1. Set The Date On A Saturday…
That way you have all day to prepare the food, your home and yourself. There is no need to rush or panic and the whole ‘preparing’ side of things will become a much more enjoyable experience.
You also don’t have to work the next day, meaning you won’t resent those pesky friends who love to stay well after the appointed ‘home-time’ hour.
2. Be Thoughtful When Creating An Invite List…
One of Rachel Green’s top tips is that when you’re deciding on whom to invite, think carefully about the different personalities and interests of the people involved. It’s all well and good to think all of your friends will get along, but think again. Will that religious friend of yours truly enjoy the company of your foul-mouthed friend who makes SATC’s Samantha look tame? Probably not.
3. Create An Informal Environment…
Encourage people to have a great time, they are in your home and you want them to feel comfortable. A great way to begin the evening is to encourage everyone into the kitchen. Place nibbles and drinks artfully on the counter or benches, and have everyone stand around chatting and laughing in a comfortable manner whilst you make the final dinner preparations.
4. Prepare Foods PRIOR To Your Dinner Party Commencing…
Although it may seem like a good idea to cook a 3-course meal involving confit duck, you WON’T enjoy your evening, warns Rachel. You will be stuck in the kitchen and your guests didn’t just come for the food, they came for the company! And the wine of course.
Rescu. Recommends: Try pre-made pasta dishes, salads, bruschetta and garlic bread. Easy, simple, low maintenance, and above all delicious!
5. Be Aware Of Your Guests Diet Restrictions…
According to Rachel (and her many years of hosting experience), nothing will make you feel like a worse host than spending hours in the kitchen preparing homemade salmon sushi before realising (as your first guest arrives) that you have two vegetarians coming. Think, or better yet ask about your guests diet preferences.
6. Create A WARM Environment…
It is winter after all! Make sure it is the perfect temperature at your place so that your guests can take of their coats and feel warm and snug in your abode.
7. Give Yourself Time…
Make sure you have a few hours before your guests arrive to sit back, relax, and get ready with time to spare. Nothing puts a dampener on the evening like having to rush, then having your first guest walk in as your struggling into your spanx. Enjoy a bubble bath and glass of champagne prior to your guests arriving, or treat yourself to a blow wave at your favourite salon.
8. Don’t Bore People…
There is nothing worse that going somewhere only to have the host spend the evening ramming their political, religious or even worse, sexual preferences into your brain. Rachel says that the only time you should be ‘earbashing’ people with your views, is when you get clear signs of interest or agreement from your guests.
9. Don’t Sweat The Small Stuff…
You have invited people into your home and accidents do happen. So if someone does manage to spill a glass of red onto your plush new cream carpet, please refrain from bursting into tears, stomping your feet and slamming yourself into a room. Clean it up the best you can and worry about it in the morning.
10. Provide Entertainment…
During the week prior to your dinner party, spend a few hours creating the perfect playlist of appropriate songs. So please hide that techno track you keep telling yourself was put on your iPod by someone else.
“Sometimes a shared activity can be a wonderful way for dinner guests to connect. For example, you might play a card game or board game such as Balderdash, Cluedo or Monopoly”, Rachel suggests.
Hostess with the mostess? Yep that title now belongs to you.
