A step-by-step guide to plan your dinner
Preparation is key to ensure a successful dinner party. Here is a step-by-step guide of what you should think about when entertaining friends at home.
A week before
It is best to plan your menu a week before, especially if you will be entertaining a large group of people or if hosting for a special occasion. The dishes you decide to serve on that day will be influenced by the season and the availability of certain produce. Always make sure none of your guests has food allergies. If this is the case, you will then be able to either change your menu or offer these guests an alternative option.
– Once you have planned your menu, start thinking about pairing wines. You might need time to purchase new bottles of wines especially if you don’t have the suitable ones at home.
– Think about your table setting (read our previous article on “how to set your dining table”) and table decoration so you know exactly how you plan to decorate on the day.
Depending on the occasion, you may need to purchase a few little extras to finalise the look you envisage.
– Start thinking about a seating plan. Worst thing ever is to look totally unprepared when guests start seating around the dining table. You should know where each of your guests will sit.
1 or 2 days before
If you think you are going to be limited in the amount of time you can spend in the kitchen on the day of your dinner, then you may want to prepare some dishes beforehand. It can be a dessert or a starter for instance. Check your cutlery and crockery stocks. If they have been stocked in your cupboard for a couple of weeks, you may want to give them a bit of clean. Check your tablecloth and napkins as well, they may need ironing.
– Go shopping for your ingredients and get the flowers if you plan to decorate your home with flower arrangements.
– Send a reminder to your guests.
In any case, it is useful to keep a record of the event – the date, what was served, who attended and how the food was received. This will serve as a useful reminder and resource next time you are planning a menu, especially if you are entertaining the same guests!
When organising a dinner party at home, do not minimise the importance of planning. Small details do make a big difference, especially in terms of entertainment, so make sure that nothing was overlooked and your dinner party will surely be successful.
Hélène Denaiffe, founder of Stylodeco
Styledeco is an online boutique offering casual elegant home accessories and furniture. Based in Singapore, the brand ships to 11 countries in South-East Asia. You may visit its new showroom in Singapore (by appointment only).
