10 Tips for Prepping a Dinner Party
It’s no secret that I love throwing a good dinner party. I used to be an event planner, so I think it’s just in my blood. I recently had a few ~vaccinated~ friends over for a small dinner party, and I thought I’d share some of my tips and tricks that helped our night run as smooth as possible. Happy dining!
For starters, ask everyone about their eating preferences and dietary restrictions way in advance. You never know who is vegan-gluten-everything-but-the-bagel-free these days (lol).
Plan your menu as well as your grocery list at least one week beforehand. Don’t forget to include things like ice, trash bags, and cocktail ingredients on your grocery list — it’s not just about the food!
Plan out two grocery trips, one in advance for dry goods and basics and one the day before for fresh goods and anything you forgot because let’s be real, you’re going to forget something.
Stick to 8-10 people max. if you want people to be able to have conversations at dinner. No yelling across the table!
Do your table settings the day before to take something off of your plate (pun intended) on the day of the party. If you’re a perfectionist (like me), you will thank me for this tip later.
If you want to have personalized centerpieces to decorate the table with, create some flower arrangements in advance, but not too far in advance. We can’t have dead flowers on the table…unless that’s your thing! No judgment (lol).
Don’t be afraid to delegate and ask people to bring some dishes, drinks, or desserts! But, make sure to be specific — you don’t want anything to clash with your menu. This will take a few things off of your plate, and make your guests feel like they’re contributing.
Make sure to clear out some fridge space before people arrive so that you have somewhere to keep cold drinks and leftovers. You. Will. Have. Leftovers.
Pull out and label your serving dishes before you cook everything so that you know what goes where.
Last but not least, start the night with a clean dishwasher, so that you have somewhere to put dirty dishes. That is…if you have a dishwasher. If you don’t, my deepest condolences. Pro tip: clean as you go to keep your stress level low. Who doesn’t love a good rhyme? 🤣
