Five Steps to Hosting a Delightful Dinner Party for Any Occasion

Being a host or hostess, is truly an honor. For those with close family and friends, creating an atmosphere with beauty, good energy and delicious foods to bring everyone together can be a monumental moment. Opening our homes and in essence our lives to others can be nerve wrecking and time consuming, however, having the right guests can make it all worthwhile. Guests who are appreciative of the invitation and of the efforts involved in making it a unforgettable evening along with a generous and accommodating host. In the end, it is not about the food, décor or anything tangible, rather it is the time we give to each other and share our lives. Here are five simple steps to creating a delightful dinner party:

1)      Ask yourself questions: Why are you hosting? Is it a celebration of some sort? Is it your turn to host? Who do you want to invite? When? Answering these questions will help set the theme, foods and atmosphere for the evening and schedule accordingly. 

2)      Make lists: Write down the guest list and how and when you will invite them. Write down a desired menu, include recipes and ingredients as this will help for grocery shopping as well if you plan to cook. Write down anything you might think you will need the day of ( ex: extra seating, extra plates, entertainment, décor items, note guests allergies if you know of any, etc) writing everything down will free up your mind for other things as they come up. You will always have your lists to refer to when you become overwhelmed or confused about what needs to be done. Add to your lists as you go and remember things and mark off things you’ve completed so you know where you stand in your planning stages.

  

3)      Cook, clean and decorate ahead of time: For recipes that can be cooked in advance, do it! Especially for making desserts and general prepping. Set the table the night before and decorate, move furniture around if needed and have major deep cleaning done before the day of event.

 4)   Present yourself and family well: know what you are going to wear for the dinner, so you are not rampaging through your closet while the door bell is ringing! Change from your kitchen-food smelling clothes to a nice clean outfit. Dress and clean your children if it’s a family event and make sure your spouse is dressed for the occasion as well! It’s easy to get distracted and not worry about presentation when so much is going on, but if you’re hosting, you have to set the atmosphere, starting with your physical self.
 

5)      Relax and enjoy the moment. Yes, everything takes effort and prior planning, but if done efficiently, you will have more time to relax on the day of the party and mentally prepare for your guests and enjoy the party!

Creating moments together should be the reason we get together. To celebrate and enjoy life and be thankful for one another. Being together means you have to eat together and to eat together in a beautifully orchestrated  atmosphere is a moment in time that can be truly unforgettable with the right touches.