Ahhh, the dinner party. A time-honored tradition that seems like it should be easy to accomplish (just put out a couple of trays of cheese and crackers, turn on your "chill vibz 2022" playlist, and make sure there's enough booze available for a small army … right?).
Well, it turns out there's more to it than that. So whether your last dinner party was 100 years ago, in 2019, or you’re new to throwing a dinner fête, we've got your back.
So get ready (and maybe break out some of that booze) for some tips on hosting a great dinner party:
Keep It Moving
Mix up the setting (or how people are positioned) every hour or two. Start with cocktails standing up in the living room, move to a seated dinner, then let guests seat themselves for dessert outside or on floor pillows around the coffee table or fireplace. (No fireplace? Just gather around the oven – jk jk, that’s how lawsuits happen).
Keep The Drinks Flowing
Everyone loves it when a host knows how to mix a great cocktail. But no need to be a master mixologist (a.k.a Tom Cruise in Cocktail); you only need one or two up your sleeve. Here are a few of our all-time favorite cocktails – that are also super-easy to make:
- Moscow Mule – the perfect springtime beverage: refreshing + not too sweet
- Paloma – a great summertime cocktail, perfect for tequila fans
- Penicillin - the right combo of sweet + smoky flavors makes this whiskey-based cocktail perfect for a fall evening
- Snowball - this vintage cocktail might literally be what your grandparents drank in the winter
Of course, you’ll also want to stock up on good, drink-able wine and beer – and no, we don't mean Franzia or Coors Light.
PRO TIP: Set out pre-made drinks on trays and place wine/beer in ice buckets near some empty glasses so guests can help themselves to a drink easily. This will help take the pressure of serving off your hands and allow you to better mingle with your guests.
Please Don’t Stop The Music:
If Rihanna says it, you know it's true. As the host, you’re there to be present with your guests – so please (please!) don’t fiddle with the music while your guests are trying to talk to you. Take the time to plan your playlists ahead of time – or if you’d rather turn on a Spotify playlist and not think about it, here are a few that hit the right ‘dinner party’ vibe:
- Dinner Party Essentials
- Dinner Party with Family and Friends
- Old School Chilled Dinner Party
- Motown Dinner Party
- Upbeat Dinner Party
Give Them Something To Talk About
A dinner party without good conversation isn’t much of a dinner or a party. But sometimes it can be hard to make sure the convo is flowing. Our fave trick? Place a Deep card on each person's place setting. It’s a fun way to start the conversation – or fill a lull during dinner. If you're in a hurry, check out our top 5 conversation starters for dinner parties.
And the rest is up to you! Happy planning!