While throwing a lovely dinner party can be demanding and stressful, it can also be rewarding and fun. Here are the top tips for hosting an extravagant dinner party that will be unique and memorable.
Create Ambiance
Creating a welcoming, elegant ambiance for the event will impress your guests. Work with a theme, but don’t overdo it; instead, use your theme as subtle inspiration for décor, lighting, and cuisine.
For a lavish evening party, warm lights can spruce up the setting. Also, choose relaxing background music that reflects the cuisine you’ve chosen to serve or the atmosphere you want to create. Smooth jazz and classical chamber music enhance the ambiance without disrupting conversations.
Create a Seating Plan
Craft a seating plan to ensure that all your guests can converse across the table and with the guests at their sides. Also, use creative place cards that subtly echo your theme (an evening in Florence, a party at an English country home, a meet-up at a Parisian café, etc.).
Set an Elegant Table
The dinner table is the focal point of your affair. A beautifully adorned table can spark conversation, so invest time and resources to make the table as extravagant as it can be. Floral centerpieces can be lavish but not so spectacular that they block your guests’ views of each other across the table. Formal event table setting traditions should apply. Use white table linens, cloth napkins, salad bowls, plates, and wine glasses.
A dinner party is a perfect excuse to break out the silver you inherited or received as wedding gifts. Use butter knives, dinner forks, and spoons. Set charger plates as the base for soup, salad, and dinner plates. For an extra extravagant touch, use chair covers with bows in gold, silver, or embroidered fabric.
Offer a Variety of Drinks
Preparing your menu of cocktails and wines is as important as planning your party dishes. Make certain that you have a variety of non-alcoholic and alcoholic drinks to offer to your guests. Start with cocktails and select wines that complement your menu. If you’re not sure what wine pairings are best for your menu, ask the wine specialist at your local specialty liquor store.
Hosting a fancy evening gathering doesn’t have to be grueling. These top tips for hosting an extravagant dinner party should help you enjoy your preparations as much as your party.
