If you ask us, people who hate Valentine’s Day are just doing it wrong! Valentine’s Day isn’t just about couples… it’s about showing a little love for all your nearest and dearest. That’s why we’re re-branding it “Palentine’s Day” and turning it into a day you can share with all your pals — single friends, couples, family… even pets. Throwing a brunch means it won’t interfere with date night plans, and the ’90s nostalgia theme is fun for guys and gals alike.
Here’s what brought our Palentine’s Day party together: a super poppy radiant orchid and coral color palette, a fortune teller invitation, board games, temporary tattoos, a Polaroid camera photo booth, Valentine making, and some oh-so-’90s treats.
The Invitation: Who didn’t try to predict the future with a game of MASH on the playground circa 1994?! We certainly did, so we turned our favorite fortune-telling game into an invitation that says, “Hey pal, you’re all that!” Inside your pals will find all the details of your Palentine’s party! Download the printable template here.
The Entertainment: We loved receiving Valentines from all our friends in grade school, so we made homemade cards part of our Palentine’s Day celebration! Set up a photo booth area with fun props and a Polaroid camera; then set out card stock, art supplies, and cheesy store-bought Valentines (or ’90s heartthrob Valentines!), and let your pals go nuts.
Old-school board games are a crowd favorite. We busted out “Guess Who?” (way more fun to play as a grown-up, especially if you ask ridiculous questions that have nothing to do with the characters’ physical features), but you could always raid your parents’ basement or hit a thrift store or eBay for your favorite games from your childhood.
The Menu: We’re serving up ’90s-inspired fare for our Palentine’s Day brunch!
Chicken & Waffles: We fondly remember eating our Eggo Minis in the mornings before we headed to elementary school, so we knew they had to be a part of our brunch menu! Fried chicken adds a modern twist, and because we’re low-maintenance (read: lazy) we decided to top them with fried chicken from the frozen section. (If you have a great fried chicken recipe to try, go the homemade route!) To keep the chicken and waffles together, we hot-glued conversation heart erasers to cake pop sticks and then skewered the toasted Eggo Minis and the fried chicken.
Capri Sun Cocktails Served in Glasses Rimmed with Pop Rocks: As children of the ’90s, we’ll always have a special place in our hearts for Capri Sun (even though it was so darn hard to open without help in the cafeteria)! For our Palentine’s Day fete, we decided to give it a grown up-twist by turning that unmistakable juicy flavor into a boozy brunch drink and adding a fun twist by rimming the glasses with Pop Rocks. Get the cocktail recipe on Lover.ly.
Cereal-Topped Donuts: When we first saw cereal-topped donuts at a donut shop last fall, we weren’t sure what to expect. It sounded a little…well, overwhelming. But after that first bite, we knew cereal and donuts was a winning brunch combination. It was only a matter of time before we decided to re-create them at home. We made ours entirely from scratch, but if you’re short on time or not much of a cook, you could buy plain cake donuts from your favorite bakery and just make the topping yourself. Get the donut recipe on Lover.ly.
The Favors: Hit Target, Wal-mart, and the dollar store to stock up on ’90s-inspired gifts for all your pals — think Lip Smacker, mini Koosh balls, fun nail polish, bright bracelets, faux diamond rings, cute pencils, and your favorite 90s candy. And, of course, they get to take all their sweet Valentines home with them. Get more Palentine’s Day inspiration on Lover.ly! Styled and photographed by Rachel W. Miller, assisted by Alexia Conley.
What are you doing this Valentine’s Day? Talk to us in the comments below.
