6 tips for hosting the best dinner party
Dinner parties and themed girls’ nights are not new concepts, but hosting ideas have been taking Pinterest, TikTok and Instagram by storm recently.
It may seem daunting to host a dinner party — it feels like there are a lot of elements at play, and it can be difficult to plan and prepare food for a number of people. However, it really doesn’t have to be all that complicated.
Here’s a simple guide to hosting a fun, successful dinner party.
How to host a dinner party
1. Pick a theme
The dinner party aesthetic is just as important as the dinner itself. Themes can be as broad or as specific as you want — you could use anything from “winter dinner party” to “mob wife aesthetic.” Your theme can be low-key, or you can go all out and make sure your attendees dress in accordance with it.
You can find an infinite number of hosting ideas in articles and on social media, and you don’t need to look for dinner party-specific ideas. You can also explore birthday party or wedding themes and adapt them for your party.
For example, wedding planner Lynea D’Aprix has made a name for herself on social media by turning wacky ideas into beautiful wedding themes. If you like her Shrek-themed wedding ideas, you could easily adapt them for a small dinner party at your home.
2. Invite your guests and keep it small
At its core, a dinner party should be a fun dinner with friends. Don’t stretch yourself too thin. Pick a date and time and invite a small group, and make sure to give them plenty of advance notice.
A dinner party can be as small as three people or as big as you want, but it shouldn’t involve so many people that you can’t all fit around the dinner table. (Although if your dinner table is too small for you to host more than two people, you could simply have an outdoor picnic instead.)
3. Set a budget
Dinner parties can get expensive if you aren’t careful, and they really don’t need to be. It’s possible to throw a glamorous and elegant (or wild and wacky) dinner party without buying anything but basic ingredients for the menu.
To avoid stressing out over planning, set a budget to cover groceries and any decor or other items you may want to purchase. Your budget will also help you when planning a menu — a fancy charcuterie night might be too expensive for your budget, while a simple pasta dinner could be just right.
4. Pick a menu, but don’t feel like you have to make everything yourself
Once you have your theme and guest list set, go ahead and plan a menu. There are a lot of dinner party menu ideas out there that can correspond to your chosen theme.
For instance, if you’re planning a night of fanciful Parisian glam, you could pick up a copy of “Mastering the Art of French Cooking.” If your dinner party is disco-themed, however, you’d probably be fine ordering pizza.
Remember that you can also ask your guests to bring items so you don’t have to do everything yourself. If your guests are willing to pitch in drinks or a side — which they likely will be, since you’re hosting — it will save you a fair amount of time, effort and money.
The menu, as with all aspects of a dinner party, can be as simple or as complicated as you’d like it to be. You can plan for one entree and one dessert, or you can have an array of appetizers, sides, breads and specialty drinks. It all depends on your budget and mental bandwidth.
If you do want to make multiple items, remember that they don’t have to be elaborate in order to taste and look good. Content creator Laura Jackson has a whole series on “the art of hosting,” and her roasted grape crostinis are beautiful and delicious but incredibly easy to make.
5. Make a tablescape
A good table setting can bring your dinner party theme to life. By using different dishes, glasses, tablecloths, napkins, candles and other decorations, you can transform your home. You can even make your own name cards for a personal touch.
As you plan your tablescape, consider not only your theme but how you want to feel as you sit at the table. Is this a celebratory birthday dinner? Scatter confetti on the table and use a bright color theme. Is this a cozy winter meal? Use candles for lighting and add a mix of textures to create atmospheric warmth. You can find plenty of inspiration online — for instance, this mermaid tablescape is a work of art.
6. Plan something to create connection
This tip comes from Brooke Primm, aka The Uncommon Hostess, who recommends having something on your party agenda that encourages your guests to bond. You can do this in a number of ways: You could buy or write conversation cards to spark discussion over dinner, plan a game to allow people to get to know each other better, or prepare an activity everyone can participate in. These steps will elevate your dinner party and create a meaningful experience.
