Bottomless drinks, delicious food, great conversation, games, friends, and family – a perfect dinner party is a simple yet unique mix of all this and more that is made all the more special by what guests and hosts bring to the table. Whether you want to celebrate a milestone, or a big move to a new city, or are just looking for a reason to dress up and chill with your friends, a dinner party can serve countless purposes. To help you plan a more fun-filled gathering, here is a helpful guide with everything that you need to know about how to throw a dinner party.
Your Guide On How To Throw A Dinner Party
The best dinner parties are when the host puts a little thought into them! So if you’re trying to top last year’s party or just need some ideas to help make your dinner party a little extra special, we’ve got you covered. Here’s a guide on how to throw a dinner party that your friends will remember forever.
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Create a Guest List
If you are planning your first dinner party, five to seven guests are a good starting point. However, if you have experience organizing gatherings, you might already know the importance of creating a guest list. A dinner party is more about having a good conversation with your guests than just drinking and partying. Therefore, to avoid awkward situations, you should invite people who already know each other and one or two “new” people (couples would be great). As for when to send the invitations, once you have finalized your guest list, the next step in how to throw a dinner party is to invite everyone at least two to three weeks in advance.
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Plan the Menu Strategically
The menu will undoubtedly be the main focus of your dinner party. If you’re a whiz in the kitchen, go ahead and captivate your guests with your cooking. However, if you are not much of a chef, don’t pressurize yourself and stick to what you know.
- A starter would be great – Go with something simple and small such as soup, bite-sized snacks, or cheese boards.
- Remember, the main course will be the focus – Take your time and decide the one classic dish that will set the mark. You can go with lasagna, pasta, or rice. Also, to be on the safe side, put a little effort into putting together the perfect salad.
- End the meal with a tasty dessert – After a delicious main course, your guests will be looking forward to dessert. Therefore, plan beforehand and make a fancy dessert that will leave your guests craving more.
Regardless of what menu you decide, make sure that food preparation doesn’t trap you inside the kitchen throughout the dinner party.
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Prepare in Advance
Moving forward, the next step in how to throw a dinner party is to prepare everything from the décor to the food to your mental health in advance. The responsibility of organization and management can get overwhelming. Therefore, it is wise to take a deep breath and cut yourself some slack and prepare your subconscious in advance for things that might go awry.
Once you are ready to get creative, start with planning the décor. To give your home a unique and personalized vibe, browse your options and opt for something that reflects your persona, such as customized canvas prints and wall art. As for the dinner table, fresh flowers and flickering candles will always do the trick. However, for the ambiance, play soft music to give your guests a calming experience.
A couple of place settings and table decorations can go a long way to create good energy for the evening. Set the table with name tags with fun facts on the back, or fun napkins folded into roses or swans can be good conversation starters to help the evening flow more smoothly.
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Entertain Your Guests
Last but not least, once all the dinner preparations are finalized, go and get dressed as it’s your time to shine! Rather than worrying about the food, try focusing on keeping your guests entertained. You can play entertaining games, have fun discussions and even give your guests personalized gifts from Canvas Factory.
A great dinner party game you can play with your friends before or after dinner is charades! Have everyone put their own suggestions into a hat for a personalized game they will be talking about for months on end.
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Immortalize The Occasion With Custom Photo Blocks
Make sure you take many photos of people enjoying your party, especially if it’s themed! A few candid shots of your guests laughing and talking, eating dinner, clinking glasses, and playing games are a great way to commemorate the evening.
Then, you can create collage prints or photo blocks with your favorite pictures of the night that you can pass out later to everyone who attended your party. Make it an annual party, and then you can take yearly photos of how the group grows and changes over the year.
Canvas Factory makes it easy to order custom photo gifts like photo blocks. Plus, they’re affordable, so you don’t have to break the bank when ordering custom gifts for your friends. Photo gifts make the perfect thank you gift that your guests can appreciate for years on end.
Wrapping It Up!
If you are worried about how to throw a dinner party, remember that being the perfect host requires practice. However, the classic piece of advice of keeping yourself calm and making your guests feel at home works wonders every time.
At the end of the day, just have fun! The best dinner parties are when everyone is relaxed and having fun, and that includes the host. Don’t get too caught up in the details or making sure everything is perfect. Just have fun with your friends, and a good night will come naturally. Pour a couple of drinks, turn up the music, and go with the flow.
