How to Host a Casual Dinner Party for Friends

At Home Dining. Casual. And With Friends.

Dinner parties are a great way of connecting with people, be it friends or colleagues. People feel appreciated to be a part of your life when you invite them over for dinner at your home. Socialize and share your thoughts, interests, and fun moments with them casually at home.

 

When planning to host a casual dinner party at home for your friends, make sure that you don’t get stuck in doing things that can be done by someone else. Make space for yourself so that you can focus on essential things, and leave the rest of the tasks for someone else. For example, you should take the help of your family members when going out for supplies. That way you spend your time to arrange everything at home.

Here is what you need to do to get that dinner planned.

 

  • Make a guest list:

Come up with a list of friends whom you would like to invite for the dinner party. You should be aware of your home’s space and how many place settings you can offer when preparing the list. Because you don’t want to fall short of dishes or chairs. 

On the other hand, if you can make extra space and set up a table in your living room, then don’t worry about inviting only a limited number of people. After all, it is a casual dinner party, so there wouldn’t be any awkwardness in eating your dinner out of the dining room. In this case, you can modify the ambiance and make some casual arrangements in the living room so that everyone feels at home.

 

  • Schedule the date and send invitations:

The next step is to schedule the date and timing of your dinner party. It is better to choose a weekend eve so everyone will likely show. You can send the invitations either via email or through text or casual calls. The best way to invite them is by calling them through the phone as you can ask for their food requirements and personalize the invite as many people are on a diet or prefer vegan food. Also, you can check if they are comfortable with your scheduled date and time to make a perfect plan.

 

  • Plan the menu:

While planning the menu, you should find the recipes that don’t keep you stuck in the kitchen prepping. Imagine how it would look if your friends reach your home, and you are still preparing the food? So look for simple, yet smart ways to plan the menu. You can add the instant pot recipes such as one pot spaghetti bolognese or a pizza pasta dish that gets ready within a few minutes.

 

Also, you have to make sure that you have additional options for anyone who has dietary restrictions. Be sure to ask them about any dietary concerns when inviting them to the party.

 

Plan out how you want to serve the food so that it helps you in picking up the recipes. Do you want to serve it yourself by adding plates to the table, or do you want to keep buffet style? Once you choose the food serving, start listing out the ingredients and vegetables that you would require. Planning the menu helps a lot as you get time to pick up all the essentials in advance.  

 

  • Set up a theme:

If you want to make this dinner party a memorable one, try picking up a theme. You can select a color theme or ask your friends to dress up in that color, or you can host in an offbeat location in your home, such as the backyard or rooftop. Make sure to keep it as casual as possible so that your friends don’t feel uncomfortable. 

 

  • Clean up all the mess:

Cleaning up the mess doesn’t mean that you have to start cleaning everything from scratch. After you decide the location in your home, start cleaning it up. Make way by moving around things so that your friends don’t feel unwieldy. You can replace dull blankets from your couch with fresh and colorful ones to add instant decor.

 

Place some flower vase near the basin and along the sides of windows. If you are planning for a theme, then look for some contrasting flowers and place them all over your home and make it a wonderful place to hang out with your friends on dinner night.

 

  • Think about entertainment:

You should plan out what things that you and your friends would love to do after dinner. Look out for some board games or group games that will make your time more joyful. You can also reserve the time for sharing your memories and thoughts about life and whatnot.  This can be a beautiful thing to do as you will get to spend precious time with them.

 

  • Set up the place:

You can set up the place on the day of your dinner party. Start by early afternoon so that you have enough time to put everything together. You can set up different types of chairs and small cozy cushions or couch over the place to make it look like a casual seating arrangement. Don’t get all messy by putting everything in one place. Keep some space for everyone to move around. You can then set up the dishes and glasses on the table along with a designer table cloth. Make sure to add a small flower vase and small candles to add a charming look to the table.

 

  • Arrange the drinks:

Last but not least, put the drinks on the table. You should have different options as not every one of them would prefer alcohol. So make a place for some mocktails or soft drinks to keep your friends engaged. 

 

Casual Dining Awaits..

Keep it simple. Focus on the guest list, the menu, the dining logistics and the ambiance. For ambiance put on light background music, and that’s it, you are all set. We hope that you have a wonderful time with your friends by hosting a beautiful party.

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