Everyone wants to be the best party host or hostess. Haven't we all been to parties in which the host entertains in the perfect room with the perfect music, the most delicious food and the most interesting guests? You can be that host with the most, the perfect party thrower.
Here are 7 tips for hosting the best party, from sending out invitations to seeing your guests out the door at the end of a perfect evening.
Be Considerate in Sending Invitations
Send out invitations with plenty of advance time to allow your guests to plan to attend. Give as much information as you can – directions to your house, your phone number for RSVPs, time, date, place, what they should bring, if food will be served, if they can bring along their kids, what the attire is – the more info the better.
Greet Party Guests at the Door as They Arrive
As the party gets started, a good host gets their guests set up with a drink and appetizers and keeps an ear out for the doorbell, so he can let more guests in. Until everyone has arrived, keep the party where you can easily get to the door. Having another guest let others into the house sends the wrong message.
Wear the Perfect Clothes
Part of your job as party host is to make everyone feel comfortable and not self-conscious, and that includes their choice of attire. If all the women at a party are wearing dresses except for one girl in jeans, it would soften the blow if you were wearing pants.
Choose a middle-of-the-road outfit – not too dressy and not too casual – to cut down the middle of the possibilities. Don’t wear something too garish, outrageous or showy. Make your guests feel like they’re the center of attraction.
Do feel free to dress in keeping with the theme of your party, but don’t get too caught up in matching the party food or décor.
Be Accommodating to Non Drinkers
For a number of reasons, some people don’t drink alcohol. Think of these people when you’re throwing a party and have some soft drinks available. If you’re making a signature mixed drink or blender drink, offer to make a non-alcoholic drink for those guests who aren’t drinking alcohol or have reached their max.
Don’t encourage people to drink more, nor should you refill someone’s glass before they’ve indicated they want more. Despite what a 21-year-old will tell you, the perfect host does not keep the liquor flowing all night long.
Plan Ahead So You’re Not Abandoning Your Guests
In an article in Food & Wine, fine food devotee Jesse Sheidlower is portrayed as almost magical in his ability to disappear into the kitchen for a brief moment and return with a carefully prepared course. Make a timeline of what needs to be done when, starting with the finished product and working backwards. Attach actual times to the list and tape it to the inside of a kitchen cabinet.
Do as much advance cooking and preparation as possible, and use a warm oven and your stovetop to reheat and revive your party food. Have all serving dishes and utensils set out ahead of time so you can quickly pop into the kitchen and get back to your party.
Include Everyone in the Conversation
Your party is only as good as the most bored guest thinks it is. As you mix and mingle with your guests, look for guests who are sitting alone or who are being left out of conversations. A simple way to draw in a wallflower is to add something to the conversation and address your comment to one person, making eye contact and eliciting a response.
wikiHow, in “How to Be a Good Cocktail Party Host” says a host should pay attention to detail. “Every so often look around the room to make sure everyone feels welcomed and comfortable. Don't get so relaxed that you stop paying attention to your guests!
See Your Guests to the Door as They Leave
Get them their coats, purses, umbrellas or whatever else they tucked away as they arrived, and don’t leave them until they’re out the door. Be sure they haven’t had too much to drink and that they know how to get out of your neighborhood. And, of course, tell them you're ever so glad they came and you can't wait to see them again!
