20 easy tips to follow when hosting a dinner party

Preparing for your dinner party more than a few hours in advance will simplify your life. Plan your menu, decide which dishes can be prepared ahead of time, and set up some decorations— all of it will make a world of difference on the day of your party.  

Having a schedule for cooking and preparing your space for a dinner party will help immensely. You don’t need to stick to it down to the minute, nor do your guests. It’s just a way to help you plan the order in which you need to complete tasks and estimate how long each task will take. 

Planning a menu can be tough, but having a central theme is much easier. It could be a certain country, a holiday, or an idea. There are infinite ways you can take a theme, but having one will make generating ideas much simpler. 

Trying a new recipe for a dinner party can be tempting, but it’s risky. If you want to serve something new, make sure to make it at least once before hosting your party. Otherwise, just stick to recipes you’ve made multiple times before. 

Whenever you have more than a few people in a room, the options for what you can serve that everyone will like become more limited. Rather than asking everyone what their specific tastes are (allergies don’t count, so ask about those), just make crowd-pleasers to make it easier on yourself. 

Hosting a dinner party requires a lot of cleaning up. If possible, make it a little easier by using disposable items. There are great options for plastic dinnerware that almost look like they’re made of glass or porcelain, so don’t fear that you’re trading your aesthetic for easy clean-up.

If you don’t have everything you need, ask your guests to bring something. Most people will be more than willing to bring either a necessary serving item or a part of the meal. 

Chances are you’re not a professional caterer and, therefore, don’t own heat lamps, and it’s likely you don’t have a warming drawer in your kitchen. If you’re serving hot food, break out your crockpot to keep it hot before you serve it. 

One easy way to set the mood is to play music. Make a playlist that fits the tone you’re trying to convey, and put it on repeat. If you don’t want to make one, find one on the internet.

Dealing with guests is one of the trickiest parts of hosting a dinner party. If there’s any rule you want them to follow while at your house — like using a certain bathroom or staying out of certain rooms — (kindly) let them know when they arrive so they’re aware the entire time. 

Again, an easy way to set the mood is with lighting. Light a few candles at the table to create a beautiful and fancy ambiance. Avoid scented candles at the dinner table as the scents from the food and the candles could clash. 

Everyone’s taste buds are different, and someone will likely ask for salt and pepper at your dinner party. Put a few out on the table so you don’t have to get up in the middle of the meal. 

If you’re serving buffet style, arrange your food according to how it should be assembled. If you’re serving sandwiches, put the bread at the beginning of the line. If it’s pasta, put the noodles first. This will make it easier for your guests to make their plates and keep them from crossing back and forth in line. 

It’s a dinner party. People are going to expect dessert. You have to serve it. If you’re not the best baker or don’t have time to make something, outsource it. Either ask a guest to bring something or purchase an item from a local bakery. 

Depending on your group, it may be difficult to get conversations started between people. To keep things from getting awkward, have a few starters ready. It can be a question to ask the whole group or even a commonality between two or three people to suggest they discuss. 

Whether you’re hosting kids or adults, have a non-alcoholic drink option available, and make sure it’s something other than water. Juice, a mocktail, soda, or lemonade are all easy options that will make your guests who can’t or choose not to indulge feel welcome. 

Do have plenty of water available, though. Whether you keep it in bottles that are easily accessible or in a pitcher that everyone can see, have water available to your guests so they don't have to ask. No matter what, someone at your party is going to want water. 

If kids are coming to your dinner party, consider them when planning everything. Have foods and drinks that they’ll like, and consider having a separate place for them to sit. Also, consider your environment. If there’s anything you’re worried a kid might break, put it away for the party. 

While your guests are at your home, try to refrain from cleaning as much as possible. You can put dishes in the sink or throw away garbage but don’t take out your vacuum and disinfectant and start scrubbing unless it’s absolutely necessary. Enjoy your party with your guests. 

There are few things worse than waking up to a giant mess. Be sure to clean up at least a little bit of your dinner party remnants after guests have left and before going to bed. You’ll thank yourself in the morning.