Ways to Upgrade Your Next Dinner Party

The pandemic is ending, so it’s time to bring back dinner parties. Planning a dinner party can sound overwhelming to take on, but there are simple ways to upgrade your party without adding any extra stress. You can be more assured that your guests will enjoy their night, which will make it easier for you to sit back and enjoy the party, too.

Food

A full spread of food is essential to a successful dinner party. The more people you invite, the more varied the food preferences will be, so you must offer enough options to satisfy everyone. Make sure you have options for your vegetarian/vegan guests, and ask beforehand about potential food allergies.

Presentation on the table is also an important element; adorn the table with decorations alongside the food like fake flower bouquets and decorative vases. A specific color palette with the decor would add an aesthetically-pleasing element to the spread as well. 

To wow your guests, consider hiring a chef for the event, or having your items catered. Not only is this option more exciting for your guests, but it also frees up a large chunk of your time and energy you would have spent cooking.

If you are looking for a dinner party more on a budget, you can switch out the chef with a potluck. Encourage guests to bring one small food item alongside your own to add some variety and a potluck quality, which can make the party feel more personal.

For hosts wanting a fine dining feel, a tasting experience is a fantastic option. By offering your guests a small food and beverage pairing, you’ll heighten their senses and allow for a more unique dining experience. There are many ways to host a tasting experience, and a variety of food and beverage choices you can try out, making it an easy choice to try out multiple times for dinner parties. 

Guests dipping out early can dampen the mood. Luckily, there is an easy Fix. You can host a meal with multiple courses that are spaced out. This will elongate the party and get guests excited to see what’s next. 

Invitations 

Instead of sending a text, try out an old-school invitation via mail. Along with being a classy way of inviting your guests, it’s also the best way to have them save the date. Sending an invitation in the mail means that your invitation will most likely be placed on their fridge - meaning they will see it every day. Your guests will be reminded of your upcoming event, while having your decorative invitation displayed in their home. 

Shutterfly is an amazing resource for printing your own invitations, especially ones with photographs. They are constantly running special deals, so you can save money while still having elegant invitations. They offer a variety of designs, and you have the ability to customize text, backgrounds, and photographs. 

Dress code

Parties with a certain dress code can be a lot of fun for you and your guests. Themed parties with a specific dress code are currently popular on social media sites like TikTok and Instagram. On these sites, users have dressed up like an album of an artist that they like, or created an outfit based on a particular decade. Themed parties are a great way to have that fun “dressing up for Halloween” feel more than just once a year. It is also an easy way to get conversation flowing and have guests mingle easily with each other, as it is an effortless icebreaker. 

Utilize outdoor space

If you have outdoor space, utilize it for dinner parties in the warmer months. You can set up everything inside so it’s safe from bugs and the weather, but have chairs and tables set up outside as well so guests can freely move in and out of the house to mingle and change up their space after the actual dinner is over. This way, they won’t feel confined to the inside in the same space with everyone. 

You will want to make sure that your space outdoors feels fit for a party, so try out a luxury picnic feel, or perhaps a “glamping” theme. Spread out some picnic blankets and place a wine or champagne bottle on each to encourage couples, friends, or even strangers to sit and chat over a glass. Make sure you have plenty of lighting - string lights around your space are an easy and chic way to do this. Adding candles and tiki torches are another fun way to add some light and atmosphere to an outdoor space.

Since we are back to throwing parties again, we have to make sure we’re doing it right. It’s been a while and you may be feeling a bit rusty, but we are here to help you back into the world of throwing fun parties. If you follow these easy tips, your guests will leave your party ready for the next one.