Dinner parties are a great way to keep your friends and family close, butter up your boss for a promotion, or simply show off your amazing hosting skills. The art of the dinner party goes way back and has helped people socialize and have fun for generations. The only problem is; dinner parties can really be a bit of a drain on the budget. Between food and entertainment, you may find that your dinner party could lead you to rearrange your entire budget just to fit it in the party’s expenditures. These simple tips should guide you through the appetizers to the night cap, so you can enjoy your guests without stressing over the money.
1. Light Starters
There’s no law saying you have to create gourmet appetizers for your guests. In fact, your starters should be light and not as filling as you think. One of the best option is a nice soup. You can stick with seasonal ingredients to keep the price down. Vegetable soups are also a great way to work with your budget as they will stretch further while costing less to make. Salads are a pretty common option too. However, if you choose to go down this route then you may want to consider not buying premade salads. It’s much cheaper to buy the ingredients and do the work yourself, especially if you’re feeding a lot of people. Of course, there are plenty lighter and inexpensive appetizers to choose from if you’re not interesting in soup or salads. Bruschetta is one of your best options and tends to be enjoyed by all sorts of taste pallets. If you’re shy on ideas though, take to the internet, you should be able to find some outstanding recipes that will cost you next to nothing.
2. Cheap Themes
When you choose what to serve for your meal try not to pick foods that might cost you a lot of money. For instance, ethnic foods can be very costly because they often require special ingredients that are hard to find. Even if you do have stores that market to that type of food, the budget still may run you into the ground if you’re not familiar with preparing the dish. Thus, it might be easier to stick with something simple. Italian food can be very easy, especially if you keep with a pasta dish and affordable sauce. Another simple option is to choose a meat, like pot roast, that can go a long way. Of course, cheaper meats like chicken may help you meet your budgeting requirements too. Meals that call for cheaper starches like rice and beans are also a great option. Finally, if you really want to keep it cheap then you may want to stick with something like an omelet.
3. Beverages
A lot of guests will probably expect a cocktail hour if you’re planning a proper dinner party. Although serving no alcohol at all will save you the most money, it might be hard to avoid. If you stick to some basic drinks you can get away with using less alcohol, which will save you money. Of course, you don’t have to buy the finest alcohol out there either, stick to mixing drinks with cheaper alcohol and you should save more money. If you’re planning on having wine for a large group, then boxed wine is probably your safest option. You can always fill old bottles with this wine to make it look more luxurious. Of course, if you can avoid wine altogether then you might prefer to try out infused water with cheaper ingredients like lemons or cucumbers. It will be refreshing and a nice touch to each dish.
4. Desserts
When it comes to desserts, you don’t have to spend forever trying to whip up the perfect thing. You can keep it easy with a scoop of ice cream to add the perfect amount of sweetness while cleansing the pallet. If ice cream is on the pricey side then you can always try to make it homemade. Mini desserts are another fantastic option for dinner parties. They’re simplistic while not being overwhelming, which is a plus. They also won’t steal the show from the main course. Of course, you won’t have to go overboard with a dessert either. You can simply serve a thin mint. You may want to consider serving coffee during your dessert hour, especially if you served alcohol during the evening. This will help keep your guests sober, so they won’t have to worry about finding a way to get home.
5. Know Your Place Settings
One of the most important aspects of a dinner party is the setup. If you do it right, you’ll end up with a flawless display that will make your guests feel like you hired a professional. However, if you do it wrong, your place setting could look like a hot mess.Setting the table used to be a part of a standard curriculum, but it isn’t as commonly taught anymore unless you take special courses. Luckily, you can find the information online which is sure to guide you through just about any place setting you need. The best thing about knowing how to properly set a table is that you won’t have to spend a small fortune on center pieces or other décor. This will allow you to make more of your table with a loss less effort and money.
6. DIY Center Piece
Of course, if you do want to go all out for your table then you might want to consider making your own center piece. This will allow you to put some of your own creative energy into the table décor without forcing you to spend a small fortune. You can do a whole lot with your own centerpiece. For instance, you can use basic flower arranging techniques to create the perfect style for you. When you do choose flowers for this craft, you should be very careful to find the perfect flower by choosing one with a very subtle odor. Flowers that are pungent often work against the food you serve, which could make your dinner party a bust. You can also use older items that you find around the house to satisfy your décor needs. Old decorative items can be spray painted gold for a more luxurious feeling, for instance. If you’re short on ideas, there’s lot of great options online, so you may want to browse around on Pintrest or your other favorite home improvement websites.
7. Consider Lighting
One of the strongest components to your dinner party is the lighting, but you don’t have to worry about it being fancy here. If you already have control over your lighting them keep it dim and comfortable to promote a more intimate environment. This will help cut down on your power bill too, so you’ll be killing two birds with one stone. Another great way to create the perfect mood is to add candles to the table. This can also double as decoration on the table, so you’ll look fancier with less effort. You don’t have to spend a fortune on candles either. You should be able to find an assortment of cheap candles in department stores and general stores or you can even use simple tea lights. Of course if your meal is outside then consider eating by a bonfire or lighting torches that will help keep the bugs away too.
8. Keep it Renewable
Often, when it comes to dinner parties, people want to make clean up as easy as possible. This not only makes the quality of the table go down substantially, but it also will cost you and the environment quite a bit. You should always use proper plates, bowls and eating utensils when you have a dinner party. It helps create a refined look that is sure to knock your guests socks off. Utensils and plates aren’t the only thing you should be concerned about though when it comes to your party. Napkins are another big deal. For instance, if you end up using paper napkins you’ll waste a lot of money and you’ll be doing a major disservice to the planet. Plus, they will stand out like a sore thumb on your, otherwise, elegant table. Your best option is to find a set of low cost paper napkins for your party. For these, all you have to do is toss them in the washer and they’ll be ready to use for your next amazing dinner party.
9. Music
It’s always nice to enjoy a meal with the right kind of music going in the background. Some of the best options are probably classical or jazz if they’re played lightly in the background while your guests enjoy their meal. The music may even help stimulate conversation, which is sure to help everyone enjoy the party even more. After the meals is over you might want to hit the volume a little louder or play something faster or more contemporary. Of course, you shouldn’t have to buy all new CDs or download anything just to keep your guests musically entertained. There’s lots of free streaming music online if you know where to look for it. Most streaming services will have great jazz and classical playlist, which may even make your planning easier. Some, may even have dinner party playlists which will float your boat.
10. Entertainment
When it comes to a dinner party, one of the best things you can do is keep the conversation rolling. Try to have a list of topics available so that you can jump in whenever the conversation hits a dry point. If you’re introducing people for the first time, try to come up with some topics that will be of interest to each party, so they will find a quicker way to bond. If the conversation keeps tanking, then try to at least keep it flowing until the meal is over. Once everyone is full and ready to retire into the living room or game room, you can pull out a deck of cards or even a board game. Some groups may even enjoy livelier games like charades. This should help spice things up, especially as people begin to tire. Another great option is to encourage some dancing, so be prepared to throw on some fast music if the mood arises.
Dinner parties can be incredibly stressful when it comes to keeping your guests happy without forcing yourself to spend a pretty penny. These tips should guide you through each phase of the dinner party, so you won’t feel like you’re just winging it through each aspect of the party. Plus, with all of the money saved on your amazing meal, you’ll quickly find a few topics that will leave your guests taking notes in the money saving department.
