Hosting a dinner party is a great way to spend some quality time with family and friends while enjoying some tasty food. While not every dinner party has to be elegant and sophisticated, it’s nice to go the extra mile and host something really special from time to time. It could be a special occasion or celebration, or just an opportunity to step outside the normal type of gathering. Regardless of the reason, we’ve got some great tips that will help you to host the ultimate elegant and sophisticated dinner party in your home. This will be an evening that your guests won’t forget anytime soon.
Set a Dress Code
To kick off your dinner party on an elegant note, why not set a dress code for your guests? There’s something about getting dressed up and putting in that extra effort that just makes the whole evening feel a bit different. This doesn’t mean people need to show up in formal wear, but you can set a classy dress code and have your guests arrive in their night-out-on-the-town wear.
Take Time to Plan Out Your Menu
What you serve your guests to eat and drink will also help to set the tone for the evening. If you want to host an elegant and sophisticated dinner party, the food will need to reflect that theme. There are plenty of hosting cookbooks and guides that you can find online which can act as a resource, or at the very least it can help to spark some ideas.
If you decide to cook recipes that are new to you, it may be wise to give them a practice run before your dinner party. You want to be sure you’ve got the recipe mastered for your guests. It can also help make the day of the party a little less hectic and rushed.
Another tip when planning your menu is to have a few courses, as this is what you’d find at a high-end restaurant. Here’s a look at the courses you can include in the order in which they should be served:
- Soup
- Salad
- Fish
- First main dish
- Palate cleanser course
- Second main dish
- Cheese plate
- Dessert
- Drinks and pastries
Obviously, that is a lot of food and you likely don’t want to serve all of those courses, but you can then pick and choose which makes sense for your gathering.
Invest in Elegant Glassware
Glassware is essential for any elegant dinner party so rather than reaching for the same tired pieces, why not invest in high-quality glassware that you’ll cherish for many years to come? It will elevate the entire look of the dinner table and can even act as a conversation piece. These glass sets from Tom Dixon manage to hit that perfect level of elegance combined with a modern flair that feels unique and eye-catching. Tom Dixon is well known for his imaginative designs, so they are perfect for people who want their dinner table to pop. Glassware covers all your glasses obviously, but can also include decorative bowls that are perfect as centerpieces, candlestick holders or votive holders, diffusers, decanters and so much more.
Use Luxurious Linens at the Table
An elegant dinner party is most definitely not the time to be bringing out paper napkins and the backyard vinyl-backed tablecloth. Think luxury linens – linens that look and feel sumptuous and have some weight to them. If you need to purchase linens, be sure to also give thought to your color theme for the dining table. To stay true to the elegant vibe, you will likely want to stick to neutral colors, nothing too loud and shocking.
Plan on Serving Appetizers and Pre-Dinner Drinks
Besides the dinner menu, it’s also a nice touch to serve appetizers and pre-dinner drinks to your guests once they all arrive. This should be done at least an hour before the dinner is ready, and you don’t want to put out too much as it will spoil everyone’s appetite. Think tasty small bites, rather than substantial appetizers.
Pre-dinner drinks, called aperitifs, can be alcoholic or non-alcoholic. Some popular cocktail options can include:
- Spiced Tonic
- Aperol Spritz
- Gimlet
- Negroni
- Martini
And if you don’t want to serve cocktails, dry white wine is perfect as a pre-dinner drink.
Give Thought to the Ambiance
The final tip is to be mindful of the ambiance. For an elegant affair, you probably want soft lighting, candles and light dinner music playing in the background.
By using these tips and taking the time to properly plan out the dinner party, you’ll be able to put together an evening that is elegant, sophisticated and unlike anything your friends have ever attended at your house. Just be prepared to do it all again, as your friends will be anxiously awaiting the next party.
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Susie Young Baxter, CEO, has published PanoramaNOW Magazine for 31 years. Her hobbies are Camping, Boating, Hiking, Nature, Gardening and Outdoor Activities. She is an Artist, Graphic Designer, an Avid Seamstress, Dabbles in Homemade Crafts and Landscaping. Since her Father was a Health Teacher, she also likes homeopathic Health Solutions. Since blogging started over 10 years ago, PanoramaNow has been added to Newsbreak – a national news affiliate.
