Hosting any party, whether a dinner party or a more informal BBQ party is an exciting prospect, but it’s also daunting. You might be all for it when it comes to inviting people weeks before you have to do anything, but as the time approaches, you’ll find that these parties can be a lot of work. This is especially true of dinner parties, which have a measure of expectation associated with them.
Understandably, you probably want things to go perfectly. This means that you get the food and drinks just right and create the right atmosphere, all while finding time to host and entertain your guests. The good news is that it doesn’t have to be as hard as you might fear. Here are some tips to help you out.
Invite the Right People
Every party lives and dies depending on the people there. If you pay attention to the guest list, then you can make sure that you invite people who enjoy the same kind of food, atmosphere, and, most importantly, each other’s company.
One of the trickiest parts of hosting a dinner party is making sure that everyone is entertained and engaged. As you’re juggling the logistics of hosting as well, something can easily slip through the cracks. However, if you invite people who get on well together, then the entertainment will largely sort itself out.
While you’re inviting people, find out what people can and can’t eat. This way, you won’t end up with a guest who can’t eat half or most of your menu and you can accommodate everyone who attends, making sure that this is an evening to remember for the right reasons.
Prepare in Advance
One of the best ways to make sure that you’re available to be a good host is to cut down on the things that you have to do on the day. Spending the whole dinner party stuck in the kitchen isn’t much fun for you or your guests.
With this in mind, the more that you can do in advance, the better. You can do the lion’s share of the cleaning the day before, leaving last-minute tidying touches to the day itself. One of the most important components of a dinner party, the dinner, can also be done in advance.
Choose a dish, such as this bacon-wrapped chicken recipe, that’s impressive, delicious, and that can be prepared in advance. This saves you so much time during the day and, even better, reduces your stress levels so that you can enjoy your evening.
Remember to pair your main event with plenty of delicious sides and desserts, particularly ones that can be done a day or two ahead. As well as this, you’ll want to set out some nibbles and appetizers for guests to snack on.
Tasty Drinks
While the focus of the dinner party is the food, a good drink can do wonders for any party. While wine is an obvious choice, serving pitchers of cocktails (and mocktails for any teetotallers) allows for a slightly more relaxed event. It also makes your life much easier, as preparing a drink for every person will quickly eat up your time and energy. This way, they can serve themselves.
Make sure that you provide plenty of drinks but, while a variety is a good thing, don’t create too much work for yourself. It’s usually best to provide one or two alcoholic beverages, along with a soft drink. You should also keep plenty of water on hand.
Atmosphere
While the food, drinks, and guests are what make up your party, the atmosphere is what ties everything together. Without a good atmosphere, then even the perfect dinner party can fall flat. This is where your hosting and entertaining skills come into play.
The first step to creating the atmosphere starts when you plan your dinner party. Do you want a theme? If so, you’ll need to communicate with your guests and decorate your house accordingly. Even if there’s no specific theme, it’s still a good idea to dress your home up a bit to make the event that much more special.
An easy way to set an atmosphere for the evening is to provide music. Make sure that the music is low-key and relaxing enough that it doesn’t take over. If you plan any games or other activities, then draw the line between encouraging people to take part and being draconian. The most important thing is that people enjoy themselves.
