Dinner parties can be fun, but also exhausting at the same time – there can be a lot of things to consider and prepare. So what are the best tips for hosting a dinner party successfully, with minimum stress? Here are the do’s and don’ts:
DO:
- Prepare ahead, earlier than you think you should. That means cleaning the house, setting up the tables and seats, buying enough food and drinks, and starting cooking before guests arrive. To make the environment more festive, you can also set up a theme for the table set and interior deco.
- Consider the guests. Make sure the guest number is manageable to you, and don’t forget to ask if they have any dietary requirements.
- Get a playlist going on. It should be nice and fun to make the dinner more festive, but not too loud that guests have to shout to each other over the music.
- Have pre-dinner snacks/appetizers ready. It helps the guests settle in and mingle while they wait for the main course to come.
- Get the guests to bring something if they ask about it. There’s no shame in outsourcing a bottle of wine or a pint of ice cream for dessert.
DON’T:
- Leave your clutter behind. While you want to make your guests feel at home, they do not necessarily have to deal with the pile of clothes in your sofa or bags on the floor.
- Do a last-minute invite. In these busy days, your guests might have other things going on, and you may end up with too much food and too few people to share them with. Invite your guests at least three days before the night.
- Rely on your guests to bring essentials. Besides putting pressure on your loved ones, you might also end up with not enough food/drinks/ice to last the night.
- Have your guests do the dishes. It’s alright to give them some small tasks (especially if they ask), such as getting the plates out, filling glasses, and pouring packaged snacks into the bowl – but they should be able to enjoy the night without having to do the heavy duty of cleaning up.
- Forget to have fun. Yes, being a dinner party host can be stressful, but you also deserve to enjoy the night and get some quality time with your guests. Again, preparing early is the key here to ensure you don’t get overwhelmed at the dinner. Ask a family member or a close friend to help out if you need it.
Sources: Bon Appetit, ManRepeller, PopSugar, The Kitchn, Real Simple