Dinner party hacks to take your hosting to the next level

Throwing a dinner party for family or friends doesn’t have to be overwhelming, these dinner party hacks will guarantee your dinner party goes without a hitch.

Throwing a dinner party is not easy, for a lot of people it can be stressful, planning the menu, choosing a seating plan or considering everyone’s dietary requirement. However, with careful planning your dinner party it doesn’t have to be that hard.

I have planned and hosted a ton of parties, some have gone better than others, but after learning through trial and error, I now know exactly what works and what doesn’t. Luckily for you, I am sharing with you my best tips and tricks to guarantee your dinner party goes with a bang!

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This post is all about dinner party hacks

decide on a theme

From and food theme such as Italian, Chinese or Mexican can help with your preparations, this might seem like it would bring you more stress, but having a theme actually helps as you can plan your decorations, drinks and table plan around the theme. If you want to go all out you could choose a colour theme or plan entertainment around your theme.

Lay your tablescape in advance

I always recommend if you can do anything to save you time and stress on the day, do in advanced. The last thing you want to be doing on the day of hosting is searching for the odd teaspoon or not have enough matching glasses. Laying your tablescape the day before, allows you time to check you have everything and you can decorate the table exactly how you want it to look.

create a beverage station

One of the best hacks is to set up a beverage station, this was a game changer when I had my last dinner party. Stock it with beers, wines and soft drinks this will keep your guests from going into the kitchen when you are preparing and serving food. I recommend including a selection of glasses, ice, cut lemons and limes. Maybe check with your guests what they like to drink before the party, that way

Choose your lighting

Deciding on what lighting to use can be a good way create a cosy aesthetic. You could hang some fairy lights or decorate your table with some candles. If you have a dimmer switch, you can lower the lighting in your kitchen or dinning room, where you are throwing your dinner table, to make it cute and cosy.

check any dietary restrictions

This might be one of the most important things to remember when you are planning your party. Check with your guest if they have any allergies or if there is anything they don’t like. If you know this in advance it will help you plan your menu and theme and you’ll have piece of mind your guest will be happy when you serve their meals.

prerare any courses or side dishes in advance

Preparation is key when hosting any type of gathering. If you can, prepare or cook any dishes you can in advance. The day before, peal or chop any vegetables. Cook any dishes you can and freeze them, then on the day of the dinner party get them out of the freezer, heat and serve. Anything you can do to make thing go smoothly is defiantly a winner.

If your struggling with time, don’t be afraid to take short cuts and use premade dishes. Your guests won’t mind if you serve a premade platter or a dessert from your local grocery shop.

When it comes to the cooking, it’s best to make something you are confident making. One of the biggest mistakes people make is being to ambitious and trying a recipe they have never made before. The last thing you want is to be overly ambitious. Your guest will love one of your tried and tested recipes rather than something than something your not sure how to make.

ask for help

Sometimes you just need to ask for a little help. We all have such busy lives, there’s no shame in asking someone to help. Don’t forget there is so much to remember when hosting parties, decorating, cooking planning drinks and the list goes on. Asking your family or friends to pick something up or bring a dessert is a great help. Your friends and family will love being included with the preparations.

provide entertainment

Choose the background music you want to play and set up a playlist in advance. One of my favourite parts to planning a party is deciding what music to play. Choosing the right music can create ambiance and make everything more cosy. Another recommendation is to test the volume before your guests arrive, you want it to be low enough to hear, but not too loud you can’t hear what everyone is saying.

Maybe choose a few games in advance if your wanting some after dinner entertainment. There are so many to choose from you and your guests will enjoy playing.

set a timeline

Trust me, you’ll be pleased you set a timeline, when it comes to cooking dishes or serving your meals. Knowing what time your meat needs to go into the oven or when to bring out something from the freezer. Making a timeline keeps you on schedule and you will feel much more relaxed.

Look after your own well being

One thing most hosts forget is thinking about themselves, but this is probably one of the most important. If you don’t think about your own well being you won’t enjoy your evening. Relax, have fun and enjoy spending time with your family and friends. After all if you don’t what’s the point of throwing a party if you’re not going to have fun. Your guests would rather enjoy spending time with you than having the perfect table decorations or food.

This post is all about dinner party hacks

(Related post: Best 18th Birthday Party Decor Ideas)