First time I threw a dinner party, best believe that it didn’t turn out well! I was being so rigid about everything. In my eagerness to impress, I’d chosen a complicated dish I’d never made before. The day of, I ran to multiple grocery stores to track down everything the meal required, then spent several hours sweating in the kitchen as I struggled to make the mess of ingredients I’ve got look like the picture in the recipe. By the time I finished cooking, straightened up and changed, I was exhausted, and the first guest hadn’t even set foot in my house. 

It was such a discouraging experience but fret not, you won’t ever be like me when it’s your turn to host one! Here are the few things I’ve learned from reading up multiple pages and websites on how to host such a great dinner party and I’ve summarised them – tagging along with my little tips which would help & work, if only I realised these things earlier. Continue reading to find out, I got you! 

1. Planning as a Host
   

   I can’t stress how important this is! Hence, why this comes as the first step. To help you find out what to do, what to buy, what to take care of in advance and what to do on the day – you have to know how much time you have, then make a timeline and prepare yourself a list, to begin with.
   
   Often as a host, we get so caught up in wanting to make our places look presentable when having guests over. After all, you shouldn’t go crazy cleaning your home until it’s immaculate. A quick 10-minute cleanup session should suffice. At the very least, you can fake a clean place with some clever hiding tricks! Haha! 

   When determining your guests’ invite list, you have to take into account how many people your place can comfortably fit. One method I learned from a website is to divide the square footage of your home by five (since each guest needs about five feet of personal space). This would also help you with identifying how much food to serve per person. 

   Plan your menu! This is important! By planning, I don’t mean that it has to be complicated or difficult or challenging I must say. But it’s essential to plan so you could split the menu into sections and ensure that you have enough of everything – from appetizers to main dishes to desserts & beverages.

2. Seating Arrangement and Setting Set-up
   

   Begin with a proper table setting – be it formal dinner, semi-formal dinner party, a casual buffet or even a backyard BBQ, you’ll have to find out the decent table set up to get your party to kick off to a good start!
   
   Don’t forget to lay out the tablecloth or a table runner. Easy on going all out for the type of cloth you’re using or whether it is ironed before being folded or set out. As long as it’s there, you’ve pretty much covered the basics to being a great host for your party! 

   Always make sure you have plenty of chairs to go around so that no one is left awkwardly standing as they try to eat their meal. You don’t necessarily need fancy tables and chairs; plastic chairs or even bean bags are fine.

   From tables to chairs, to utensils, you can easily rent them online and not have to panic about having to buy them in large quantities just for a one-time party! Also, when you plan to have your party at the backyard, renting a canopy is a must. For example, At RentSmart Asia, these items can easily and conveniently be found for your short-term rental.

3. Food
   
   As I have mentioned earlier, a 3-course meal is a way forward – an appetizer, a filling dinner and a dessert! Some foods are better and easier to make than others. For a casual dine-in, crisps and finger food are a great party snack!

   Also, what’s a party without some backyard BBQ? 

   During the holidays season, BBQ sessions rule, so learn how to become a grill master and rock your party! To get started, make sure you choose a BBQ set that suits you. Choose a BBQ that matches well with how you plan to host your get-togethers. Do you need a large grill space? Do you need a side burner? What about a sear burner or a smoker?

   Often, you would be tempted to try all of the BBQ recipes out there. Every-single-one of them! But remember, as a host, you don’t want to spend all your time cooking and you want to enjoy hanging out and spend time chatting with your guests. So choose recipes that you know you can pull off and that will be enjoyed by all! It helps to spread our your meal prep to make dinner parties easier! 

   At any time of year, the ideal dinner party meal is something you can finish in the oven. Keep things simple by sticking to the classics and cooking them well! Quality over quantity, remember! Mix up the typical spread by having different kinds of food like sausages, steak and corn but jazz them up differently simply by using different marinade sauce with the same cooking style! You can never go wrong with that! 

   On top of that, be sure to check your equipment. Make sure you check that you have all the grilling equipment you need for the BBQ before the party day. Fret not if you don’t have the time to purchase anything! From the BBQ set to the utensils like – tongs and a grill fork maybe, you can easily rent them online from RentSmart Asia.

4. Create a Vibe with Decorations! 
   

   Set the mood for your dinner party! Depending on your event, it is important to set the right mood. If it is a corporate event where you are trying to impress a client, be sure to set a more serious and welcoming tone. If you are hosting a dinner party for your closest friends, set a casual tone by adding your favourite decor. For example, fill the room with fresh flowers or even the fake ones!
   Flowers add instant elegance to any setting. If you’re using a small dining table, opt for one large arrangement (be sure it won’t interfere with eye contact), or gather a few stems to fill multiple bud vases along with a long table as shown above. You can also place complementary arrangements around the space your guests will be using. 

   Big get-togethers require different kinds of supplies, from kitchenware to, depending on the festivities, decorations. As a host, prepare a checklist you can adapt for! Rental portal like RentSmart Asia is a great place to stock up on entertaining supplies.

5. Provide Entertainment 
   

   Last but not least, nothing makes a great party like good music. Music can make or break an event. Smooth jazz will not be a great choice for a reunion or celebration, while upbeat pop will never work for a corporate event. Choose your music according to your guests! The evening will have a better flow when it is matched to the right music. Rent a speaker or some karaoke machine from RentSmart Asia for an immaculate vibe.

   For lighting and mood-setting, you can make your backyard even more party-worthy with LED deck lighting. Indoors, add custom colour-changing lights or sync holiday lights to your party music.

   If you want to go all out, rent a fog machine or some karaoke set and get all extra! Whilst music is a good start, turn your gathering up a notch by offering some family-friendly entertainment. Things like a pool table, a PS4 set or board games will provide plenty of fun for the adults as well as the kids to partake in a spot for a match!