As a parent, you’ve likely spent so much time throwing kid’s parties in recent years that you’ve forgotten what an actual grown-up party is like. However, while they likely exist without the addition of face painting and costumed characters – they’re actually quite similar – a bunch of people coming together to have fun. And, as having quality time with your friends is a great way to balance parenting and your own happiness, now is the perfect time to start planning your own dinner party! Here are some top tips to get you started.
Choose a theme
Themed parties aren’t just for kids, but luckily, themed dinner parties give you the perfect opportunity to ditch Elsa and Paw Patrol in favor of something a little more up your alley. For example, you could choose from a wide range of entertaining dinner party themes – such as a murder mystery night or casino-themed bash!
Once you’ve selected a theme, you can start getting down to the actual party planning, as the rest of your decisions will be based on this theme. For example, your music choices or Spotify playlist should match your theme as this is a great way to create the perfect atmosphere and wow your guests at the same time.
Put together a food & drink menu
Putting together a menu for a dinner party might sound stressful – but it doesn’t have to be. To start with, you should check whether or not any of your guests have any dietary requirements you should know about beforehand. Then, the real fun starts. However, it’s important to remember that you don’t have to go overboard to impress your guests – as most people will prefer a delicious, home-style meal over a failed attempt at a gourmet dish anyway. For example, you could recreate this delicious pork tenderloin medallions recipe – which is a fun take on a dish you already know your guests will love.
Once you’ve got the food covered, you can start to think of what drinks you’d like to serve to your guests, such as a tequila cocktail or frozen Strawberry Prosecco. You should also ensure you have some non-alcoholic drinks to hand in case any of your guests do not feel like drinking.
Decorate your home
When hosting a dinner party, you must find a way to make your home feel more welcoming so that your guests can kick back and relax. Ideally, you should start this process by giving your home a deep clean (if you’re short on time, you can use this simple method to clean your home in just 60 minutes.) Then, you should decorate your home in order to match the theme of the evening or the atmosphere you are trying to create. For example, if you decided to plan a casino-themed evening, then you could decorate your home with playing cards or even set up a blackjack table. Alternatively, if you are planning an elegant and classy evening, you could decorate your home with candles and a floral centerpiece.
