Hosting at Home? 5 Essential Tips for Entertaining in Style

The dinner party is a timeless social affair. Although you can host one at your favourite restaurant, your home might offer a better space. After all, there is something to say about hosting in the comfort of your own home, especially if you’ve just had a successful home makeover.

Other than showcasing your new space, choosing the food and drinks, and cultivating the environment and vibe are all big attractions to hosting a dinner party at home. 

But where do you begin? Do you immediately shop for fancy china at your favourite luxury homeware shop? How do you make sure this experience doesn’t leave you stressed out, from choosing who to invite to hiring the caterer?

Here are five necessary tips for entertaining at home in style.

1. Curate a thoughtful guest list.

Do all your friends and acquaintances get along? Will they complement each other? Before sending off your invitations, consider how the group dynamics will unfold. 

Think of it like planning a wedding. There’s a reason seating charts exist. It’s not about excluding anyone, but about creating the most enjoyable atmosphere for everyone involved. 

If two friends are going through a rough patch or aren’t quite seeing eye to eye, it’s perfectly all right to be selective with your invitations or seating. A thoughtfully curated guest list helps ensure a relaxed, harmonious evening for all.

Consider mixing friends from different parts of your life. Keep the group diverse to spark lively conversations.

2. Pick a theme.

Choose a specific theme unless there’s a special occasion. A theme not only guides your menu but can also spark creativity about how you set the table (glam and gorgeous vs. chic and casual) and what music to play. A theme also creates a cohesive evening.

But how do you pick one?

A few options include going with what’s in season. For instance, a fall-themed dinner party might be perfect going into the holidays. Another option would be to draw inspiration from fashion trends, like sustainable luxury. You could decorate the dining room with pre-owned luxury items or specify the attire to reflect eco-conscious choices.

Other options include cuisine-based themes (e.g., Sicilian night, Japanese izakaya, Mediterranean diet, etc.), era-based themes (e.g.,  ‘30s speakeasy, ‘70s disco, etc.), and cultural themes (e.g., Scandinavian, French, etc.). 

Before landing on one, make sure that the theme resonates with your guests to ensure everyone enjoys the evening.

3. Plan a menu that’s effortless.

The most effortless way to plan a menu is to hire a caterer and just tell them what you want out of your dinner party. But when you’re not able to hire professionals, there’s a way to still host a hit dinner party without organising an elaborate menu.

To begin with, draw inspiration from the theme. If you’re going with Mediterranean, your menu for the evening could include roasted fish, Greek salad, or an olive oil-based pasta dish. These items can be served family style, which should make them easier to prepare. Plated dishes per guest might keep you in the kitchen too long.

If you want to cook the entire dinner, create a menu that’s easy to execute. For example, you could make it a three-course dinner: starter, main, and dessert. 

Build the course around the main dish, like a roast duck with accompaniments (e.g., buttered green beans, rosemary garlic mashed potatoes and red cabbage slaw). You can start the roast duck a few hours before dinner, have the sides ready by the time guests arrive and present the whole duck at the table to wow your guests.

If you’re not able to cook, you can always have food delivered from your favourite fine dining restaurant. Keep the dishes warm until guests arrive. This way, you’ll have all the energy you need to entertain your guests.

4. Set the tone with music and light.

Music and lighting set the mood for the kind of dinner party you have planned. Will it be an intimate gathering or a party atmosphere? 

For intimate dinners, try soft and warm lighting to craft a relaxed but inviting atmosphere. For a more upbeat setup, try brighter and more playful lighting to keep the energy flowing.

When it comes to music, curate a playlist that flows with the rhythm of the evening — from welcoming guests at the door, to sitting down for dinner, and winding down as the night comes to a close.

In all, create an environment that reflects the theme, as well as keep your guests engaged.

5. Envision the entire thing, from start to finish.

Finally, the most memorable dinner parties often feel effortless. It’s not because they were spontaneous, but because they were intentionally designed. So take a moment to step back and picture the flow of the night, from the first doorbell ring to the last guest leaving. 

What do you want people to feel when they arrive? How will they transition from welcome drinks to dinner to after-dinner conversation? 

Think about the full experience to spot any gaps, anticipate needs and create a seamless, thoughtful evening.