Throwing a Dinner Party

4th of July Dinner Party

I hosted my second dinner party yesterday for the first time since I moved to Dallas, and I wanted to share some helpful tips on how to throw a successful party. It gets easier with time once you figure out the do's and don'ts, but with a little guidance, there should be nothing but smooth sailing. I have to admit that of course I did some searching for pointers, as well. There are so many great ideas out there, I felt overwhelmed with choices. 

So here is what I did. Typically, I like to plan out the guest list and create an E-Vite. There are so many wonderful templates. It's so fun and easy to use, and they send out a reminder email the day before the event. One of the ways I decide on what to put on the menu is based on what someone else might decide to bring as a side or a appetizer. I don't like to tell people what to bring, but I like to opt out by suggesting to bring wine or an appetizer. I like to keep dinner simple so there is less fuss. I also like to have the house cleaned up a few days before and if there are rooms I cannot get to, I leave the doors shut. The key places I focus on is the restroom and whichever room everyone will mingle in the most. 

One of my guests decided she was going to bring a healthy corn salad, so I decided to make Quesadillas with our Quesadilla maker. I also decided to make homemade margaritas with fresh squeezed lime juice. When I went to the liquor store, I was advised to go with high-end liquors in order to end up with the best tasting drinks. Although I was shown the $250 bottles of tequila and orange liquour, but that was out of my budget, so I went with a jalepeno infused tequila and Patron. I used the recipe at Jason and Shawnda, which tasted amazing. I had such wonderful compliments. To keep it cute, I put a slice of lime on each glass. 

I didn't have enough place-mats to keep it all coordinated, so I used napkins. I also layered plastic and paper plates for durability and style. It's always nice to have a centerpiece display, so I decided to run to Michael's and pick up a few things to create a festive bouquet. Fortunately all of the 4th of July items were on sale. So I made a lovely display and had a little extra for some fun fans to put on every plate. And when I was finished, I put everything in a storage box for next year. 

My festive appetizer was strawberries, blueberries and marshmallows on toothpicks with red and blue tips. Everyone greatly enjoyed them, even those who say they normally don't go for fruit thought the marshmallow made it like a creamy dessert. And they were so cute! Plus, while I was at it, I decided to look up how to make strawberry roses to add a touch of elegance. 

I hope this information was fun and useful. Let me know if you have any questions or further suggestions on hosting a dinner party. This won't be the last time I host one. 

xoxo,

Stephy

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