You could have just invited everyone around for drinks and games, but instead—trying to sound mature—you blurted out, “Let’s have a dinner party!” Everyone loved the idea and, for a fleeting moment, you were radiant with the glow of self-satisfaction. Then, you realized that you’d just inadvertently volunteered to host.
Uh-oh.
Well, never fear, Zazzle is here! Hosting a dinner party may seem daunting, but with our help, you’ll be able to perform your duties with all the confident serenity of Martha Stewart. So grab yourself a drink and pull up a chair, because we’re about to serve some tasty tips and delicious dinner party ideas that will ensure your maiden effort garners five-star reviews.
Choose Your Style…
First things first: you need to decide what kind of party you want to throw. Are your friends more Uptown Funk than Downton Abbey? Well then, a casual, modern dinner party is probably the best way to go. However, there’s nothing wrong with changing things up for a night by hosting a classy, elegant, and more traditional affair. Either way, you’ll need to set a date and give your guests three to four weeks’ notice. If you’re going the formal route, paper invitations are a nice touch. But emails and texts, or a group message on WhatsApp, will suffice if you’re proposing a relaxed get-together.
Ask Important Questions…
At this early stage of planning, you must also take precautions to avoid a social faux pas of epic proportions. If you’re exclusively inviting close friends, this shouldn’t be an issue. Otherwise it’s important to inquire about the dietary needs of your guests, so that you can cater to everyone on the big night. Is there a coeliac in the crowd? A vegan, perhaps? You don’t want some poor guest gnawing at their napkin from hunger at one end of the table while everyone else is chowing down on your succulent braised beef.
Distract Them with an Open Bar…
Whether you’re hosting a sophisticated soirée or a casual dining experience, it’s a great idea to set up a makeshift bar on a table or countertop. There, you can place bottles of beer, liquor, pre-made cocktails or the ingredients for said cocktails, and wine. Don’t forget to add a few non-alcoholic beverages too. You can direct your guests to the bar as they arrive, freeing you up to carry out any last-minute cooking or plating that needs to be done.
If you’re on a tight budget or you have friends with a wide variety of tastes and preferences, it’s perfectly fine to go with a BYO drinks format. Still, it’s handy to have a bar set up with glasses, ice, multi-tool bottle openers, lime wedges, olives, a cocktail shaker, and maybe even a cooler so that no one has to come running into your kitchen at an inopportune moment in search of supplies.
Don’t Break the Bank on Décor…
If your heart is set on a classic dinner party, by all means splash some cash on sterling silver candelabras and fancy centerpieces. This, however, is not a necessity. You can bring an elegant look to your dinner table merely by adding scented candles and fresh flower arrangements complemented by sprigs of various herbs. If you want to take things a little further, you’ll find lots of lovely ideas for inexpensive dinner party décor and table centerpieces on Pinterest.
Prepare Your Musical Menu…
Music, too, is key to establishing the right atmosphere. If you’re not a music expert or you simply don’t want another thing to stress about while you’re preparing for the party, check out Spotify’s handy dinner party playlist. The audio streaming site also has a classical playlist for the occasion, if you really want to add an air of refinement.
If you’re going to take a more hands-on approach, we recommend that you lean toward easy listening. Conventional wisdom suggests that you don’t want anything obtrusive that will disturb the flow of conversation or the ambiance, but you don’t want a boring playlist either. Smooth jazz and chilled-out instrumental tunes are always a good choice. Ultimately, however, you should suit your own tastes and those of your friends, even if that means occasionally disrupting the established vibe with something more uptempo.
Minimize Kitchen Time and Stress…
Cooking is, of course, the most stressful element of the dinner party. However, there are a number of things you can do to reduce this stress and ensure that the noises from your kitchen don’t give off the impression you’ve got Gordon Ramsay stowed in the pantry.
A big charcuterie and/or cheese board, complete with sliced baguettes, rye toast, crackers, cucumbers, grapes or berries, and dips, is very easy to put together and would be a well-received appetizer. There’ll be something to suit everyone and guests can help themselves. This will also give you more time and energy to invest in your all-important entrée.
When choosing a main course, try to pick a dish that you can prepare, or even cook, ahead of time. Alternatively, choose something that can be done in a slow cooker or on a low heat in the oven, and which won’t require your undivided attention. If you’re hosting a more casual affair, serving a chili buffet or presenting a taco bar is a good option. Most of the elements can be prepared, cooked, and laid out in advance, so you’ll be free to mingle and chat once the party starts.
We also recommend preparing your dessert in advance. But we’d like to add that there’s nothing wrong with picking up a cheesecake, a pecan pie, or a batch of chocolate brownies from a local bakery either. Nobody will be vexed if the dessert isn’t homemade, but you don’t have to tell them anyway (your secret’s safe with us). If you’ve prepared a particularly heavy main course, such treats may not even be required. In this case, you could serve a simple fruit salad or some artisan-roasted coffee—brewed with care and accompanied by a classic biscotti or even a little dark chocolate.
If you follow our advice, your dinner party debut is sure to go off without a hitch. Just remember to enjoy yourself, spend as little time stressing in the kitchen as possible, and as much time as you can chatting among your guests. If something does go wrong, that’s ok, because you’ll all laugh about it for years to come. And that’s why you suggested the party in the first place: so you could get together with friends, to chat, laugh, and make memories.
Seamus is a Content Specialist at Zazzle. He is quite happy in the role. So, if you’re following, that makes him a content Content Specialist. Seamus likes to write, read, watch sports, drink good beer/coffee, and spend time with his two beautiful kids. To say that he doesn’t like ketchup is an understatement.
