Hosting season is fast approaching, so we’re back with hosting extraordinaire Sophie Conran, with her top five dinner party tips to help your dinner parties run as smoothly as possible
Tip one: Don’t be afraid
Hosting any type of get-together, especially if it’s your first, can be scary, trying to make sure everything goes to plan, and your guests have a good time. However, Sophie’s first tip is not to be afraid, especially when it comes to the menu.
“Hosting a dinner party is a wonderful thing to do, it’s lovely to bring people together, but it can be a little daunting and I have definitely had all of the fear! I guess the number one thing for you to feel afraid about is cooking, but please don’t worry - you can get a takeaway, or you can make sausage and mash. Even with a takeaway or a simple dinner, you can serve it out on beautiful crockery and still make it feel special”, reassures Sophie.
Tip two: Remember the practical stuff
In all the business of preparing for a dinner party or event, don’t forget to keep an eye on the practical things. It’s these small touches that will make all the difference to your guests’ experience.
“Make sure you have enough cutlery, plates, glasses and all those types of things to go around all your guests. Make sure you have the right number of drinks in, all the food sorted in advance, and have noted down any specific dietary requirements. It’s also important that if any of your guests don’t drink alcohol, then there is something nice for them available to drink too.”, says Sophie.
Tip three: Make it look nice
“A really simple tip, just make it look nice!” says Sophie. “A beautiful way of making your table look good is fresh flowers - it always makes the house look cared for and brings lovely colour and scent into the space.”
Tip four: Think about your lighting
Ambience is key to any get-together and Sophie believes lighting is very important in achieving the perfect atmosphere.
“Lighting is really important. If you have it soft, it’s much nicer, people glow, and they feel more relaxed. I achieve this by dimming or switching some of the main lights off. I also use lots of candles – tall candles on the table, candles dotted around the room, and tealights in glass holders weaved in between. Tealights sparkling everywhere are magical.”
Tip five: Get guests involved
A tip Sophie always stands by for any sort of get-together is to get your guests involved to help them to relax. This in turn helps to set the tone for the evening ahead.
“When guests arrive, they may never have been in your home before so a great way to get them to relax is to offer them a drink or to ask them to make a drink for themselves and a couple of other guests. Giving them a little job helps them feel involved, relaxed and gives them something to do with their hands.”
For more inspiration for hosting at home, take a look at our guides below: