Dinner parties are a great opportunity to get together with friends and family, share some delicious food and beverages, and simply enjoy each other’s company. If you’re thinking of throwing a dinner party but aren’t sure where to begin, we’ve put together a guide that will show you how to throw a successful dinner party at home. From creating the perfect dinner party invites to deciding on a theme, these dinner party planning tips will teach you all you need to know. Continue reading for a step-by-step instruction.
Etiquette: How To Plan A Dinner Party
Choose A Date
Picking a date should be one of the first stages in any party planning process. Setting a date will help you estimate how much time you have to complete the remaining details. It’s a good idea to set your party date as far in advance as possible, allowing your attendees enough time to clear their calendars for your event.
The Guestlist
Consider how your friends and family will blend together when choosing who to invite to your dinner party. Make an effort to invite people you think will get along so that everyone, including yourself, has a pleasant time. Organize contact information in your Paperless Post address book as you prepare your guest list so that when you send out your invitations, you have everything you need in one spot.
The Theme
Choosing a dinner party theme is a terrific way to make a dinner party more exciting. Dinner party themes make it simple to create online invitations, choose appropriate decor, plan a dinner meal, and determine what activities to perform. You can use the theme for your meal, decor, and invitations if you hold a Taco Tuesday dinner party. For example, as the main meal of the dinner party, set up a taco bar, serve margaritas as your signature cocktail, decorate with Taco-Tuesday-inspired decor, and make Taco Fiesta-themed invites online, such as this beautiful Taco Fiesta card.
Send Out Invitations
To avoid any confusion, make sure to include all of the vital information for your guests on your dinner party invitations. The last thing you want is for a guest to miss half of the party due to a misunderstanding about the start time. Follow and answer the 5 W’s when deciding what to write in a dinner party invitation: Who, What, When, Where and Why.
Don’t forget about the design while making your invitations. Your invitation’s design says a lot about your impending celebration. Consider this invitation as a first impression of what your event will entail. Is this going to be a formal dinner party? If that’s the case, go with a more formal invitation design. Will it be a more laid-back gathering with cocktails and potluck fare? In this situation, choose a fun design to entice your guests. Your theme can even be incorporated into your invitation.
Plan Your Menu
Whether you’re cooking for five or twelve people, you’ll need to plan an evening menu. To give your guests a range of appetizers, entrees, and side dishes, it’s always a good idea to present multiple options. When designing your food, keep your guests’ dietary preferences in mind. If you decide to serve a pot roast, keep in mind that three of your visitors are vegetarians. There’s a chance you’ll have a few guests with food sensitivities.
As a result, think about who you’ll be inviting to your dinner party and plan your meal accordingly. It will not only make the evening more pleasurable, but it will also make your guests feel recognized and appreciated that you considered them while selecting the menu.
Choose Your Cocktails
Whether you serve alcoholic beverages or not, make sure your visitors have something to drink as soon as possible. Cocktails, as well as beer or wine, are excellent choices for dinner parties, depending on the size of your group. If your guest list is larger than a few people, a pre-batched punch will be your best bet; otherwise, you’ll be mixing drinks all night. Playing bartender is the last thing you want to do, and avoiding it is one of our top hosting tips for making everyone’s dinner party a success.
If you’re serving alcohol, make sure you also provide non-alcoholic beverages for your guests who don’t want to drink. Whether you’re serving a drink or a mocktail, use festive glasses to add a special touch.
