Host a Dinner Party: Party Planning

Dinner Party Planning

When you host a dinner party you can entertain friends, enjoy relaxed conversation and share a terrific meal without the constraints, noise and expense of dinner in a restaurant.

Tips for dinner party success...

1. Number of guests
Keep it small! A dinner party of 6-10 is ideal for conversation and it won't overwhelm you when you are in the kitchen.

2. Guest list
It's a good idea to invite people you know but for the most interesting dinner, your guests should not necessarily know each other well. Lively conversation and a memorable evening can come from this type of dinner. One more tip -- know your guests well enough to be rather sure that they won't hate each other. For example, I wouldn't invite my conservative cousin to dinner with the leader of the democrats in our state. Trust me...I did something similar once and the only memory I have of that dinner is that the conversation was hijacked by a guest and I had no idea how to regain control.

3. Seating
I think assigned seating (with cute placecards) is the way to approach a dinner party. The traditional approach of man/woman with spouses separated creates more opportunity for conversation. Whether you have spouses seated together or separately, think about who might enjoy getting to know another guest and assign the seats. If you are having doubts about the seating, you can always change it up for dessert (for example, have the men move two spots to the right before dessert is served).


4. Something special on the table
Think about the atmosphere as well as the food. There are many wonderful ideas for table settings and a beautiful atmosphere that are not too difficult or expensive. Check out these table decorations to get inspired.

5. Plan your menu
Make sure that some items on your menu are easy, some can be prepared in advance and that no more than one item requires 'last minute' preparation. Also, read the recipes and consider the preparation instructions and the amount of time that you might need to be away from your guests. For dinner parties, baking an entree can simplify preparation and can allow you more time with your guests.

Start planning your dinner party -- it will be a fun evening!

-Patty