If lockdown has taught people one thing, it’s that you don’t need to socialise at bars and restaurants every weekend to have fun. When lockdown restrictions finally start to lift, you might want to invite your friends and family for a meal and catch-up at your own home. However, how can you ensure that you are offering your guests an unforgettable dining experience? Here are five easy tips for elevating your dinner parties.
- Centrepiece
Make your dining table extra special for your guests by taking care to dress it attractively with the correct cutlery and glasses and perhaps adding a centrepiece. This might be a striking candlestick if you want a romantic and mysterious candlelit dinner or perhaps a stunning floral bouquet. Consider how large your centrepiece will be and whether it will overshadow your guests. If you like the look of candles but want to reduce the fire hazard, you could use LED tea lights as a safer and more environmentally-friendly alternative.
- Matching cutlery
Mismatched knives and forks might be alright for everyday mealtimes, but you could invest in a matching set to add a touch of refined elegance to your dinner parties. Look for robust silver cutlery to up the glamour factor even more, and consult table setting guides if you want to be extra fancy. Likewise, ensure that your plates and bowls are matching, and don’t put out any that are chipped.
- Create a menu
You might like to offer your guests the restaurant experience by creating a menu consisting of complimentary dishes. This could consist of appetisers to accompany drinks, followed by starters, main course, and dessert, and finished with chocolates to accompany after-dinner coffee. When creating your menu, make sure to take into account the dietary requirements of your guests – you don’t want to prepare a cold meat tapas platter only to remember at the last minute that one of your guests is vegetarian. You could also choose a culinary theme for your menu, such as cooking a delicious Thai dinner party.
- Dress code
There have not been many opportunities for dressing up during lockdown; as a consequence, tracksuits and jogging bottoms are now common attire. However, making an effort in your clothes and appearance can greatly boost your self-confidence. As such, you might want to specify a smart-casual dress code for your dinner party, giving your guests the opportunity to dress up and wear some make-up if they wish. Or, you could host a themed dinner party requiring guests to wear a fun costume, for example, wearing 70s style clothing if you are throwing a 70s dinner party.
- Music
Having music playing in the background throughout your dinner party can help to set the mood and prevent uncomfortable silences. Look for pieces that are unobtrusive and unlikely to distract guests away from conversations, such as easy listening instrumentals or classical music. You can always play fun disco tracks after your dinner if you fancy a dance.
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