Hosting a Chic Dinner Party

Hosting a dinner party is always a good idea! You don't need to wait until the holidays to invite your friends and family over. You don't need to stress out about it. You don't need to break the bank.

We speak from experience, after a few failed attempts to gather family and friends in an organized manner we have collected what seemed to work and what absolutely did not.

So, we wanted to be sure to share what we learned with you guys! Of Course right!

First thing first, lets outline the three essentials you can focus on to start your dinner party planning - guest list, simple food selection, entertainment. As you plan, keep your thoughts centered around these things!

Alright- whats the secret?

Guest List

Figuring out who is coming is the most important! You want to be sure your feel comfortable in your home so start by figuring out the max amount of people that can fit in your space. Sending a simple invitation that your guest can RSVP with is a good option, we like Paperless Post, Hobnob, and Evite. This may seem a bit formal but getting a good headcount is the best way to prepare for the following steps.

Also, be sure to check if your guest have any dietary restrictions, you do not want that one person who is always on some type of health kick to be left out.

Food

The biggest mistakes we have made occur during this step. We often find ourselves trying to be Martha when the truth is we can barely cook.

Our advice here is to keep it simple. Pick one good simple recipe and stick to it.  Aim for a recipe that has items that tend to go over well with a large amount of people. Think - chicken, caesar salad, rice, mac & cheese, cheese and more cheese, bread too!  Focus most of your time on your main dish versus anything else on the menu. We have found that pre-made or frozen trader joes items are typically a hit in the appetizer department. 

Don't forget the non-alcoholic drinks!

Don't forget some disposable cups or napkins or cutlery. Everything doesn't have to be fancy.

Entertainment

All those people on the guest list, yes all 12 of them, they need to be entertained while your are doing any finishing touches. You should plan for things still needing to be done when your party starts and for guest to be right on time. In these scenarios, you do not want your friends and family all up in your way while your trying to pull off the dinner party of the year.

So, people need entertainment as soon as they walk in. This consists of a nice long playlist pre-made by apple music, tv tuned into a comedy or sport game, and table games. 

You also want your guest to be entertained and wow'd by your space.

So making sure your house is nice and tidy is always a good idea. Investing in some nice serveware is a good way to get them focused on the space and less on when they are going to eat. You can check out our selection by clicking the linked pictures below.

If you can manage the above we can almost guarantee you will have a successful event. The most important thing during parties like this is that you enjoy yourself. It is your dinner party and you will drive the energy. At the end of the day its the most important thing. No one wants to put on a big dinner party and then feel like they couldn't enjoy it. These parties are about enjoying your friends and family more than anything else.