With the sun shining, grass getting greener and flowers blooming, what better way to get together with friends and family at home over food and drinks? If you’re hosting this year, try these dinner party tips for throwing the ultimate summer soiree!
1. IT’S ALL IN THE PREPARATION
The last thing your guests want is a flustered host. In which case, the best thing you can do is plan ahead. A simple rule? If you can prepare it ahead of time, do – and that doesn’t just go for the cooking. Make your playlist ahead of time, cook and prep what you can the night before, and lay everything you need out for the following morning. When thinking about your seating arrangement, if you’re hosting, you want to be close to the door so you can easily get in and out without disturbing everyone.
As the host, you should have fun too! Try not to put expectations on it. Gone are the days of traditional, formal sit-down meals. It’s not about showing off. It’s about having fun with your nearest and dearest. Instead, enjoy the preparation as much as the hosting. Have fun, and if anything goes wrong, laugh it off with your loved ones. The secret of a great dinner party is really in the company!
2. TRY TABLE-SCAPING
While the mood is dictated by the company, you can inspire it with the ambiance you create with your décor and atmosphere. When you’re creating your mood, think about all the senses – you want a feast for the eyes, ears, nose, and mouth. For the creative souls out there, table-scaping can be fun! If you want a theme, take inspiration from Pinterest or Instagram, but you might be surprised at what you can conjure up just going with the flow too. Use the natural world as decoration – flowers, plants, foliage like pine and eucalyptus, pine cones, and fresh produce all work amazingly well for table styling thanks to their fresh fragrance and colors. Experiment with seasonal berries, tangerines, or mounds of grapes, to decorate your festive table like an expert.
Keep your guests' experience in mind though. Avoid blocking the view over the table with tall candles, or flower vases. Flowers can really elevate a space, but keep them in the background so they’re not blocking people’s views, and a chance to connect. Being able to see each other and talk is really the most important thing.
3. SET THE MOOD
Lighting can alter the mood of a room. Instead of having your large main light on, “layer” lighting with wall lights, lamps, and candlelight at different levels to illuminate your space. You want to be able to see your food when you eat, but before you get to the main event, experiment with gentle lighting. Candlelight always creates a romantic ambiance, which can help people to feel relaxed, and that’s the goal! (Just be sure to place tealights and open flames away from sleeves to avoid a fire hazard!)
Choose a playlist that’s an easy-listen, and if you don’t have time to make one yourself, Spotify and Apple Music both have pre-prepared playlists especially for your occasion. Go for retro with “easy soul”, elegance with “dinner party jazz” or amp up the festive feels with Christmas party hits. Fill your house with festive fragrance with scented candles, diffusers, or wax melts. It’s not always needed in the room you’re having dinner in, but it makes a great first impression. Particular fragrances can transform a mood. Why not make some delicious holiday cocktails, bubbles, a grazing platter, or canapes for your guests to enjoy on arrival?
4. CONSIDER NUMBERS AND GAMES
If you want the conversation to take center stage and have a good catch-up, avoid more than four people, advises FashMash co-founder and table-scape designer Rosanna Falconer. If you have more than four people, conversations can be dominated by the more confident and social guests, so incorporating a few games isn’t cringe-worthy. In fact, the retro-ness of old-fashion parlor games like charades is becoming ironically cool again. Plus, these days, you have a wealth of adult board games that can lighten the mood and break down barriers between guests. With no equipment, the classic ‘Who Am I?” is always a winner. Take it in turns to choose a famous person for the player to have stuck to their forehead. They have to guess asking only ‘yes’ or ‘no’ questions.
5. CHOOSE A RECIPE FOR SUCCESS
Don’t go for something ultra-extravagant that you’ve never made before. You want the experience to be as relaxing as possible, so go for something you know you’re great at making, or keep it light with lots of sharing platters so people can pick and choose what they like. There’s no pressure to make a formal multi-course sit-down meal if you don’t want to. You also don’t want to give yourself too much work on the day – spending the whole time in the kitchen sweating over a hot stove won’t be fun for you or your guests. You could even ask each guest to bring a dish of their choice, or order in. There are no rules here!
In the spirit of the seventies coming back into fashion across fashion and interiors, the same goes for food. Retro options like canapes can be super chic, and make the ideal appetizer, or nibbles to snack on during a games’ night. If you want something more modern, grazing platters are your go-to – they’re the new cheeseboard! It’s all in the details, so don’t forget your garnishes. A sprinkle of coriander or mint here can make all the difference.
6. FILL YOUR CUP WITH BOOZE AND BREWS
To bring everyone into the summer spirit, look to actual spirits (or alcohol-free versions, if that’s your jam) with fancy cocktails, or elevate the celebratory feel with champagne cocktails. Keep things light and fruity at the start of the meal, then you can always offer a coffee-based dessert cocktail like Espresso Martini to give everyone a boost after dinner. Seasonal spices like cinnamon, cloves, and star anise, along with red berries and a sprig of rosemary can bring a festive flair to your beverages. Buy your spices whole to use within your concoction and to use as garnishes, and don’t forget your ice, then go forth, and sip in style!
7. RELAX AND ENJOY
Your vibe can wear off onto others, so try and relax as much as possible, and don’t put pressure on yourself. Get ready ahead of time, and enjoy a drink and moment’s peace so you’re relaxed when the first guest arrives. The magic of festivities is the company you keep, so focus on that instead of everything being perfect and you won’t go far wrong! Accept that things might get burnt, there might be a smashed glass, but it’s all part of the fun, and you’ll laugh it off later! Food, drink, family, friends, and conversation are all you need to make your night a roaring success.