Almost everyone, at one time or another, wants to give a sit-down dinner party, and do it nicely. But dinner party planning is more than planning the menu. It is also about PRESENTING the dinner. Don’t worry; it isn’t at all hard to do this with style and ease. Once you know all the tips and tricks of hosting a perfect dinner party, and with a little practice, you’ll wonder why you were so afraid of doing it before.
Party planning tips:
- You have already decided to host a party, have figured out who you are inviting and what you are serving, and now it is time to think about properly setting a delightful dinner table.
- Your entire table setting does not have to match. By combining china, pottery and glass, you add interest to the table. You should keep in mind that all the items on the table should go with each other, the menu, and the occasion’s spirit.
- Be aware of how you use colour. For formal dinner parties, restraint is usually called for, but for some occasions, bright colours can be used. The occasion will dictate which to use. A retirement dinner would be more restrained in colour use, whereas a dinner party with a Mexican theme would use very vivid colours.
- Don’t forget that your table is part of the room. Decorate it accordingly. For example, if your drapes are blue, use a blueprint placemat or tablecloth. It would be best if you always had a centrepiece but remember, no matter what type you use, to keep it low so that guests can see and converse with those across the table.
- For a very formal dinner party, a damask cloth should be used. A table pad is usually placed under it. Let it overhand the edge of table 12 to 15 inches. If you decide to use a lace tablecloth, it is placed directly on the table (or over a coloured cloth the same size) and should hang 15 to 18 inches over the sides of the table.
- Dinner napkins should coordinate with the tablemats or tablecloth being used and may either be folded in a rectangle with the open corner at the lower right or placed on the plate. If no plate is present, place the napkin where the plate would be placed.
- Most people today are much less formal than in days gone by. When we sit down to eat, we usually have a fork and knife and usually place them together at each setting. To properly place silver, keep in mind that no more than three pieces of silver should be on either side of the plate. Forks go at the left of the plate, prongs up. They are placed in the order used. For example, if the salad is being served before the main course, the salad fork is placed on the outside. If the salad is being served with the dinner, the dinner fork may do for both.
- Position the Knives and spoons on the right side of the plate. Spoons go to the right of the knife.
- Coffee or teaspoons should never be placed on the table. They belong on the saucers in the back of the cup, with the handles of the spoon and cup parallel. Dessert spoons and forks may be placed to the right of each guest’s place just before dessert is served. Today it is also acceptable to place the fork or spoon on the plate with the dessert when served.
Goblet or water glasses are set at the knife’s tip and should be filled to three-fourths full.
- If you are hosting a very formal dinner, you will want to use a service plate. These are 10″ plates and are placed at each setting, 1″ from the edge of the table. They remain in place for the appetizer and soup courses and then are removed just before the main course.
Just before announcing dinner, double-check the table to be sure all the last-minute details have been completed such as the candles being lit, water glasses filled, and if you want, the first course sitting at each place waiting for your guests.
It is now tied to invite your guests to the table to enjoy the wonderful meal you have prepared and for you to bask in the praise for hosting such an elegant dinner. Now, no party is complete without a grand dessert. With a reliable online cake delivery in Ranchi service, you can keep the dinner arrangement fun-filled.
