Fortunately, there are ways to keep both you and your guests comfortable and happy – from setting a budget to preparing food ahead of time.
With the right planning and a little practice, it's possible to host a really great party in your own home! Here are some tips to help you make the most of your next get-together.
Define the Theme or Occasion and Set a Budget
This is a great time to get creative, since you're not restricted by restaurant menus or set themes at venues outside your home. You can have a specific theme for the food and decor, to make the event as memorable as possible.
Think about seasonal dishes and what the majority of guests will enjoy. Try to think outside the box and come up with a unique theme for your event. This could be based on a region of the world, a time in history or even something fictional like a book or film.
Planning your event around a specific theme will make it easier to decide on the food and decorations required, with plenty of resources available online for inspiration.
Choose Dishes that will Appeal to all Guests
Finding the right recipes to make for the party and your guests can be the difference between hosting a successful party and running scared. If you know what to prepare and what you need to serve at the dinner, you’ll be able to relax and enjoy the evening.
The best tip for hosting a fun event is to keep it simple and plan ahead of time. Write down the list of guests, what foods and beverages you want to serve and when you want to start and end the event. Once you have the food and ideas jotted down, you can start work on a shopping and to-do list.
Don't Blow the Budget when Entertaining at Home
Once you have a list of ingredients and decorations, you can then estimate how much it might cost. Try to identify areas where costs can be reduced (selecting alternative ingredients or making decorations yourself) or even remove certain items that will not be missed during the event. It's important to set a budget for your event and try to stick to it, as costs can easily spiral out of control if you're not careful!
We all want to save money when entertaining at home, but you don’t want to leave guests hungry at the end of the night. Try to choose food options that will appeal to a wide range of different guests (to reduce the overall number of dishes you'll need to prepare), and don't forget about meat-free options.
Plan the Event and Source Everything you Need Well in Advance
The last thing you want to do is spend the morning of your event running around, trying to gather ingredients, cooking and preparing your home for guests. By the time they arrive you will already be exhausted and won't be able to fully enjoy the rewards of all your hard work.
Planning and sourcing all the items you need should be done at least 2 days before the event. Try to work out how long it will take to complete each item on your to-do list and add additional time for any unforeseen complications (e.g. being unable to locate an important ingredient or other life/work event that takes precedence).
Prepare Food and Drinks the Night Before
The majority of cooking and preparation should be completed the night before, so you simply have to wake up the next morning feeling refreshed and ready to host without too much effort. This includes preparing your home to welcome guests, putting up any decorations and generally being as prepared as possible for the next day's festivities.
On the morning of the event you'll simply have to set the table, leaving more time for you to enjoy yourself and entertain your guests. You will also have time to pop to the shop if there's anything you've forgotten.
Organise Activities for Guests when Entertaining at Home
You'll also have to think about ways to keep your guests entertained before and after the meal. It's a good idea to have some snacks and drinks ready for when guests arrive, so they don't get hungry and have time to relax before the meal.
Think about where guests can congregate prior to sitting down at the table. Depending on the weather and time of year this could be outside or in another room of your home.
Have snacks like vegetable batons, dips and light bites ready for guests to enjoy while they wait for the meal and have a drink. Remember to provide non-alcoholic drinks for those who might be driving or don't drink alcohol.
Don't Forget Background Music & Activities for Kids
Background music can also help guests relax and put them into the mood for a dinner party. Choose relaxing but upbeat music and set the volume low, so guests can still talk at a comfortable level.
If kids are also arriving then activities to keep them entertained should also be considered, so they are occupied and don't get bored during the day.
Activities like colouring and drawing are inexpensive, but can provide hours of entertainment and distraction.
Plan Additional After Dinner Activities to keep Guests Happy
Once you have had the meal and guests are suitably satisfied, you'll also have to think about keeping them entertained afterwards. This can be a great opportunity to move to another room (or the same room used prior to the meal) for some after dinner drinks and further conversations.
The music can also be changed to something more energetic to encourage guests to get up and move about. Further nibbles can be placed in different rooms, to encourage guests to move about, and prevent them being confined to the one room.
You can also take this opportunity to bring out some further activities to keep guests entertained and active, be that a board game or even an entertainer hired for the event to keep adults and kids amused.
Take the hassle out of clean up and get help if required
As the day proceeds and the party gets into full swing, it's important to keep on top of clearing away used items and cleaning up rubbish as you go.
Get into a habit of taking empties with you when moving from one room to another, ensuring you're not left with a lot to clear up at the end of the night. Put dirty dishes and glasses right into the dishwasher or in a corner near the sink, so they can easily be cleaned when the time comes.
Ensure you have enough bins around the house, so rubbish doesn't start overflowing and check toilets regularly for replacement towels, soap and toilet roll. It might also be helpful to have napkins strategically placed for quick cleanup of any spills and for guests to use.
Take Time to Enjoy the Day and Accept Offers of Help
If you start to get flustered and things are getting on top of you, then you'll find guest will be more than happy to help out if required. Don't be afraid to take them up on offers of help and delegate tasks you just aren't getting time to do. This can be a good opportunity to have a bit of extra one-on-one time with certain guests as you both work on a task.
Remember this is your event too, so try to split your time between entertaining and enjoying the day. Each time you host an event at your home you will think of new ideas to make the process more efficient and eventually it will become second nature, allowing you to spend more time relaxing and enjoying the company of friends and family.
Hopefully the above tips will ensure your next dinner party is a resounding success, while being as stress-free as possible, and a day guests will remember fondly for a long time afterwards.
If you have any other ideas for stress-free entertaining at home or some horror stories from previous events you've hosted or attended, then please leave a comment below.
