Dinner parties. They are those special meals that we enjoy together and remember for years to come. Dinner parties are evenings that we celebrate together, whether it’s for a milestone moment or just because. You don’t need any excuse to host a dinner party, only a desire to gather with people you love.
With that being said, if not planned out and organized dinner parties can be stressful to host. There are a few little details that need to be figured out before the guests arrive, so you aren’t left scrambling around last-minute. After all, the reason why you wanted to have a dinner party was so that you can enjoy your guests company, and you can’t do that if you don’t have the evening well planned.
How to Host a Dinner Party:
First thing you need to do is write down who you are going to invite. Some things to think about would be: is it going to be a large dinner party? Or an intimate meal? How many guests will I invite? Next, look a the list. If it’s a small list, do the guests know each other? Will their personalities clash?
Next, set the date and time. Keep in mind people’s work schedules and evening activities. It won’t be possible to make the time and date perfect for everyone, but try to schedule the best time for the majority of people.
After that, you’ll want to start thinking of a menu. Perhaps it will be super casual and you’ll just do beer and pizza. Or you can show off your culinary skills and create a full sit down dinner for everyone. A popular option in the middle would be to host a buffet style dinner. Think about any dietary restrictions that guests may have.
Make a shopping list. Look up recipes, figure out how much you’ll need of what, and plan out a shopping list a few days before the dinner.
If there is any prep work that you can do the day before (like chopping vegetables or baking a pie) do it. You want the day of the dinner to be as relaxed as possible. Also, do your house cleaning a couple of days prior as well, so that the day of you can just load the dishwasher and go.
The day of: Make sure you leave time between cooking and guests arriving to get yourself ready!
Offer beverages and appetizers until everyone has arrived. Also, consider having some light music playing and some conversation starter cards available.
Dinner parties are great evenings that are a huge success if planned out right! I also have a free 10 step check off list that I’ve created for you with even more useful tips to make sure that your dinner is a hit!
Click here to receive your FREE 10 step dinner party check off list!
Have you hosted a dinner party before? What tips would you add?
~Melissa