7 Tips for a Stress-Free Event

Hosting a dinner party can be a little overwhelming to a new homeowner or anyone who fears entertaining. Don't worry, I've got you covered. Read on to learn about some tips that will make you the Hostess-with-the-Mostest in no time!

The Drinks 

Aside from wine that you should have chilled and ready to serve for dinner, I always like to serve a signature cocktail to start.

Depending upon who is coming to your dinner party, you can serve just one or serve his and hers cocktails. You can keep it simple with a basic martini or spice it up with fun garnishes.

As a rule of thumb, I always make the drinks seasonal based on the time of year. But, you don't have to start off that fancy. You can keep a few signature items on hand so that you don't have to rush out to a liquor store if you have some friends over for dinner.

I always have a few whiskeys, scotches and bourbons on hand for the guys and will make some sort of martinis for the girls. A Cosmo is a great place to start as it is an overall crowd pleaser. To kick it up a notch, I always use top shelf liquors. You are most likely only having one drink before dinner so I like to savor it and make it good for all of us. I always keep a bottle of grey goose on hand as well as assorted juices.

Parenting Hack while Entertaining: If you have little kids, make them a special mocktail while you are getting everything ready. This includes them and keeps them occupied while you are cleaning up, finalizing the tablescape, etc.

For dinner, I always have white and red open and rose if its spring or summer.

My dining room table is big and we regularly host 14-16 people. So when I host, it's easier to have 1 of each bottle on either side of the table so people can refill themselves as the dinner ensues. I like to keep the wine flowing throughout the whole meal and let people drink as little or as much as they want versus serving them as the Hostess. I just keep an eye on whether or not the bottles need to be replenished. When dessert comes, I serve coffee, tea & a digestif (after dinner drink that helps aid in digestion). BUT, you can totally skip this step when you are first starting to host and just offer more wine.

The Food 

When it comes to what to serve, we always start with what is in season. Not only does that ensure that you are starting with the healthiest, best ingredients but also the most delicious which will automatically set your dinner party on the right note. We look at what is available and form our menu around that. Be sure to check with your attendees about food allergies before you plan your menu. I like to have at least one or two dishes that everyone can eat.

We like to serve apps to start with cocktails, a salad or soup, a main course and a dessert with drink pairings. However, you don't have to go all out like this. When you are hosting your first party, you can start small with a few apps, a main course and dessert. If you host more than 6 people, I highly recommend that you serve the food family style or as a buffet. Otherwise, you will spend your entire time plating and serving and not enjoying yourself and connecting with your guests.

The Menu

When it comes to the menu, aside from making the food awesome, I like to kick it up a notch and make the actual menu special as well. Before we lived in the house I do now, we lived in Philly and didn't really have a dining room so I always would make personal menus for people to have at their seats. I still do that for some occasions but now I prefer to take a more environmentally friendly approach.

When we moved into our house here in South Jersey, I put a big chalk board in my dining room where I am able to showcase the menu.

Neither of these options are expensive nor hard to achieve. For personal menus, I print out a plain white menu with a pretty font and paste it to a pretty card stock background. (It looks awesome sitting in a folded napkin on the plate.) 

My current chalkboard in my dining room was made from 4’ by 6’ of plywood that I spray painted myself with chalkboard paint. My husband made a plywood border that I painted gold. The whole thing cost under $100.

If DIY isn't your thing, you can also purchase varying sizes of chalkboards. In addition to my big one, I keep all different sizes on hand in my storage room. In addition to showcasing the menu, you can also use it to showcase your cocktail and apps, make messages, put happy birthday signs for your kids, etc.

The Tablescape

When it comes to the tablescape, I am very EXTRA in this department so you don't have to go all out the way that I do. However, I do think this is a very important step that helps set the tone of your dinner party and if this step is overlooked, your dinner party will quickly feel like just another night. Spending some time on this step will ensure to elevate the night and make the ambiance special.

You don't have to make yourself crazy over this step. I like to keep a few key things on hand throughout the year so that I can quickly throw together a tablescape in under 5 minutes. For some inspiration, check out my Pinterest Board For Tablescapes Here.

To make it easier on yourself, there are some basic items to keep on hand so you are ready to set the ultimate tablescape in under 5 minutes. In addition to the items below, I always grab bunches of fresh flowers or eucalyptus at the grocery store the day of my dinner party or the day before if that's when I am grocery shopping. I see what looks the freshest and most seasonal and then base my whole look around that.

These are my go-to items to have on hand:

1. bud vases

2. candle sticks (tapered and block)

3. candles (tapered and block)

4. pillar glasses (large and small) - fill with sand, block candles, water, floating candles, acorns, the options are endless

5. Pillar candles

6. Pillar candle holders

7. vases

Pro Tip - stick to a color palette and theme and then you can always mix and match it all together as the years go on allowing you to create a unique tablescape everytime.

Place cards

This step is completely optional and can vary based on the type of dinner party you are throwing. My rule of thumb is usually if you have more than 10-12 people, add place cards to make the transition of sitting down smoother. I also keep chalk board place cards on hand. This way you don't have to throw them out after each time and if you regularly host your family like I do, you can reuse the same place cards keeping it super simple as you host for years.

Post Party

Depending upon the type of dinner party you are throwing, you might not need to go any further than dinner and dessert. If your company is having a good time and stays after dinner, I like to move the party to another space and transition into more of a lounge environment.

Pro tip - if you are hosting a big crowd and everyone stays after dinner, it is helpful to have a pre-made pitcher of some sort of cocktail on hand so that everyone can help themselves to an after dinner drink at their leisure. I also keep my fridge stocked with beers.

Clean Up

Now, I am about to say something very controversial.

I don't clean up until the morning. Ever.

I know this concept is very hard for some people to understand - my mother included - but hear me out.

When you throw a dinner party, it takes a lot of planning and work. It is 10000% worth it, but when the party comes, it is important to sit back, enjoy yourself and be present with your guests. If you rush to clean up as soon as the first fork hits the plate, it sends the message to your guests that you are done with the party and that it is time to wrap the night up, even if that is NOT your intention.

By postponing the clean up, it allows you to enjoy the rest of the night as a guest at your own party.

If you are feeling uneasy about this idea, try it one time and see how you feel when you are able to sit and enjoy your guests company, and pay attention to how your guests respond to your sitting with them without an agenda. You can always go back to immediately cleaning up the next time.

If I have a dinner party with anyone beyond my immediate family, clean up is occurring the following morning. Which I do with a LARGE cup of coffee in hand - replaying how much fun the night was -making all of the work and clean up worth it. ✨

Save this Checklist for Throwing a Dinner Party for Later!

1. Set a date and time for the party and send out invitations to your guests.

2. Plan the menu and create a grocery list. Make sure to consider any dietary restrictions of your guests.

3. Prepare your home for the party by cleaning and decorating the space where the dinner will take place.

4. Shop for groceries and any other party supplies you may need keeping in mind your tablescape.

5. Prepare as much food as you can in advance so that you can enjoy the party with your guests.

6. Set the table and arrange the food in an attractive manner.

7. Greet your guests as they arrive, get them a drink and make sure they are comfortable.

8. Enjoy the party, socialize with your guests, and serve the food.

9. The next day: clean up the space and thank your guests for coming