Tips for an Unforgettable Dinner Party
A dinner party can be many things. It can be formal and sophisticated. It can be inventive and almost playful. The one thing your dinner party should never be is boring. You want any party that you throw to be memorable for everyone. You may even want your party to be the talk of the town. There are a number of ways to make sure that that happens.
The Right Guests
Are you the kind of person that has a number of friend circles that you kind of wander in and out of? Maybe it is time to introduce a few of the friends from one circle to a few of the friends from another and see how they mesh. Don’t purposely choose opposites especially people on opposite ends of the political spectrum. That would be too potentially tense, maybe even explosive. Instead, find friends that may have something that might be complementary to one another.
Since people may not know each other, have place cards and try to pair people that you think will have interesting conversations with one another. Don’t get hung up on trying to create “love” connections and forget the rule that everyone should be seated in a certain way. Do what will work with the people that you have invited.
Choose a Theme
Even if you stick to straightforward food and drink and pleasant conversation without any frills or fancy decor, you will want to have a theme to unify and hold the whole party together. For instance, you might choose to do foods of a certain region making sure that each of the dishes flow well together. Of course, you will also want the drinks that you serve to match the type of food that you are serving.
If you would like a more involved theme, you can tie in the decor, serving ware and even dress according to what you have selected. It will be a great way to get your guests excited for what is to come and will give them something to talk about afterwards.
It takes a lot more work but you could do a murder mystery dinner party. It takes some careful planning and you will need the help of a few of your guests but it would be a party that would get rave reviews and everyone would be begging you to help them plan a similar party in their own home.
Set the Mood With Lights and Music
An elegant dinner party should be softly lit by dimmed overhead lights and candles so that the dining area seems to be enveloped in a glowing aura. Soft music playing in the background also helps to set the tone but should be something that will not take away from the conversations at the table. Keep in mind that music could help spur conversation though so don’t forego it completely.
The Host to the Rescue!
Always be prepared for food, drink and guest emergencies. If you see conversation lagging, tell an interesting story or a brief joke. Ask someone a question, especially if you already know the answer and let them have the floor. Make sure that drink glasses are never empty and that everyone has enough of the foods they enjoy.
At the End of the Evening
While you should serve dessert at the table a special treat would be to send each guest home with an individually boxed cupcake from a local bakery. If you are an avid baker and don’t mind the added work, bake them yourself and decorate according to your theme. Wish each guest a good evening, safe travels and give them their treat as they go.