How To Host the Perfect Ladies' Night

It's time for you to gather all of your girlfriends and have a much-needed ladies' night. Let all of your worries slip away and have fun with your friends! Are you ready to host the perfect gathering for your girls?

If you're not an experienced hostess, you're probably feeling the pressure.

What should you do at the party? How do you make ladies' night cocktails? Can you keep your guests entertained, or will your event be a drag?

Let's talk about it. Read on for a few tips and suggestions for your next ladies' night!

First: Keep It Casual

It's tempting to go all out for your ladies' night, but this is a ladies' night in. You don't have to make it into a fancy party (and your guests will probably prefer it if you don't). 

No one should have to come to your home in their clubbing clothes or Sunday best. Let everyone know that they can wear whatever makes them comfortable. 

This isn't to say that you can't have a themed ladies' night. Costume parties can be a lot of fun, but make sure that you don't force it.

On that note, you also want to keep the party as simple as possible. Try not to cram too many things into one party. After all, you want plenty of time to sit and chat with your girls!

Make Your Living Space Comfortable

There's no need to bring out special decorations for ladies' night, but you should make sure that your space is comfortable and that you have enough seating for everyone. 

If necessary, bring chairs from other rooms into the room where you'll be hosting the gathering. If you're short on chairs, arrange pillows on the floor to make a comfortable area for people to sit. 

Make your home smell nice just in time for your gathering. We love lighting our favorite sweet-scented candles before ladies' night to give the illusion that we have something baking in the kitchen (even if we don't). 

Do you plan on playing music? Why not have everyone collaborate on a playlist? When you invite people to the ladies' night, have them request 5 songs each for you to add to a playlist so everyone gets to listen to something that they like.

If music doesn't appeal to you, put on an old favorite movie. Rom-coms are perfect for ladies' nights. We recommend 13 Going on 30, but you have endless options to choose from.

People will be able to watch the movie if they want to, but because many of them will likely have seen the movies before, they'll also be able to make conversation and use the movie as background noise.

Set up some fun lighting for an extra touch if you feel like getting fancy. 

Provide Plenty of Snacks

As the host, it's your responsibility to provide snacks. You don't have to provide all of the food (more on that later), but it's polite to have at least a few snacks and drinks for everyone to share.

Make sure that you're aware of your friends' dietary restrictions. If there are vegans or vegetarians, include some food without animal products. If someone has a food allergy or intolerance, or if they can't eat certain foods for religious reasons, you should try to accommodate them. 

Pick foods that are easy to eat. No one wants a full four-course meal at a ladies' night. Things like chips, small desserts, finger sandwiches, and charcuterie boards are perfect. 

When it comes to drinks, have both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages so no one gets left out. 

Fun Ideas for a Ladies' Night

Every gathering is better with a theme and some fun activities, even if it's casual. This doesn't have to mean that people are dressing up, it just means that you've planned something special. It shows that you're a good host!

So what are you going to have your guests do while they're at your home? Here are a few fun ladies' night ideas that we like to use when we want to hang out with our friends. 

A Wine and Cheese Tasting

Having wine and cheese at a ladies' night is classic. It's a perfect blend of fancy and casual and it's perfect for a night when you're feeling hungry but you're not up to serving a full meal. 

When you host a wine and cheese party, you could provide everything yourself. We don't recommend this, however. It's easier for you (and a lot more fun for everyone) if you encourage every person to bring something. 

However, you should make sure that you provide plenty of drinkware. Our wine glasses add the perfect feminine touch to any ladies' night!

If you have a large group coming over, ask everyone to bring either a bottle of wine or a small snack to go with it. While cheese and crackers are customary, some people may want to bring meat, fruit, or small appetizers. It's a good idea to provide crackers on your own because many people won't think of them.

If you only have a few people coming over, it's okay to ask them to bring both wine and a snack if they're able to do so. You want to make sure that there's more than enough wine and food to go around and that everyone has at least one snack that they enjoy.

Try pairing different varieties of wine and cheese and have fun! 

An Experimental Cocktail Party

If you want something a little harder than wine, an experimental cocktail party is also a lot of fun! This is a more expensive option, but if you have everyone bring a bottle of their favorite liquor from home (that they can then take back with them), it should be manageable.

Like with the wine party, have everyone bring alcohol and/or a snack. Provide plenty of snacks that can soak up some of the booze! You should also provide mixers.

Start experimenting with cocktail concoctions. They don't have to be "real" cocktails, but you can also look up cocktail recipes if you're in need of some inspiration.

Some things aren't going to taste great when you're experimenting, but that's part of the fun. You'll all work together and (hopefully) find a new favorite party cocktail!

A Game Night

We love a good activity, and there's no such thing as being too old for games. Plan a fun game night for you and your favorite ladies! 

You have plenty of options when it comes to games, so choose what works for you. If your girlfriends love video games, set up some consoles, make sure that you have enough controllers, and find a few multi-player games so no one feels left out.

If not, there's nothing wrong with classic card games or board games. Pick something that will get everyone talking. 

For smaller gatherings, we love playing more "classic" games like Monopoly. It might seem boring, but once everyone starts to get competitive, it turns into a riot.

Bonus tip: turn it into a drinking game. 

For large gatherings, opt for party games that can include more players. Cards Against Humanity is a great option, but there are plenty to choose from. If you don't want to spend a lot of money, go to your local thrift shop and pick whatever looks interesting.

A Relaxing Spa Night

So what if games aren't your thing? Gather everyone together for an at-home spa day so you can all relax. 

Set out everything necessary for everyone to relax. Again, this is an appropriate time to ask everyone to bring something. 

You're going to need items such as:

• Face masks
• Lotion
• Cucumbers
• Warm towels
• Nail polish
• Scented candles

This is an incomplete list. Consider what you would want to include in your own ideal spa day and set those things out for your friends to use. While you're all sitting and waiting for your masks to do their magic, have a glass of wine!

A Paint and Sip Party

It's time to get creative. You don't have to have a ladies' night out to do a paint and sip party. Buy a few canvases and some affordable paint and you're ready to go.

Have everyone bring a bottle of wine (or a non-alcoholic alternative). Set out enough canvases for everyone and make sure every canvas has a cup of water, some palette paper, and some paintbrushes.

There are plenty of painting tutorials available online that you can use. Play one on the TV and get to work!

It's Time for Ladies' Night!

What will you do at your next ladies' night? Whether you feel like making fun cocktails, playing games, painting, relaxing, or a combination of several of these options, you and your friends are sure to have a blast.

Are you looking for feminine and stylish glassware for ladies' night? We've got you covered. Check out our collection and find your new favorite glasses or drinkware accessories today.

Shop Sister.ly Drinkware for your next elegant, luxury drinkware set!