Hosting Tips!

Ambient lighting, candles in the bathroom, and never leaving your guest's glass empty....

Have you ever been to someone’s house and you just feel like they’ve thought of every single detail? They’re checking on you at appropriate times, the vibe is *immaculate*, your glass is never empty, it smells good, you don’t leave hungry…all of those small details just really take it over the top!

Here are some of my best tips for being a top tier host. Of course, there’s always room to do more, but as long as you’re taking care of these items, your guests are always going to have a memorable night ✨

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A Good Starting Point…

Prep ahead of time. Have you ever heard of the 7 Ps? Proper prior planning prevents piss poor performance. And damn, isn’t that the truth!

Do as much as possible before your guests arrive so that you’re not stressed, rushing, and missing out on the good time. Prep details will always be included in each month’s Host the Party Guide, but you know yourself, your home, and your kitchen better than I do. Think through the details and get as much done as you can in the day(s) leading up to your hosting event!

This also means making sure the bathroom is stocked with extra TP, a clean hand towel (or even disposable hand towels), and don’t forget to have a candle or fragrance spray!

Lighting. If you go flipping on all of the overhead lights for a dinner party, we’re going to need to have a chat. We want ambient lighting. This means table lamps and lots of candles. If your overhead lights are on a dimmer, use that! Just don’t go blasting everyone into another dimension.

I LOVE this reusable candle wax that lets you fill any vessel, pop in a wick and light it. It’s perfect for those who are sensitive to scents and allows you to make as few or as many candles as you’d like!

Music. This is a great way to set a comfy vibe and fill any dead space (especially if guests may not know each other). Lucky for you, we have a curated Spotify playlist for each month’s dinner party. But if it’s not your vibe (or maybe you don’t use Spotify), throw together an appropriate playlist and let it do it’s thing.

P.s. I don’t recommend auto play - mine would inevitably start playing “The Elmo Slide” or “The Wheels on the Bus.”

Encourage guests to help themselves. Take their belongings, hand them a cocktail, then give them the lay of the land. Let them know where they can find the appetizers/snack (these cocktail crackers are always a hit alongside the main app), where they can locate a drink refill or water station, and also show them where the bathroom is so they don’t have to track to you down to ask.

P.s. it’s always a good idea to have a pitcher of water and some glasses available for guests so they don’t need to ask “Can I use your tap?” or they can’t figure out how to work the fridge water (this always happens to me 🥴).

Offer refills. While we want guests to feel empowered to refill on their own, we still need to check-in. Instead of phrasing it as “Do you want another drink?”, try something like “What do you want next?” or “Can I get you a refill?” Feels less like an imposition on your guest, ya know?

Be present. The guests aren’t just there for the food…they’re also there to spend time with you! Try not to let the small details consume you (you’re bound to forget something, and that’s showbiz, baby). Mingle, enjoy the party, and find the balance between hosting duties and being a party member 💁🏼‍♀️

No pre-mature clean-ups. Don’t start clearing plates or cleaning up before people are ready. If you’re loading the dishwasher while people are still conversing at the table, that will signal to them that it’s time to go. Wait until conversation is wrapping up to clean up. It’s also a good idea to have an area where you can place dirty plates/utensils (whether in the kitchen or in a bin in another area) and then officially clean up after guests depart.

What are your best tips?

I want to hear what you love to do to make your guests feel at home! Or, maybe you’ve been to someone’s house for dinner and loved something specific that they did. Share and leave a comment below!