We’ve talked about easy eats for a night in before, whether as a Maid of Honor planning a pre-wedding or bachelorette party event, or just for any old hangout. Going out is typically the more glamorous option, but sometimes it’s a lot of fun to host your girlfriends at your own home and try to make a special evening out of it. The bit that tends to be sacrificed is the need to dress up, put on makeup, and generally glam up. But none of this has to fall by the wayside.
Granted, sometimes you just want something more casual, and if you want to host dinner and wine night for your besties in sweatsuit or pajama attire, more power to you. Every now and then, this sort of evening seems to be good for the soul. Sometimes we just want to dress up though, and there are a few ways to host a night in that still inspires a sort of fancy aesthetic. These are a few ideas in this vein.
Fine Dining & Wine
Next time you think about having friends over for a meal, don’t just host a dinner party – try to cultivate a legitimate fine dining experience. This starts with the food, and these days anyone can put together a five-star meal with a little bit of preparation and the right ingredients. That’s no insult to real chefs, but rather, thanks to them. For instance, if you’ve heard of Masterclass – a program in which famous professionals teach subscribers techniques and practices – you may know that Gordon Ramsay, arguably the most famous chef on Earth, now teaches cooking. And, included in his Masterclass course, there is typically a recipe to do hands-on practice with. Programs like these enable even an average cook to take a stab at a fine dining meal, and from there you can simply match the occasion to the food. That means nice drinks, an ornate table setting and/or room decoration, and finally, that you ask your guests to come in the same clothes they’d wear to a fancy restaurant. It’s a lot of effort, but done well it can be a wonderful home experience, and a nice excuse to dress up without going out.
Home Casino Night
For some reason, the classic image of a home poker or casino night is that of a bunch of guys sitting around a poker table in someone’s basement. But, for one thing, ladies can enjoy a casino night just as easily, and for another, it can be done in a far more glamorous fashion! For one thing, you can easily set up an elegant poker table with brand new chips and champagne or nice cocktails in place of beer cans and bottles. Additionally, online gaming sites are legal in Canada, meaning you can set up a few computers or tablets around the room to facilitate additional games as well. Slots, blackjack, roulette, etc. can all be accessed online, and with some creative placement and design, you can basically turn your screens into gaming stations not unlike what you’d see in a real casino. Throw in some classy hors d’oeuvres, and you’ve got a high-end home casino night that can make for a very fun night and another great excuse for guests to
wear something nice.
Film Screening
The idea of throwing a backyard movie night has actually become somewhat trendy lately. While it won’t work with any yard or property, it’s a wonderful idea if you have the space for it, and it can be surprisingly easy (if somewhat pricey) to set up. You’ll need a projector and a screen, as well as adequate, comfortable seating. But provided all of that, you can start hosting film screenings in your own backyard, and you can make them as fancy as you’d like. If you really want to take things all the way, you can roll out a red carpet down the middle of the seating aisle, position floral arrangements around seats, and make the whole thing feel like an upscale premiere. Here again, your guests might just enjoy dressing up in their nicest going out attire and sipping some high-class beverages while watching.
