Hosting dinner parties can be very tasking, especially if you are hosting for the first time. Creating a special night for all your friends and family can be incredibly stressful, if you are unsure where to start. Have no fear ! The Food&Home team has the best tips to help you prepare for an evening of bliss.
We offer 10 tips to help you plan a stress-free dinner party.
Always plan ahead and make sure to have a theme:
Create a task list to help with keeping track of all your ideas and options. Planning in terms of the menu for the night is especially important. Jotting things down will help you decide, what meals are great to pair together.
Having a theme for your dinner party is a great option for choosing cuisines and decor. Themes help to create well-planned out meal options and avoids the risk of having too many complicated dishes together.
Prepare foods you are confident in making:
When planning your menu, look at making meals you are familiar with in terms of preparation and flavour. Choosing to try out a new recipe can be risky, if you are trying it for the first time.
Check the dietary requirements of guests:
Once you have planned out your theme and are ready to send out invitations make sure to find out if anyone on the guest list has any type of allergies and dietary requirements. This helps to ensure that all guests are catered for and avoids any unwelcomed surprises for the night.
Play around with decor and table settings:
Prepping your table beforehand is one of the best hacks for creating the perfect evening. This helps with deciding what type of table linens and cutlery you want to be presented at the dinner table. It also helps create a vision of where everything should be placed in terms of space.
Create a diverse music playlist:
Find out from guests ahead of time what type of music they would like to hear for the evening. Having a diverse playlist with various genres helps to set the evening mood and makes for great conversation.
Background music can be an essential when meals are being served as they block out any unnecessary noises that might be coming from the kitchen or hearing cutlery and glasses knocking together.
Prepare evening activities:
Prepare an itinerary of games and activities to keep guests entertained like Charades or Heads Up. Activities create the perfect atmosphere for your guests to get to know one another and keep the conversation flowing.
Do not be afraid to ask for help:
Planning a dinner party can be stressful and there is no shame in asking for help from your friends and family members to make the evening run smoothly, especially with the smaller jobs like setting the table or lighting the candles.
Choose the perfect dessert option:
Having an uncomplicated dessert option is always a good idea. Desserts like cakes and tarts do not require being fresh out of the oven for serving. Thus, making it an excellent option in terms of saving time as it can be prepared the night before.
Communicate the drink situation beforehand:
Communicate with guests’ what types of beverages and alcohol will be served for the night. This helps with knowing whether you need to have alternative drinks on hand for guests who do not drink alcohol or so they can maybe bring their own preferred beverage.
Remember to have fun and relax:
Take the time to relax and enjoy the evening with your loved ones basking in the fruits of your labour.
ALSO SEE: How to host a sip and paint party
Feature image: Pexels
