While for an informal gathering or a family barbecue, disposable cups, paper plates, and plastic forks and garden chairs begged, borrowed, and stolen from everywhere will more than suffice. There are some occasions where they just will not be sufficient. When these occasions come up, it is wise to have all the tips and tricks in your entertaining repertoire ready, so that you can throw a successful and elegant dinner party.
These occasions might be for milestone birthdays, anniversaries, client entertainment, and networking. Whatever the occasion, these tips will make sure your dinner party is classy and fun. Read on to find out more.
Photo by Nadia Valko on Unsplash
Send out invitations
While a quick message in your friends or family Whatsapp group or a Facebook message is more than adequate for an informal get together, when it comes to something a little more formal, you want to send out proper invitations. Of course, professionally calligraphed and gold sealed envelopes might be a step too far, but sending one out via post is a great way to give a sense of occasion to any elegant dinner party.
Plan the menu
Before you plan your menu, make sure that you find out if there are any allergies or dietary requirements for your guests. Once you know if you have to plan for allergies, vegetarian, vegan or the like, it makes it a little easier. Then, set to work on planning a special meal. If you are cooking it yourself, do not go for anything too fussy or complicated that will require lots of attention in the kitchen while your guests are there. You also do not want to try something new that night – either keep to something tried and tested or give yourself plenty of time to perfect the dish. There are lots of superb ideas and recipes online, with just about every ingredient and taste catered for. Why not try an old favourite, with a new twist, such as the mushroom gravy recipe here? Of course, if you are getting the professional caterers in, you could go all out.
Lay your table
Setting the plates and the cutlery and mismatched glasses alongside a bottle of ketchup and mustard are not going to be right for an elegant dinner party. You need to spend some time dressing the table with crisp, clean table linen, charger plates, the correct cutlery for each course, appropriate glasses for drinks and so on. You also want to look at sophisticated and elegant decorations. Vase of fresh flowers or foliage are always a winner, as are tealights dotted about. Leave the paper napkins in the drawer and bring out clean, pressed linen ones with rings to hold them together.
Even if you are hosting a small, intimate gathering, place cards can be used to add a thoughtful, personalised touch to the event. Furthermore, by seating your guests next to new faces, you can easily facilitate a fun, enjoyable evening for them. They are also a useful tool for assisting guests in avoiding the awkward decision of deciding where to sit.
Set the scene
You will want to set the right tone with the right lighting and music. For an elegant dinner party, dim the lights to a comfortable setting, but not so dark that your guests can’t see what they are eating, and light candles along the table and in surrounding areas to give the room a warm, enticing glow. Scented candles, on the other hand, should be avoided because they may interfere with the aroma of the food you are serving.
When it comes to music, make sure to set the volume to the appropriate decibel level so that your guests can converse comfortably. Choose a chilled out playlist that can easily fade into the background while also providing a relaxing and enjoyable atmosphere. Jazz is always a good option.
Make sure the bathroom is clean
Aside from the dining room, you will want to spruce up your bathroom, as that’s the only other space you will be opening up to guests. To maintain the overall theme of your elegant dinner party, make sure to provide or hang cloth or linen hand towels for guests to dry their hands.
Stock the bathroom with luxury soap and hand lotion. Make sure all of your facilities are clean and functional ahead of time. To add a finishing touch, light a clean-scented candle or place a fragrance diffuser in the bathroom to keep it feeling and smelling fresh all evening.
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