An online lifestyle magazine for Christian women
Hosting a dinner party can be so much fun! It’s a great way to bring people together to enjoy good food, great conversation, and even fun after-dinner games. If you love to host, a dinner party can be a fun way to express your creativity in designing a pretty tablescape or to flex your cooking skills.
As fun as hosting is, it can quickly become stressful. Cooking for friends can be a lot of work. Planning can be a huge activity, and cleaning your home can feel overwhelming. In this post, we’ll explore how to host a dinner party without stressing out.
Here, I’ll help you break everything down into manageable steps and decide when to do things on your own and when to enlist help. I hope this guide inspires you to host an exciting and fun night for friends and family!
The first step in hosting is to determine your guest list. It’s important to keep your party to a size you can manage. More is not always more! Consider how many people you can comfortably fit in your home. Consider how much food you are able to make. Once your guests are invited and RSVP, your head count will dictate a lot of your planning.
Designing a menu for the party is fun, but can also be tricky. If you’re a good cook, you may opt to cook the dishes yourself. If you do want to cook, consider recipes you are already familiar with. A dinner party is not always the best time to try a new recipe.
Plan appetizers, entrees, dessert, and beverages for your guests to enjoy. Don’t forget to consider any food allergies or preferences that might affect your menu! If offering an alcoholic beverage, remember to have a non-alcoholic option for guests who would rather not drink.
If you don’t want to cook or you only want to cook one or two dishes, consider pre-made food options at your local supermarket. You can often pick up charcuterie trays, veggie trays, baked goods, and much more!
You could also host a potluck, where each guest provides one appetizer, entrée, or dessert. This could save you a lot of prep work and free you up to focus on hosting.
When planning a party, I like to develop a checklist in my phone to help me remember everything I have to do. I often organize this by the date and time that I need to complete the task by. That way in the days leading up to the party, I know what to do and when. You’ll also want to create a grocery list to help you out when you go shopping.
Another important task is to create a timeline for the party itself. Determine when you want to serve appetizers, dinner, and dessert. If there are other activities planned, such as games, decide what time you plan to start them. Allow time for guests to have conversation and simply enjoy being together.
The first step to creating a beautiful environment for your party is to clean and tidy your home. It’s best to start this a day or two before the party so you aren’t overwhelmed the day of. Dust bunnies and dirt aren’t cozy dinner companions!
Once everything is clean, you can add some simple décor to create a nice ambiance. Light a candle or diffuse essential oils for a beautifully scented home. Decorate with fresh flowers for a special touch. You can even create your own floral arrangements to create a wow factor. Add some twinkle lights if you want to make things extra festive. Dim the overhead lights and use lamp light to create a cozy feeling.
Finally, the most important décor is your tablescape. Use your best China and your fine linens to create a beautiful tablescape that will impress your guests. Here are some awesome tips to help you create a memorable tablescape.
You don’t need to handle every task yourself! Lighten your workload by enlisting help. As mentioned earlier, consider hosting a potluck so you don’t have to cook every dish. You could also ask a few guests to come early and help you set up.
The most important part of hosting a dinner party is the time spent with loved ones. Don’t take on so much work that you don’t get to enjoy your guests! Figure out where to spent your efforts and where you can take the easy route so that you can have a fun evening.
Lauren Magazine is an online lifestyle magazine for Christian women.
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