It’s the season of outdoor feasts. Dinner parties are pretty much a right of passage in the summer — because who doesn’t want to take advantage of good food paired with perfectly warm weather? Whether you're planning a fancy soirée or a quick backyard get-together, we have you covered on the best tips and tricks that will paint you as a dinner party pro.
I chatted with culinary graduate and influencer, Venita Aspen, for advice on how to throw a social function to remember (and how to do it on a budget!). The Southern Charm star has planned some glamorous Charleston dinner parties in her day, so it’s safe to say she knows a thing or to do about a successful gathering. Let’s begin with the theme of your dinner party, shall we?
1. Keep the theme light
You don’t have to have some elaborate theme to make a dinner party classy, but a theme does make the evening seem a bit more put together (plus, it’s fun!). “I keep it pretty light,” Venita explained. “I usually always say, [a] Garden Party in the daytime.” This allows your guests to have some breathing room when it comes to attire—such as sandals and flowy dresses.
For an evening gathering, the reality star recommends advertising the theme as an “Evening Under the Stars,” indicating that the event requires elevated clothing and accessories (heels, long dresses, accented purses). The theme is sure to be a hit no matter which you choose.
2. Match your tablecloth to the invitations
It’s the little details that will take your dinner party from good to great. “If I have an image of the tablecloth, I use it as the background of the invitation so people can know the vibes of the dinner party and have it all set,” Aspen told Brit + Co.
This genius tactic is totally simple—all you have to do is screenshot the picture from the website that you bought the table cloth from and upload it to the background of the invitations. Venita recommends using the website, Paperless Posts, for all of your evite needs. (But Canva works just as well!)3. Curate flower arrangements based off of the tablecloth colors
Take it from us — you don’t need to spend hundreds of dollars on a flower arrangement for a table to look Instagram-worthy. Greenery and flowers easily elevate the table without having to put in too much effort. Venita has even clipped some flowers from her neighborhood for a gorgeous arrangement at a low cost, as she continued, “I typically will create a flower arrangement based off of the tablecloth colors.” Colors like yellow, white, and green, shouldn’t be that difficult to find in your own backyard!
4. Your plating doesn’t need to match
You may think that you need to buy all new utensils, glassware, and plateware for a memorable dinner party, but you most definitely do not. “When it comes to decorating a table on a budget, utilize the things you already have first in the house and remember that those things don’t have to match each other,” the Bravo star explained.
Lean into the Pinterest perfect tablescape that encourages playfulness and creativeness, versus overanalyzing matchy-matchy details. Grab different colored wine glasses. Go crazy with unique plates. No need for unnecessary spending here—especially when you likely already have such exciting pieces hiding in your kitchen cabinets!
5. Set the ambiance with music
Music will eb and flow with the theme of your dinner party, as it creates an ambiance that is a bit more stature (and background music avoids awkward silences, especially when guests first arrive). If you're going with the Garden party trope, Venita recommends that you include “some beautiful ambiance jazz style music playing in the background—something light and airy.” This tip is up to your discretion and what music you think your guests will enjoy!
6. Let guests pick their own seats
To sidestep any drama that you may or may not have been informed of, let guests pick their own seats. While name tags are cute and all, assigned seats are so drab and can force unwanted interactions. Plus, it’s one less step for you to worry about as the host (or hostess)!
7. Decide on a killer appetizer
Don’t forget — dinner parties need tasteful decor, but they are also all about the cuisine. Appetizers are the first food that invitees reach for, so do your best to cook up something mouth-watering. “I think that when people get to you, they're so hungry that the first dish is what they remember the most.”
Venita offers simple appetizers to her guests, like salads with six or less fresh ingredients that make for the perfect starter. Brit + Co actually rounded up 52 Easy Finger Food Recipes to make your life a whole lot easier.
8. Don’t go too overboard with the main meal
When it comes to the main dish, go for something that is hearty but also light. Venita opts for seafood as the protein — over meats like chicken and steak — paired with a well-seasoned grain. “Taking something as simple as some fresh herbs and adding that to the grain with a little salt and lemon juice—it will literally make people think that you've gone out and got this whole meal catered and you made it.” Seafoods like salmon, tilapia, and cod are great go-tos and garner a relatively low cooking time.
9. Always serve your guests
In this house, we don’t do buffet style. Often what happens when you let guests fill up their own plate is that you often overbuy food that ultimately goes to waste. Make it simple for yourself — chef up enough food for each attendee and serve the meal pre-plated. “You don't know how many times someone's going to get up, at least when you're basing it off of the fact that I know I have four [or more] people, you can buy for five versus buying for eight if you were doing a buffet style.”
10. Keep the dessert to finger food
By the time your guests have sat down throughout the first two courses, they are going to want to stand up and walk around while socializing. According to Venita, “people get sick of using the silverware,” at this point in the party. That’s where finger foods come in—pastries that you can grab with your hands exert little to no energy and are completely delightful. Head to your local bakery to see what they have on display. Mini eclairs, cookies, and cheesecakes are some of the best handheld desserts money can buy (and the sweets are a great way to wrap up your dinner party!).
Throw your greatest party yet with tips and tricks from Brit + Co.
Header image courtesy of Marcus Wallis / Unsplash.