How many times have you hosted a dinner party in the past only to wish things had gone smoother and that you were a little less stressed? Maybe you have avoided hosting dinner parties for fear that this would be the case. Hosting a dinner party can be a great experience when you use the proper planning steps and tips, however. There’s no need for it to cause stress and anxiety since it is meant to be a great evening with friends and/or family. Here’s a look at five tips that will help you to host a great dinner party.
Send Out Invites Well in Advance
Because you can’t host a dinner party without guests, the first tip is to make sure you send the invites well in advance. This is also a great opportunity to ask guests about any food allergies or sensitivities they may have.
What Style of Meal Will It Be?
Now it’s time to think about the style of meal you want to serve. This will impact how elegant and formal it feels. You can choose to serve each of your guests, create a family-style meal (where all the food is placed in communal dishes on the table then passed around to each guest) or buffet style, allowing each guest to serve themselves. The food you serve will probably help to determine the best style.
Get Recipe Inspiration Online
Rather than picking the same tried and true meals/recipes, why not step outside your comfort zone? You can find all kinds of dinner party recipe inspiration online. You may want to give the recipe a trial run before the party, just so you feel confident in preparing it.
Choose Wine That Pairs Well with the Menu
Wine is one of those beverages that tend to be a staple at a dinner party, but you don’t want to choose just any wine since it needs to pair well with your menu. You also want to be sure you offer a variety. A dinner party will need a white, red, and potentially a sparkling wine.
The general rules you can follow for wine are as follows:
- White wine: You can serve white wine with fish, chicken, or pork. Good options include Pinot Grigio and Chardonnay.
- Red wine: You can serve red wine with any kind of red meat. Opt for a merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon or Pinot Noir.
- Sparkling wine: Sparkling wine works best with appetizers. You can also choose champagne or Prosecco to add a touch of elegance.
Another thing to consider when choosing the wine is whether or not you have guests in attendance who adhere to a keto diet. Keto wine can be fantastic and it shows you have been mindful of all your guests’ preferences. These types of wine are low carb and low sugar, but there should be no sacrifice made to the quality or flavor.
Go the Extra Mile with the Table Presentation
To create a sense of elegance at your dinner party, you’ll want to go the extra mile where table presentation is concerned. This means using your nicest dishes, silverware and glasses, cloth napkins, decorative placemats, charger plates and so forth. There should also be a centerpiece on the table, as it will bring the entire look together.
Create an Environment Perfect for Conversation
The final tip is to make sure you don’t go too far and make the space too formal. You want to create the kind of environment that is great for conversation between your guests. Casual elegance should be the atmosphere you are aiming for.
Thanks to each of these tips, you’ll be able to plan and throw a wildly successful dinner party.
