How to plan dinner party: My best suggestion to simplify the process. Wisdom and happiness

I like to finish people for food, and over time it becomes another nature. I noticed that a recurring question of friends and readers focused around the basics of hosting. Eager to learn more, I asked a question on Instagram, asking that you want to cover me. Again, people asked how to do Plan A dinner party – especially how to decide who should be invited among different friend groups that do not know each other.

With so many questions on how to start hosting in the first place, I want to share my advice about planning a dinner party at home. In this, how to make a guest list, how to decide a date, and how to send an invitation. These are these early steps that may look simple but often people get stuck and prevent them from hosting.

I hope this post removes some obstacles that keep the dinner parties (or together with brunch, happy hours, and simple afternoon) and keep much more than joining people in their lives.

If you are eager for more hosting materials, my friend Lisa and I am starting an entertaining series on Wit and Delight later this month. We will dive at home to host different types of meetings. In each post, we will share Everything You need to host an air, including a day before and for the day, a detailed grocery list, and a time -line including recipes for each menu items. Stay!

How to plan dinner party in 3 simple stages

1. Make a guest list

Ask yourself some questions

Before creating your guest list, ask yourself some questions. The first is, How many people can I host comfortably? These questions are factors in your home space, time in your program, and how much budget you want to do, and there are factors in obstacles. I almost always feel that it is better to invite fewer people (usually between two and four) than a larger group. I like to talk to everyone at my home!

Next, ask yourself, What do I want to do out of this opportunity? This question helps me narrow me what I want to see the assembly and which I want to invite. Your answer may be one of the following (or something completely):

• Create new relationships
• I already have strengthening relationships
• Enter friend groups

Make your guest list

Based on your answers to the above questions, here are some ways that you can go about.

• If your goal is to create new relationships, consider inviting four people you are not yet super closes.
• If your goal is to strengthen the relationships already with you, consider inviting one or two close friends.
• If your goal is to interact with friend groups, then consider inviting five people of various social circles either, which you think will enjoy knowing each other.

Guest list example

To shed some light when you look like different guest lists, here I have given some examples of the hosted meetings.

To host people from different friend groups.

For such an opportunity, my goal is to get my friends (and myself) out of their relaxed field and give them a chance to join with those they can enjoy.

I keep these types of opportunities in Max (including six). I think it becomes difficult for more than six people to give each other a chance to know each other. Six people are the perfect number for group conversations And Side conversation.

To host two families from children’s school.

My goal for this occasion which and I was just to learn a few couples, we will interact in school on a personal level.

I put the guest list in two couples, so it would be easy to join everyone in appearance. More than two may mean that we are chatting in a small pod instead of fully connecting.

As a group, we decided to have children in this dinner for the same reason: we wanted children to get a chance to know each other better. In this case, a family had an elder brother, who was the “in -charge” of the children, while we ate. We divided cooking for the adult menu among families and ordered pizza for children, rather than that they eat as us.

Hosted a main group of friends.

For such an opportunity, my goal is to catch with those I love in a comfortable setting.

On one recent occasion, I invited a group of college friends that I did not see in a while. I placed the guest list in four (to include myself), which felt like a small number to re -join everyone.

To host a friend (or a couple) for a simple food.

My goal for such an opportunity is to re -connect with this one person (or couple).

This is an example of hosting that I am doing a lot – and this is one that I think people forget or forget about exemption. These are the simple opportunities how I maintain a close relationship with the main friends in my life. Food is usually very simple, such as hearty soup or a large, warming pasta dish.

2. Decide on date

Once you have your guest list, decide on a date. If I am hosting a more detailed gathering, I will usually choose a weekend. If I am hosting something simple, a week’s night is a good option.

I can choose a date that works for me and what I think will do good work for those I am inviting. Or, I am narrow on some dates that work for me and then send a small list of options to guests, so that they can chimes based on their availability. If this is a new group of people I have not hosted regularly, I will probably send some options. If it is a close group of friends, I have more likely to choose only one date.

Remember, as a host, you are on the driver’s seat. Don’t be afraid to be decisive! Although sometimes it is necessary to send an option rather than just decision making, I think crowdsourcing preferences can be heavy. A part of the role of the host is to direct things not only on the day but also in the planning process.

3. Send invitation

How to send invitation

My recommendation: Keep the invitation simple! I almost always send an invitation through a simple text. What does it look here:

• If people I am inviting, they already know each other, then I will usually send a group lesson.
• If they do not know each other, I recite each person separately and include a list of attendees so that they are aware of who else will be. Once everyone confirmed, I will merge the text thread so that I can keep everyone in the loop on the details. Since everyone is already on the same text thread, one can leave the move of swapping numbers when the new familiar party is re -connected after the newly familiar party.
• If I was hosting a more detailed gathering with a large group (which is rare), I will consider another route such as sending a paperless post invitation through the text. When I talk about dinner plan, I am not much email person!

I think it is best to postpone whatever communication medium you use with friends most often. For me, this is the lesson. If this is an email for you, go for it!

When to send an invitation

As a general rule of the thumb, the less close to guests, the further invitations should be sent. You are close to them, the closer invitation can be. If I am doing crowdsourcing dates, I send the invitation lesson a little earlier, otherwise I otherwise. Here are some common timelines that I stick:

• If I am hosting a mixture of people from different friend groups, I will send an invitation 14 to 30 days in advance.
• If I am hosting new friends, I will send an invitation to 7 to 20 days in advance.
• If I am hosting the main group of friends, I will send the invitation 3 to 14 days in advance.
• If I am hosting a close friend or couple, I will send the invitation 3 to 14 days in advance – or sometimes in the morning.

Sample invitation

In the invitation, I include all major details: date, time, guest list (if it is not a group text), and they should know if I have a specific plan. If I am hosting anyone, I have not finished before, I would also ask them to share whether they have a diet ban, so I can plan or update the menu accordingly.

Here are some sample texts that I have sent:

• “Hey! I am making a lacquer, I want to come tonight? Children are welcome.”
• “We have not cooked food together in a while, let’s find a date that works for a group! I am very open in the sept. How about the September 12 week? I will host.”
• “Lisa, Marlo, and I am cooking together on 6 August. Can you join our place?”
• “Hi! I will have you and your spouse for dinner. We are around August 16,17, and 24-18. None of those dates works for you? Children or not? I am either open!”

Do what works for you

To plan dinner party, I have a unanimous piece of advice to do it in such a way that reflects You, I am quite casual, which is why text messages and short time work works for me. If you are a more formal person, increase the invitation in a way that seems the most comfortable. Maybe you like to make plans in advance. If you type, use a doodle for crowdsource dates and assign something to bring people. People like to tell what to do in such situations!

When you open yourself to connect with others in your home on food, Martha Stewart is not wooed for cosplay. The best invitations are sent with the real intentions to spend time together. If you take whatever decision you make, you cannot be wrong.

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