Are you planning on having guests around for a dinner party? Dinner parties are the perfect excuse to go the extra mile and treat your guests to a beautiful evening. Set a dress code, plan a three-course meal, enjoy some cocktails, and don’t forget to plan some entertainment for after.
When preparing for a dinner party, the trick is to be as prepared as possible. The more prepared you are before they arrive, the less stressed you will be. Order the drinks well in advance, ensure you have tried the recipe a few times before to avoid errors and ensure your guests know if they need to bring anything.
Below we have compiled our guide on tips for preparing for a dinner party.
Tip #1: Practice your recipes beforehand
As the saying goes, practice makes perfect! When preparing for a dinner party, make sure you have run through the recipes you plan on cooking plenty of times before the day your guests come round – especially if it’s a new recipe you are trying – this is a great mashed potatoes recipe for the perfect side. Maybe invite a family member round for them to try it first or cook for your partner. A helpful tip is to cook a recipe where you can prepare a lot of it before your guests arrive. This way, you don’t have to spend hours cooking when they are there, potentially watching you.
Tip #2: Plan your drinks in advance
The drinks you serve on the day are just as important as the food you cook. When planning the meals, see if you can match them with a particular wine or cocktail. If guests don’t drink wine, then remember to cater to them with soft drinks or alcoholic alternatives like beer or cider. For guests who don’t drink alcohol, an alcohol-free whisky or non-alcoholic rum might be a nice treat for them. When buying non-alcoholic drinks, you must try them first, as some can be very hit-and-miss.
Tip #3: Consider decorations
Decorations can take a dinner party to the next level. Depending on the type of dinner party you are hosting (sometimes you don’t want to spend a lot of money to host friends), you could consider including a theme. The theme could be anything from gold or glitz & glam to only white or film characters – whatever you think will interest everyone. You can then purchase decorations that match the theme to help get your guests into the spirit of the dinner party. When considering a theme, it’s worth considering any cocktails and side dishes you could make to enhance the party.
A Few Final Words
Dinner parties are great fun and something everyone can look forward to. Which tips for preparing dinner parties would you add to our list? Which of the above tips did you find most useful? Is there anything you would like to share that will benefit our readers? Let us know in the comment box below. We would love to hear from you.