With the spring season right around the corner what better time to gather with friends and catch up. In comes the dinner party- I know what you are thinking probably remembering when you were a kid and your parents hosted a dinner party pate and all. Well, we are here to help you throw a chic dinner party that your friends will be talking about for weeks to come (and trust us it doesn’t have to be super complicated or expensive). The dinner party is also a thing of the past and we think it needs to make a comeback asap so keep reading for our tips on how to host the perfect dinner party!
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How to Host the Perfect Dinner Party
We are here to help you flawless execute a fun and stress free dinner party that you and your guests will love. I always feel so adultish attending or throwing a dinner party and its a fun way to spice up an ordinary weekend. One of our top tips is to plan ahead to make sure everything will run smoothly.
Pick a Theme
Now your dinner party doesn’t have to have a theme per se but we thing that it can be fun to add a theme, this gives direction to the dinner party, and possibly helps with brainstorming decor, and the menu.
Some dinner party themes we love
- Cinco De Mayo: think taco’s, margs, and maybe even a piñata
- Seasons (like spring & fall): bring in seasonal dishes and decor
- Summer BBQ: hosting outside in the beautiful weather
- Cuisine inspired theme (like French or Italian)
- Murder Mystery: this is a fun and interactive theme perfect for around Halloween
Once you have decided on your theme you can start brainstorming all the other fun stuff like decor, menu, and of course your guest list.
Get Your Guest List
This is an important part of the planning stage and will set the evenings tone, choosing a guest list can be tough but there are a few key things to consider. Do you want your party to be more intimate, if so we recommend between 4-8 guests (including yourself). If you want a bigger bash think of inviting more than 8 people. It could be a girls night where your invite over a few of your girlfriends for some great wine and food, or more of a couples event. Keep in mind that all your guests don’t need to know each other they know you the host! Sometimes it’s fun to invite a range of people including those who have never met, I also like to keep in mind people’s interests and who I think will get along (inviting people who you think will get along is key).
The Invites
Now that we have your theme and guest list it’s time to invite your guests! There are so many ways to invite people to events theses days, of course there is texting (but this lacks creativity), you could make a Facebook event, or our personal favourite create your invites on Canva (it’s super easy and free) and email them or even better print them out at home and mail them. Of course mailing them to your guests is going the extra mile and it makes the event feel special, when was the last time you got an invite in the mail to something other than a wedding? When creating the invites it’s fun to add in some hints of your theme so your guests can get excited for what you have planned. We recommend sending out your invites about four weeks prior to the event date, this gives your guests time to plan.
The Decor & Tablescape
I love decorating for guests great decor and a pretty tablescape can set the scene for a great evening! You don’t need to run out and buy a bunch of new stuff see what you have around the house. Adding in fresh flowers of the season are a perfect way to elevate a dinner table and lots of candles too. Keep your theme in mind and try to add in some decor that relates to it. Make sure you set up all the decor the day before- prep is key to a great evening! Some of my favourite places to shop for cost effective decor are homesense, the dollar tree, and superstore.
The Menu
Hosting a dinner party doesn’t have to be stressful, keeping the menu simple will make for a great evening. We suggest a simple appetizer something like a charcuterie board that guests can much on, choose a simple dish for the main something like pasta is a great choice, and then dessert can always be picked up from a local bakery. Don’t forget to ask if your guests have any food allergies or dietary restrictions. Also if a guest offers to bing a dish jump on the opportunity to make your night a bit easier. We also love doing a batch cocktail for the evening (this is so simple and guests can serve themselves). Make sure to also stock up on a few types of wine, beer, and non alcoholic drinks too. We advise to prep as much of the food and drinks beforehand so the day of the event you don’t have too much to do and can enjoy the evening as well.
Set the Vibe
Pick a great playlist for the evening, music is always great to have in the background. Also think up a few things do after dinner is done to entertain your guests. This could be a game like cards against humanity (depending on the crowd of course), or and out door game like toss the bean bag great for summer months. We also recommend steering away from controversial topics such a politics as this can create tension and heated arguments amongst guests. And lastly have fun and enjoy your guests!!!
