Do you want to host a dinner party? If so then you have come to the right place. Here you will find out what steps you can take to host the best dinner party yet.
The Preparation
There aren’t many things that you probably hate more than doing the dishes. For this reason, it’s wise to make sure that the dishwasher is empty for when your party begins. If you can do this then you will be able to make sure that you have room for everything. It’s a very simple step but it’s one that you will be grateful for when the party goes on. Little things, such as making sure that the trash has been taken out is also useful. If you don’t then you will be making your life way harder which is the last thing you need.
Stress-Free Kitchen
Keeping the unpleasant tasks out of the way is so important. You need to prep everything ahead of time and you also need to wash your knives as well as your cutting boards. This will give you a clean slate for when the time comes for you to start getting everything ready. Make a dessert too. You can usually do this the night before, that way all you have to do is put it back in the oven on the big day. Making sure that you have a clean space is the key to making your event a success.
Setting the Table
When it comes to tableware, it’s helpful to make sure you incorporate your style. A more modern take would be for you to add pops of color, or to go for a black-and-white theme. If there is anything at all you can do for your table, it’s making sure that you have a great centerpiece. Your centerpiece doesn’t have to be elaborate and it doesn’t have to be expensive either. It will however help you to pull the whole table together. You can find any kind of centerpiece you want. You can opt for a bouquet or you can opt for a decorative wine bottle. Having some candles will also work very well as this can set the ambience for the room.
Splurge
Tableware can get very expensive. With that in mind, there are places that you can splurge. You can buy some simple white plates if you want to save. Just make sure that they are round and basic, and you can then spruce them up by adding extras. This adds the perfect, neutral setting for your menu. White plates help to showcase your food and they are very modern too. You do want to spend a good amount on wine glasses if possible too. You don’t want to be drinking champagne in a cheap wine glass. If you are buying wine for the table then make sure that you consider the shape of the glass and that you also look at the glassware that is available when buying. You’ll need red and white glasses if you are entertaining. Although it is great for you to splurge on placements and linen, you have to remember that you can get cheaper sets. If you can’t find something that you love then one thing you can do is make your own. Stick with something simple so you can still make it look elegant. A lot of people, when they want to splurge on table linen, they buy something fancy with a big design. This can be a mistake though. If you spend a lot of money here then you may find that you end up making your table look too busy and this can distract from your food. Opt for a high-thread count but at the same time, make sure that you have a basic design. If you can do this then you will find it easier to make your table stand out from the crowd and this will work in your favor. If you want some ideas then go for a white tablecloth with some black napkins, or go for white and gold.
The Menu
Your meal will largely come down to the people who you are inviting. If you are having more than 6 people then you may want to ask everyone to bring a little something. You can then put yourself in charge of the main dish. Have somebody bring a side salad or even a dessert if you want. If you can, don’t tell them exactly what to bring because sometimes people want to use their imagination but if you can do this then you will soon find that it is easier for you to get everything you need done on time.
Open the Wine
Another thing you need to do is open the wine ahead of time. By opening the wine in advance, you can make sure that you have something to pour as soon as the guests walk in. If possible, you need to open the red but keep the white in the fridge. The same applies to the bubbly. Open bottles like this when people arrive. If you are serving red wine then one thing you need to do is make sure you check the decanting time. If you know that the wine takes a long time to decant, you’ll need to account for this. There is no point in you splashing out on a good bottle of Bordeaux only to find that it’s still tight and not opened up properly. Your guests won’t enjoy it as much and your money will be wasted. If you’re not sure how long to decant your wine for then there are a lot of good resources out there, including Vivino. You can use those to find out what notes the wine should have, how long you should age it for and what you should be serving it with from a food perspective.
Party Timeline
Filling the party with a day full of celebrations is a great thing to do. From start to finish, you want your guests to have the best time. You want them laughing out loud at things if possible. Start with the appetizers and know that a simple cheese board for dessert is never a disappointment. Finishing the meal with a nice coffee is also a good idea, as it’s a great palette cleanser. If you don’t feel as though you make a good coffee then one thing you can do is invest in a Breville espresso machine.
You might also want to have a lighter wine with your appetizers. During your appetizer, make sure that you have everything you need in the oven so you can make sure that it is timed perfectly. Guests shouldn’t be waiting longer than half an hour between courses. Ideally, they will be waiting less than this. Of course, if you are struggling with timings then one thing you can do is try and arrange to have someone help you with the meal. You can have someone plate up while you deal with the washing up, for example. Don’t be afraid to ask someone to set the table either. Most of the time, guests would be more than happy to help with things like this, if you simply give them the opportunity.
Enjoy It
Hosting a dinner party can be stressful but at the same time, it helps to sit back and relax when you can. Take a breather and make sure that you are always focused on taking care of yourself. If you don’t take care of yourself then you may find that you end up being super stressed and this can impact your ability to make decisions. If you want to help yourself here then take the time to plan out the little gaps of time you have and use those time windows to socialize with your guests. Sit down with a glass of wine or even put your feet up. If people ask to do something then make sure that you let them. If you try to control everything then this will make your life much more difficult and it will probably impact the meal overall which is the last thing you want. Take it easy, and focus on enjoying the moment. After all, there is no point in having all of your family and friends over if you are simply not going to enjoy their company because you are too busy stressing over things that genuinely don’t matter.
So as you can see, if you want to host the ultimate dinner party then this is very easy to do. Why don’t you see if you can implement some of the above tips today, so you can make sure that you are always staying focused on what matters while making your dinner party easier than ever? Planning is key with any dinner party, and if you can keep this in mind, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t be able to pull everything off while having a lot of happy guests who have nothing but good things to say.
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