Plan A Dinner Party And We'll Reveal If Anyone Will Even Show Up
Food is a great way of bringing people together. Having dinner together is a great way to catch up with people we haven't seen in a while or even just a great way to spend quality time with loved ones. Going out for dinner can add up quickly, and restaurants will never quite match the comfort of home. So what's the next best thing? Having a dinner party! Your bank account will be thankful, probably. That's not to say having a dinner party is effortless - the savings are mostly on account of preparing the food yourself. That takes a lot of time. What kind of food one should serve is a big question in and of itself. There's bound to be people with dietary restrictions in one way or another. There's also the stress of making sure one makes enough food. What about the tableware? Decorations? The list goes on.
Feeling a little daunted? Don't worry - this quiz will check to see if your dinner party is going to have people lined up outside your door waiting to get in or if a little more guidance and preparation is needed on your end to have the best dinner party possible.
Who to invite?
A key factor in having a great dinner party is who you invite! It may be awkward if there's too few people but it's also not a good thing if there are too many people to manage. Remember to account for the fact that there may be people who show up unexpectedly without RVSP'ing.
What kind of invitations to send?
People (hopefully) aren't going to show up to your dinner party without an invite! There's a couple of different ways to send out invitations - whether it be by e-mail or handwritten paper invites. Being clear about when and where your dinner party is happening is the most important thing, so don't get too wrapped up in what font to use.
When to start inviting people?
Like with any good event planning, you should let people know well in advance when you're planning to hold your dinner party. That way, you can reschedule if the timing seems to be a bad fit for most of your guests. You need to give yourself enough time to prepare everything, after all. Your guests will appreciate it too!
What tableware to use?
What tableware you're going to use is going to have a big impact - after all, your guests are going to be using it for most of the evening. The amount of options for cups, plates, utensils and glasses is dizzying - is paper and plastic best? Ceramic? Glass? The choice is yours.
What kind of main course to serve?
It wouldn't be a dinner party without food, would it? The main course is, without a doubt, going to be what makes or breaks your party in the end. Be thoughtful of your guests' palates and remember, again, to make enough food to serve all your guests adequately!
A decoration or few?
You don't have to go overboard with decorations for your guests (don't go buying that $2000 golden paperclip, please). Of course, it really depends on what kind of event you're imagining your dinner party to be. Having a nice centerpiece on the dining table never hurts, though.
What tablecloth to use?
What you have laid out on your table right now might not exactly be dinner party worthy. It might not match the theme you're going for or it might have some not so pleasant surprises on it. You wouldn't want your guests to find last Tuesday's spaghetti sauce on the tablecloth, so think about at least cleaning the tablecloth.
Have a schedule?
It certainly wouldn't hurt to have a loose schedule of what events you'd want to have for the evening. Definitely don't plan everything to the minute, but leave you and your guests some leeway if a particular part of the evening lasts a little longer than expected. A good host is a flexible one!
Dress Code?
As said before, so many things depend on the theme of your dinner party. Is it a casual get together? Celebrating a milestone in someone's life? Whatever the case may be, you should let people know what would be appropriate attire for your dinner party lest they stress over what to wear.
Dessert, anyone?
No dinner is complete without dessert, right? Remember to take into account how full your guests are after the main course. Allergies and dietary restrictions are also just as important to remember here. It's hard to go wrong otherwise, so feel free to get a little imaginative. A lot of visually appealing desserts take only take a few ingredients!
When to start making food?
A common problem a lot of people have is that everything takes longer than you think it will. So much could go wrong during food prep - you could accidentally leave things in the oven too long and burn them. Or at the last minute discover all your meat has freezer burn. So, there's some food for thought.
Prepared to go outside?
Going outside for a part of your dinner party is a great idea if the weather is ideal. Check the weather forecast beforehand! You'll probably have been cooped inside all day from preparing for the party and hosting it, so you'd literally be getting a breath of fresh air. There's also plenty of fun to be had outside like cooking with a fire pit.
Cleaning beforehand?
This might seem like a minor thing, but how clean your living space is is going to have an impact on how people perceive your dinner party. A quick clean around the house never hurt anybody and let's face it - you've never had a better excuse to clean than now.
Decide how to style hair
The first thing your dinner party guests are going to see is you! You should put some thought into how you present yourself if you want to make a good first impression. Remember that styling your hair can take up a lot of time, so remember to schedule that in an adequate amount of time before your party.
What kind of snacks to have?
You're probably not serving dinner the moment your guests start arriving. So fill in the gap before dinner with some snacks! Snacks will help with curbing growling stomachs as well as making your guests feel more at home. Don't go to crazy though, we wouldn't want your guests to be full before dinner.
What kind of music to use?
Music is great for helping setting the right mood for your dinner party. There's nothing worse than an awkward silence, right? If you've made a playlist, you can leave it playing in the background all night without having to worry about it. Be sure it's not loud enough to drown out all the conversation!
Drinks, anyone?
No good meal is complete without a beverage of some sort on the side. Drinks are typically less worrisome than foods in regards to dietary restrictions, so no need to have a billion options. Just take into account the tastes of your guests. For example, don't expect coffee to be popular with kids!
When to start cleaning up?
So, you might have cleaned the house before the party. But it's definitely going to get a little messy during your dinner party. It doesn't really make for a good aesthetic to have trash laying about during the party, but for more casual gatherings, it might not matter.
How to entertain the guests?
Like we mentioned earlier, there's going to be a bit of downtown before and after dinner. It doesn't leave a good impression if you leave your guests bored, so have a few activities for them to do! Some guests might like more physical activities while others might prefer
How to seat the guests?
Whether or not you should put some thought into how you're going to seat your guests depends on how many guests you're planning on having over. The last thing you would want is to have a bottle neck of people trying to get a seat at the table. Knowing when to step in is important!
Prepared for mishaps?
Accidents do happen, but we can be prepared for them. Maybe you'll burn a portion of your main dish. Or someone spills their drink onto your carpet. Though these things aren't likely to happen, they can set a wrench in your dinner party plans when they do. Planning ahead never hurt anyone!
What to do about lighting?
Lighting can be very helpful towards setting a good atmosphere for your dinner party. As the night goes on, you may want to consider dimming the lights for less strain on everybody's eyes. Feel free to get creative with the types of lights you use!
What to do during downtime?
You might find yourself having finished setting up for dinner a little earlier than expected, or that there seems to be a lull in activity after dessert. Having a short break might not be such a bad idea - especially since you've probably been on your feet the whole day.
When should guests leave?
If no one wants to leave your dinner party, you've probably held a great one. As much as you like all your guests, they can't stay in your house forever! Or at least we hope not. At some point, things should start winding down . Your guests might need a little push to know when it's time to go home, if you're so inclined.
How about party favors?
Party favors don't have to be a relic from your childhood - they're a great way to express your gratitude to your guests and sure fire way to get them to attend any other events you might hold. You don't have to spend a boatload of money - as they say, it's the thought that counts.
