How to Plan a Dinner Party

Planning a dinner party? Fear not! If you take the time to prepare and plan, your dinner party will turn out exactly like you envision. The following two-week timeline will help you do just that so that your dinner party goes off without a hitch.

One important thing to remember when planning a dinner party is that paying attention to detail before the party will make the planning go smoother. Also, don't forget to take into account the needs of your guests. Are you inviting children to the dinner party? Be sure to include some kid-friendly foods. Does anyone have dietary restrictions? Work around them in your dinner party planning. After all, the ultimate goal is to make sure all your dinner party guests have a good time.

DINNER PARTY PLANNING: At Least Two Weeks Ahead . . .

- SET THE DATE!!! You are the one planning the dinner party, so choose a date and stick to it. Nothing is worse than a wishy-washy hostess who cannot settle on a firm date for their dinner party.
- Invite guests (yes, that is VERY important to planning any event!). But don't invite more people than you can accommodate in your home (or at your dinner table, for that matter) . . . you never know when they ALL might show up for your dinner party.
- Create the dinner party menu including appetizers, main course and dessert (don't forget the drinks too!). Be sure to plan some dishes that can be made ahead and reheated or served cold. Planning these will make your work on day of the dinner party easier. Also, keep the dinner party menu simple. Less stress means more fun at the dinner party.
- If necessary, order any specialty foods such as a free range turkey or smoked ham so they arrive on time for your dinner party.
- Take stock of your pantry, your linens and your paper goods - Will you need anything in bulk? Are you running low on cocktail napkins? Do your linens need to be washed or drycleaned? Take care of that now.
- Clean that house!

DINNER PARTY PLANNING: One Week Ahead . . .

- Plan your decorations - do you need anything for a centerpiece? Do you have place cards?
- Revise your dinner party menu and create a shopping list.
- Shop for food (wait to purchase items with a very short shelf-life, such as uncooked fish or shellfish, until the last minute).
- Iron your linens and set table.
- Create placecards.
- Maintain your clean house.

DINNER PARTY PLANNING: Three Days Ahead . . .

- Prepare the foods that can be made ahead, as planned a few weeks back.
- Confirm your dinner party guest list.
- Get out the serving dishes you will be using and make sure they are clean. Do the same for your cooking tools.
- Do a once-over of the cleanliness of your house.

DINNER PARTY PLANNING: One Day Ahead . . .

- Prep fruits/veggies for cooking by doing peeling and chopping ahead of time (unless that's unpractical, such as in the case of apples or pears) .
- Give your house and dining room a final clean- sweep for your dinner party.

DINNER PARTY PLANNING: Morning of . . .

- Finish any prep work necessary.
- Cook! You want as little to do as possible when your guests arrive.
- Chill the drinks.

DINNER PARTY PLANNING: Before the party . . .

- Take the time to get yourself ready.
- Finish 99 percent of the cooking.
- Arrange appetizers on serving dishes and set out (covered until guests begin arriving). Place the other dishes in serving dishes and set aside (warm, if necessary, just before serving). DINNER PARTY PLANNING: During the dinner party . . .

- Mingle and enjoy!