Cancel your plans. Home is the only place you’ll want to be this Valentine’s Day.
This annual holiday is a day for celebrating love, but do our actions truly align with its meaning? Leading up to every February 14th, people spend copious amounts of energy planning & preparing: making reservations, choosing outfits, deciding on gifts. (We’ve been swept up in the chaos too!) However, if this holiday is actually all about celebrating love, let’s consider how we can make this day less stressful and more about the people who matter most to us.
So, what if we told you everything you need for a meaningful Valentine’s Day can be hosted right in your very own home? It’s true! Welcome to your Valentine’s Day Wine & Pizza Pairing Party.
Why a Pairing Party?
If you’ve followed us for a while, you know we can’t pass up the opportunity for a pairing party. Past parties we’ve shared include themes such as Chips & Dip and Jerky & Beer; they just sound fun, right?! These types of parties are casual, interesting (a departure from a typical menu!), and have a whimsical, relaxed atmosphere. Not to mention, the items that we pair together require very little prep, if any.
And, you might’ve noticed that our pairing parties almost never have a formal, completed tablescape. For these types of gatherings, we always opt for a deconstructed look with only some elements of our typical tablescape recipe so that your tabletop reflects a more intimate and casual feel. So, if you’re seeking a fresh take on any holiday or celebration, a pairing party is an ideal go-to option.
Valentine’s Day Wine & Pizza Pairing Party
For this holiday, we’re pairing halfway homemade flatbread pizzas with wines that bring out and elevate the flavors of each pie, making this pairing party casual yet sophisticated. Whether you’re celebrating with your significant other or you’re celebrating with all your girlfriends for Galentine’s Day, you simply cannot go wrong with wine and pizza!
Here’s How to Create This Simple Valentine’s Day Look
A Deconstructed Tablescape
The throw. As usual, we begin with a foundational, textural throw. Since Valentine’s Day is usually associated with the color pink, we went with our Handwoven Cotton Fringe Throw in Stonewashed Dusty Rose. While there are many ways to style a table throw, we opted for an organic look to match the casual feel of this gathering.
The flatware, dinnerware, drinkware and serveware. Keep it simple. Go buffet style by placing flatware into a decorative basket and stacking eco-friendly disposable dinnerware nearby. Serve pizzas on neutral serveware adjacent to each complementary wine. (More on that below!) By initially presenting the pizzas on serveware versus already placed on plates, you offer a more intimate, communal experience as you share this special time with loved ones.
Pieces we used:
Dried Areca Palm Leaf Dinner Plates
#HostfulHack: Want to instantly elevate an otherwise casual affair? Add a touch of accentual gold. We did this here with our favorite brushed gold flatware.
Get the Look
Easy Ways to Elevate
Cloth Dinner Napkins: Instead of going with paper napkins, incorporating cloth dinner napkins creates an easy sophistication to any tabletop design. Since this particular tablescape is more of a deconstructed look, adding small elements of luxury creates the polished look and feel that you desire for an intimate occasion.
French Rose Taper Candles with Hand-Forged Taper Gold Holders: Warm it up with elegant taper candles in blush hues. Here’s another place to add another touch of gold with stunning yet simply matte gold taper candle holders for a look that’s effortlessly warm and inviting.
Greenery: It’s easy to go for red roses on Valentine’s Day, however we encourage you to consider other floral options available. For this deconstructed tablescape look, we went with white and pink roses, limonium pina colada, premium greens, and St. John’s Wort. We paired each floral combination with neutral planters for an accentual addition that elevated the entire look.
Picture Frames: If you signed up for our free printables above (if you missed it, scroll up!), then an easy way to elevate your pairing party is to place your menu with tasting notes into a neutral picture frame. This small touch adds a polished feel to your deconstructed tablescape design.
Styling Tip: To create an effortless and organic aesthetic, avoid too much symmetry. Go for more of a medley of pieces rather than a too-perfect organized look.
Pizza and Wine Pairings
White Pizza & Chardonnay
The creaminess of the pie elevates the natural “creamy” notes of a full-bodied and velvety chardonnay before a supple and buttery finish.
Canadian Bacon Pineapple Pizza & Zinfandel
The combination of ripe fruit characters and spices, balanced with soft oak notes of a zinfandel elevate the balance of the sweet and salty pie for a structured finish.
Halfway Homemade Barbecue Chicken Onion Pizza & Malbec
Bursting with aromas of black fruits and spices, hints of wet stone, black pepper, and cocoa of a malbec unfold to complement the sweet and tangy flavors of the pie.
Friend, we encourage you to get back to the roots of what Valentine’s Day is all about – and it isn’t about stressing over reservations, gifts and outfits. It’s all about spending quality time with people you love most. Whether you’re looking forward to a quiet evening with your significant other or you’re gathering up your best girlfriends for a night of pizza, wine and belly laughs, we hope this pairing party has inspired you to embrace what Valentine’s Day is all about: love.
Hap-Bee Valentine’s Day!
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