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Got great news you want to share with your closest friends and family? Well, better start your dinner party planning now, before you send out the invites for your fancy and cozy get-together.
When planning a dinner party, you'd want to "wow" your guests. And you're certainly not going to be able to do that if you decide to throw the party just hours before the set dinnertime. To help you impress all your dinner party guests, we've got some tips that may be helpful for your dinner party planning.
So read on. Because who knows? You might just find some ideas you'd want to use for your next dinner party.
Tip #1 : Find the Ideal Location for your Party. Because dinner parties are generally more intimate than your typical all-night get-togethers, you'd want to make sure all your guests are comfortably seated throughout the night.
Most dinner parties are held at home and usually in the dining area. If your dining room is too small to accommodate your guests, then we suggest taking it outdoors-in the garden. A garden dinner party can be just as intimate with twice the "wow" factor compared to the usual dinner-inside-the-house thrown by less-adventurous party hosts.
Of course, when throwing a dinner party outside your house, you'd still need the basics-lighting, tables, and an abundance of chairs. Having lamps throughout the garden can be pretty romantic. If some of your guests smoke, then throwing a dinner party outdoors also saves you from worrying about cigarette burns on your carpet and furniture. Just make sure you have a wealth of ashtrays stacked on a corner table in the garden!
But if the weather won't permit a garden party, or if you simply prefer indoor celebrations, then you can still impress your guests by having the right dcor and ambiance in your dining room. You can even bring the great outdoors inside your house with a classy floral centerpiece and some ferns decorating your dining space and living area.
Tip #2: Put Some Thought on Who to Invite. Friends-only gatherings can be pretty easy since these people tend to have a lot in common with each other. Family-only get-togethers follow the same principle. But if you're planning on bringing some new friends into the picture, or if you want your friends to meet the rest of your family, then make sure they all have something to talk about.
That would save you from awkward pauses where no one says anything and everyone starts fidgeting. A good party host always knows the right conversation starters, so it would do you well to brush up on your friends' and family's interests.
Tip #3: Serve Good Food. Simple tip, right? If you're planning an elegant party, well, you shouldn't be serving take-aways in cardboard boxes. Ideally, you should cook the dinner, but if you don't have time, one option is to buy pre-made food from different restaurants.
Remember that with food, variety is the key. Keep in mind that some of your guests may be vegetarians, while others may be meat-lovers. Some may be on a diet, while others would expect a full and hearty meal from your party.
The best way to solve this conundrum is by serving vegetarian and meat dishes. Don't forget the salad. And certainly don't forget the dessert!
If you're cooking the meals you're serving, then make sure you allot enough time for you to finish all your dishes while still having half an hour to dress up for your party.
Tip #4: Bring Out the Fine China and Stash Away Those Paper Plates. Dinner parties aren't like casual picnics. You don't serve food in cardboard containers and paper plates. You'd want to give your guests a fine dining experience, so we suggest bringing out your fine cutlery (silverware) and your precious china pieces.
If you don't have enough plates for all your guests, then consider buying or renting a new china set.
Tip #5: Keep your Dcor Simple and Classic. No need to load your dining table with different vases. It's called a centerpiece for a reason-and that's because one is enough. What you're after is a focal point for your table. By loading your table with flowers in front of each plate, you're simply creating clutter.
But while you must settle for a single centerpiece, you can have more than one candle on the table. In fact, to balance things out, you should have at least two candelabras on each end of the dining table.
Lastly, as much as possible make sure your table cloth matches your napkins-for aesthetic reasons.
Tip #6: Serve Cocktails and Hors d'oeuvres Before the Meal, and Coffee After. While you and some "early birds" wait for the rest of your guests, serve some cocktails and hors d'oeuvres. These small snacks aren't just impressive, they're also efficient ways to stave off hunger as you and your early guests wait.
After the main course, you can serve the dessert with coffee. Coffee should help counteract the effects of wine consumed during the meal.
With all that said, we recommend using these tips to throw a fabulous and memorable dinner party.
George Faulkner is an avid author and keen party planner amongst other hobbies.
He runs and maintains his website http://www.epartyplanningsite.com which has lots of information freely available to browse on party planning and a mini course available to sign up for at no charge.
For all your party planning information before planning your event or party then visit the website.
Disclaimer: All information on this site is provided for informational purposes only! By no means is any
information presented herein intended to substitute for the advice provided to you by any health care or other professional
or organization.
