find success in planning your next get together and take away at least some value from our post.
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