6 Tips for Hosting Your Next Dinner Party

Whether you are hosting an intimate gathering of a few or a larger group in your home, hosting a dinner party can be an exciting avenue for spending time with others. It can also seem a little daunting as you prepare for what will prove to be a wonderful night. Furniture Source International has ideas to elevate your dinner party and provide a little guidance for the work you will need to do ahead of time.

1. Inviting and planning. These two ideas can go hand and hand as you decide who you want to have over and how you want to entertain. The purpose of your evening will steer some of these decisions. If you are hoping for deeper conversation and getting to know people better, you may want to keep the gathering small. If you are seeking a more active evening with plenty of mingling, you will want a larger group. These decisions may guide your meal plan, as you won’t necessarily prepare the same meal for 4 as you will for 20.

2. Food and drink preparation. While you may have thought of some of the general ideas for your menu, you will want to fine-tune what you make when your guests join you in your home. Making a list of each item and drink you want to provide will help you as you shop and order what you need. Furniture Source International can help with a few of these items, including extras for appetizers or main course toppings, and can help select the perfect tequila for your before, during, or after-dinner drinks, such as our Puro Verde tequila.

3. Setting preparation. While you are at our store for a few of the food and drink items, you should make sure you have all the settings, silverware, and tableware you may need for your guests. New napkins and linens can make a dinner party seem extra special. You may need a special serving dish that can transition easily from the oven to the table and still look stylish. Barware and tiered serving ware may help in having things ready as soon as your guests walk into the home as well.

4. Extra spaces. While your guests will probably spend much of their time in your dining and visiting areas, don’t forget the additional parts of your home they may encounter. The entryway can be warm and inviting, with a place for them to remove coats or tuck away their purses. Bathrooms can be spruced up with one of our large and fragrant candles, with extra tissue, towels, or other items organized into a basket or other storage methods. If your guests are new to your home, they may ask to see other spaces, so be sure to freshen up your bedroom with throw pillows and place things away as needed, too.

5. Last details. You will have plenty to do in the hours leading up to your dinner party. Try to prepare as much as you can ahead of time by setting your tables, designating all your dishes for different items, chopping and pre-making what you can, and having a plan for music, attire, and any other activities like games or transitioning to other parts of the home.

6. Enjoy your dinner. Don’t forget to enjoy yourself at the actual dinner. We frequently get caught up in all the preparations, details, and work that we forget to enjoy the moments. While serving your guests is a wonderful measure of hospitality, take our encouragement to laugh, visit, and partake in all you have prepared.

Furniture Source International is a perfect place to continue your preparation and plans for your next dinner party. We can help with inspiration and finishing touches for any part of your home, so send out your invites to loved ones and come see us, today!