Hosting a get together in your home is about hospitality. It gives others a glimpse into your life and lifestyle. The best way for your guests to enjoy you or get to know you better is to actually spend time with you. Here are some tips to help things run smoothly giving you more time with your guests and less time fussing.
When sending out invitations it’s important to give an idea of the type of party; formal or informal, children welcome or adults only, by invitation only or bring a friend. This way no one’s surprised the night of.
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| Proof you don't need good taste to have a good time |
Sometimes it’s helpful to pick a theme; Ours ~ ugly sweaters. It ensures no one is taking life too seriously. We think the pictures make the perfect backdrop to our blog post ~ don’t be too jealous about how great we look!
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| Hard to pick a favourite! |
1. Have all your prep finished before the first guests arrive. Make & assemble your food, set up your food and beverage stations, stock ice, have all necessary supplies at hand, light your candles and choose a fabulous playlist that is playing even as the first guest arrives.
2. If necessary rent extra glassware, dishes and serving platters. It’s relatively inexpensive, provides a uniform look and means you won’t be washing up throughout the evening. If possible, it's also a nice idea to hire help with cleanup the next day.
3. Greet your guests at the door, take their coats, offer them a beverage and help them feel comfortable and settled.
4. When at all possible, allow guests to wear their shoes. So much time and effort (and often expense) goes into choosing special attire and footwear is part of the look. Stocking feet somehow don’t look as posh ~ unless you're wearing ugly sweaters!
5. Break up your food and beverage locations to prevent people bunching up in one spot. Have a bar or drink table on one side of the main living space with a buffet of appetizers and desserts in the dining room. It’s also a good idea to have one drop spot for dirties.
6. Keep the drink selection simple: wine and beer, just martinis, or specialty coffees keep it simple and are easy to stock for.
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| Hands Free Dining |
7. Have a special, designated driver mocktail and a door prize (a way to say thanks for helping keep guests safe). Do take personal responsibility to ensure your guests don’t drink and drive. If sending an invitation or e-vite mention guests should plan for a safe ride home.
8. When serving finger food, make sure items won’t crumble down a guests outfit, and don’t serve those that are difficult to eat.
9. Sometimes the best evening is potluck style where each guest contributes a plate of appetizers or a dish, and a bottle of wine. No one minds pitching in and it truly frees up everyone, including you, to simply enjoy the evening.
10. Take great photos throughout your evening. Once the night is over, assemble your favorites into an online photo album and invite your guests to view it. Also consider making prints of the best ones and send each guest a memorable photo from the party inside a thank you card.
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| Rhonda, Lou & Terri |
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