Who doesn’t want to host a great dinner party? You invite your friends over, get dressed up, and enjoy a delicious meal and tasty drinks together. Throwing a dinner party can feel like a lot of pressure and you might be struggling with everything on your to-do list. It’s time to simplify party planning. Here are the only five steps you need to host an amazing party and get your house ready for company.
Step One: Decorate.
Obviously, you don’t want anyone coming over to your house if it’s not properly decorated. If you’ve just moved in, you may need to spend some time hanging art on the walls or buying new furniture. If you’ve lived in your home for a while, it may be time for a spruce. Whatever the case may be, Paint Loose can help you find paintings or DIY projects to decorate your home with. A unique piece of art created by you will be a great topic of conversation for guests at the party and it will help your home feel more completed and put-together. While you’re decorating, you might decide you want to change the floorplan. This could help create more spaces for guests to chat or open up your home to make it feel bigger when it’s filled with people. Before you even send the invites, take a look at your home and decide how many you can comfortably host.
Step Two: Find the perfect outfit.
Now that you’ve got the party spaces ready for people, it’s time to make sure you have the right look. You can’t go wrong with a gorgeous cocktail or party dress. Make sure your guests know that the dress code is cocktail attire, but even if a few show up in more casual outfits, it’s appropriate for you to look very nice since you’re the host. Shop for cocktail dresses for women and look for something classy and chic. It might be a fun LBD with a fun ruffle or a floor-length gown. Or, you could try a sleek pencil skirt with a loose style blouse. Your outfit sets the tone for the party. If your guests see you in a beautiful and refined look, they’ll know they’re in for a night of great food and conversation.
Step Three: Stock the liquor cupboard.
You can’t have a successful dinner party without delicious drinks. Head to the liquor store after deciding on the drinks you’d like to prepare. You may love the idea of a signature cocktail that your guests can choose, but you’ll also want to make sure you can make any alcoholic beverages someone might request. A vodka drinker will probably not be thrilled if the only options include scotch or whiskey. Grab a variety of liquors so you know you have something for everyone. To make things easier on yourself, find a liquor store that offers curbside pickup orders so you can pick up your drink ingredients the day of your party without being late to your special event.
Step Four: Plan (and cook or order) an amazing meal.
It’s hardly a dinner party if there’s no dinner, so spend some time planning an amazing meal. You may decide to have professionals cater the event (which definitely makes things easier for you), or you might want to cook for your friends. If you’re having someone cater, try the food first to make sure you like it and check with your guests about potential allergies. If you’re tackling the job of cooking yourself, create a realistic timetable. You can’t be putting the roast in the oven when everyone is showing up. Give yourself plenty of time to finish the meal before guests arrive and if there are any last-minute tasks, ask a friend or family member to handle them so you can focus on hosting.
Step Five: Put away the breakables.
Your friends are coming for a classy, low-key evening, but that doesn’t mean something couldn’t happen to your favorite breakables on the mantle. Put away anything you would be devastated to lose. You just want to make sure that hiding decorative items don’t make your home appear empty or not lived in. Only put away the truly valuable or sentimental pieces. Just in case.
Planning the perfect dinner party doesn’t need to take weeks. Put your house in order, find a great outfit, and prepare delicious food and drinks. Your friends will talk about this night for weeks.
