Live, laugh, leave your linen crinkled: your ultimate guide to hosting a swoon-worthy Galentine’s soirée.

Perhaps I’m just jaded by my chronic singledom at this point, but February 14th has become much less synonymous with receiving single-stemmed roses and chocolate hearts that taste like candle wax from male lust interests, and far more about romancing the women who make my life feel like a never-ending love story.

Has Valentine’s Day become a personal excuse to exhibit my #1 love language of cooking and hosting a heartfelt feast for my female beloveds? Indeed. Is it also a convenient opportunity to exercise my obsessive penchant for tablescaping that might be a tad OTT for any other random Friday? Naturally. Is it a potential maneuver to manipulate my faves into spending Lover’s Day with me –even if they’ve got partners– so I’m less likely to scroll and eye-roll my way through the endless “wyd” Hinge messages I’ll never reply to come 9pm? Mayyyyybeeee????

But alas, in the spirit of celebrating true luv, let’s talk about throwing a Galentine’s soirée so steeped in magic and belly laughs and sensual delights that your girlfriends will be texting you all the heart-eyes and declarations of eternal devotion the next morning.

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Setting the Scene: Mediterranean-Femme Tablescaping 101

So what are we going for here? A table that feels like it belongs in a sun-drenched and ivy-adorned villa surrounded by orange groves somewhere in Tuscany, but with personal touches that tell a story and add a gorgeously feminine feel. Because girls love Italy and Italy never gets old.

It all begins with linen: Start with a crisp linen or gauzy cotton tablecloth in a soft, romantic hue — think blush, sage, lilac, or a classic creamy white. The more drape-factor and overhang the better!

A VERY, VERY HOT TIP: who owns endless tablecloth options? Certainly not me. I reallllllly wanted to use lilac for this look but I didn’t own a lilac tablecloth – until I realised I actually did, because I own a lilac top sheet! PSA: CUTE TOP SHEETS MAKE FOR EVEN CUTER TABLECLOTHS! YOU ARE SO WELCOME!

Sorry mum but I’m leaving my linen crinkled. I know it’s technically very lazy but I genuinely prefer the rugged, laissez-faire look of it – think TEXTURE, darlings! (or perhaps it’s because there’s nothing laissez-faire about my personality whatsoever but it makes me appear like I’ve got some chill?). *It must be distinguished here that hard fold lines are far less cute than random crinkles. But I would never judge you.

Whilst deliberating over lilac vs olive linen for this setting, I incidentally discovered how perfect layering the two looked – it kinda reminds me of a fairytale princess’ bed and adds to the whole Tuscan queendom vibe. I recommend layering with the lighter shade on top.

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Pick your mood, pick your palette – When it comes to picking your colour palette, decide on the mood you want to create (e.g. soft pinks, peaches, and warm neutrals feel pretty and timeless; deep reds add a sultry, moody touch; brighter tones and pops of citrus give a more playful air).

I like to put a few hero pieces of printed servingware on the table, and the accent colours in those will inform the rest of the styling – note how I’ve continued the greens and oranges in the Jardino printed pieces (my chosen ‘hero’ elements) with green flower leaves, zucchinis and the Caterina wine glasses, and orange-hued peaches, Moreton Bay bug shells and the ceramic salt dish.

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Mix the old with the new – Layer in modern servingware you feel drawn to (maybe a scalloped plate moment or something with a delicate floral/citrus print) and mix them with vintage glassware, family heirlooms, or thrifted gems that add charm and history. Collecting pieces with longevity and meaning in mind –rather than prioritising super ‘trendy’ purchases– has enabled me to curate a range of timeless pieces that can be loved and passed down forever.

Playing with a mix of patterned and pared-back pieces is always encouraged, as is creating different heights by distributing taller bowls, vases, and candle holders between the flatter plates and dishes to create visual interest.

In this setting, I’ve mixed Casa Domani’s Jardino Dinner Set (I’m completely obsessed with the scalloped rims and sweet orange blossom details) and vintage-looking Caterina Wine Glasses with some of my old thrifted faithfuls – mismatched resin knives & forks, an antique silver dish, and onyx water goblets.

If you’re low on ornaments to fill gaps, use olive branches, eucalyptus or bowls of citrus for an extra Mediterranean touch (I just couldn’t fit one more thing on the table).

Candles, always candles! – Tall, dripping taper candles in vintage brass, ceramic or glass holders? Essential – also impossibly romantic. The goal is to create a glow so warm and dreamy that your girls feel like they’ve stepped into a Botticelli painting 💅🏼(if you’ve been bestowed with some generational hand-me-down secret as to how to successfully remove candle wax from linen, please HMU because the internet keeps failing me)

Keep flowers simple – Opt for wild, unstructured arrangements with blooms like dahlias or garden roses in soft pinks and peaches. Gold stars if you pluck something from your own garden; even more so if you steal it from a neighbour’s.

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By Ashlyn Lincoln
IG @ashlynlincoln

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