When’s the last time you had a good old-fashioned girl’s night? Of course, having a girl’s night out is fun, but have you considered the benefits of a girl’s night in this weekend? Going out can be expensive, and while you’ll spend money staying in, it is more economical than paying a bar tab!
Listed below are all the tricks and tips to having a crazy good girls’ night in, plus six ideas to get the ideas flowing for things to do while you party hard at home.
Choose a Theme and One Main Activity To Bring It Together
A theme can guide everything you do on your girls’ night, from what drinks to fix and what food to have to games to play and movies to watch. A theme can also lay out the guidelines for how everyone should dress––do you want to glam it up or keep it casual?
Your theme could come from the activity of your preference, or you can have plans to let the theme guide your activities, the choice is yours!
Here are a few suggested themes to get your creative juices flowing:
- Costume Party
- Taco Tuesday
- Holiday/Seasonal Celebration
- Color-based (Red and black, gold, etc.)
- Masquerade
- Pajama Jam
- Carnival
- Shopping Around the World (Paris, Italy, Greece, Hollywood)
- Little Black Dress
- Movie-based theme
- Girl Power
Make sure to decorate and accessorize your home or venue to match! For example, bamboo straws and dinnerware are essential when going for an island getaway theme.
Invite Your Best Girlfriends
Who you invite is almost as important as the theme. You’ll want to invite friends who all get along, tell great stories, support each other, and are willing to be a little silly or crazy, depending on what the occasion calls for that night. You don’t want benchwarmers at your soiree.
One of the main challenges you’ll face when organizing a girls’ night in is coordinating around everyone’s busy schedule. So, schedule your date far enough out that everyone can block off that period for your night in and make it work. Do your best to work around any conflicts so that the people you really want at your party can be there.
Make Your Event Memorable
One activity should be planned that will be the highlight of the night. These don’t have to be hard or expensive to create memories. Everyone ‘working’ together on a single project acts as a team-building exercise that brings people together. Below are some fun ideas for girls’ night-in activities.
Host a Girls’ Night Painting Party
Art is a universal language that brings everyone together and allows everyone to showcase their creative side. A guided paint party would give folks who usually don’t express themselves through art a way to do it.
Try a Group Cooking Class
An old commercial used to say, “Nothing says lovin’ like something from the oven!”—this is true even today. Not to mention cooking is a life skill that’s used over and over, and if you choose this as your theme, you’ve killed two birds with one stone, a project and the food for the night!
Invite Everyone to a Virtual Wine or Whiskey Tasting
An alcohol-tasting party is something that lots of people find intriguing. You can have beer and cheese pairings, beverage-making classes, or wine tastings—there are many choices.
Have a Game Night
If you want a night of fun and laughter, a game night may be the way to go. But be careful, you’ll want to choose games that are not too complicated or time-consuming. Having to concentrate or think too hard can be a ‘party foul’ that ruins the entire night.
Relax With a Spa Night for the Girls
You work hard and stay busy every single day. Giving all the girls a night off with a spa night (no MLM sample nights) for pampering and relaxation. Baskets full of face masks, candles, and spa treatments for hands and feet will make everyone relax.
Looking on websites like Etsy, you can find luxury pedicure kits, bath bombs, or homemade soaps and candles. These would make lovely party favors and give you a chance to shop small and support mom-and-pop shops.
Enjoy a Timeless Movie Night
They’re not called chick flicks for no reason! Movies like The Notebook, Legally Blonde, or Breakfast at Tiffany’s would make excellent movies to watch on your next movie-themed girls’ night. If you are unsure of what movie to choose, send out a quick text message survey to your friends to find out who has seen what movie and what the majority would like to see. You can make this night a BYOB&B (Bring your own beverage & blanket) with PJs as the dress code. The only food needed is vast quantities of popcorn and movie candy.
Avoid Stress by Keeping the Vibe Casual
Just because you picked a topic doesn’t mean you should be mega-stressed or spend a lot of money. Some girls’ nights could boil down to the theme being your favorite sweats with your favorite snack (think prepackaged) and your favorite music to sit around reminiscing. It doesn’t have to be super expensive or fancy.
After all, the whole point of girls’ night is to spend time with girlfriends and build memories. A casual vibe and relaxed mood can go a long way to creating the desired atmosphere.
Have Plenty of Seating Options
Having a girls’ night at your house is always fun, but it can be impractical without planning. You want to make sure you have enough seating for everyone. Bring in folding or dining room chairs to supplement what is already available in the room you plan on using. If you don’t have any extra chairs, ask your friends to bring folding chairs to your house when they come.
Provide Tasty Food and Drinks
The food you serve can be based on your chosen topic or sheer practicality. Food and beverages can be a central part of the girls’ night, so below are a few ideas:
- Showcase your favorite dish: Going out 100% and cooking everything at social events is a great idea, but optional to be a good hostess. So instead, keep it simple and share one of your favorite dishes with your friends.
- Showcase a local caterer: Unless you are hosting a formal event where you hire a caterer to feed everyone, it’s not off the table to order out and split the bill. However, you’re the mistress of ceremonies, so choose your favorite place to eat, like your local dive bar, to show off to all your friends.
- Ask everyone to pitch in: Who doesn’t love a covered dish potluck? Ask each friend to furnish a side or a drink, and you can quickly cut expenses. If you want to keep to a theme, create a list of items from which your clan to choose.
- Avoid mealtime: You are not a restaurant! There is no need to provide a whole meal. Instead, go for light finger foods or desserts you can afford to cover on your own or delegate meals to your friends to help cut the costs.
- Offer a BYOB option: If you choose this option, you have a win-win because it keeps the costs down, and everyone is sure to have something they like to drink!
A Night of Great Memories Awaits!
The truth is girls’ nights out don’t age well. You go to the same bars, drink too much, spend too much money and then have to find a ride home. Sure, it’s fun now and then, but a girls’ night in sounds so much more fun! If you’re lucky, you’ll feel like you are reliving slumber parties from when you were young!
You’ll want a plan, a fun and safe environment, and your closest friends to ensure a successful party. With the right accessories and events to fit the theme, you’ll create memories to look back on for many years.