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Do you and your friends try to make it a habit to get together and go out for dinner regularly? Is it starting to feel like you’ve tried all the local restaurants and you want to do something a little different? Rather than go out to eat, why not play host and throw the ultimate elegant dinner party for your friends in your home? You’ll have full creative control over the menu and you can make it as sophisticated as you want.
Here are some essential planning tips that will ensure your dinner party is a huge success.
Give Your Guests Plenty of Notice
Before you get too deep into the planning stage, you’ll need to send your invites well in advance. You want to give guests at least four weeks’ notice to ensure everyone can make it to the dinner party. Electronic invites tend to be the fastest and most convenient way to send an invite, and then there is no fear of the invitation getting delayed in the mail.
Be Mindful of Dietary Restrictions
Part of being a great host means you are attentive to your guests’ needs, which includes any dietary restrictions they may have. You may have friends who are vegetarian, vegan, or gluten-free. That needs to be factored into your menu selection.
Related article: How to Throw the Best Party for Your Daughter
How Many Courses Will You Be Serving?
For your dinner to feel elegant you’re going to want to serve multiple courses, but how many you serve is up to you. If you’re not used to cooking for a group of people you can keep things simple and opt for three courses. Start with the appetizers, then the main course and follow with dessert. Feeling confident in the kitchen, then you can add more courses and opt for a five or even seven-course meal.
The one thing to be mindful of is how much time you will need to spend in the kitchen preparing and cooking the meal. The bigger and more involved the meal is, the less time you’ll be able to sit and chat with your guests.
If you need a little help in terms of inspiration, try these sample dinner party menus.
Set the Scene – Ensure There Is an Elegant Vibe
To hammer home the elegant vibe, you’ll need to set the scene and create the ideal type of atmosphere.
Some of the ways you can achieve an elegant atmosphere include:
- Using candles on the table
- Having a centrepiece
- Setting a formal table
- Using cloth napkins and tablecloths
- Having soft music playing in the background
Don’t Forget to Thank Your Guests
And the final touch for your elegant dinner party should be to send out a thank you to your guests. You’ll want to send it the next day while the party is still fresh on everyone’s mind. Rather than a basic text message, you can make use of online tools to craft a customized card with your thank you message in it. This is a more elevated way to send thanks.
Prepare to Make This a New Habit
After throwing such a successful elegant dinner party with friends, expect this to become a new habit.
