Hosting the perfect dinner party in your new home

A good dinner party can be defined by so many things - beautiful table settings, delicious food and most importantly, great company. Now that you’re a homeowner, it’s time to find your inner Nigella Lawson and host your first dinner party for your family and friends, showing them your new-found independence.

Think carefully about your guest list

To become a fabulous host, it’s important to think about the number of guests you’d realistically be able to accommodate for, and which mix of guests would create the right chemistry for an entertaining evening. Many people will say that the ideal dinner party will include six to twelve guests, however, this is your first event in your new home, so you’ll need to evaluate how many people you can fit around your table and how many people you’d feel comfortable cooking for. It’s important not to put too much pressure on yourself so it might be better to start small so you can enjoy yourself and work your way up.

The menu

Whether you’re planning to cook a five-course meal, or you fancy doing something a bit more relaxed, you’ll need to choose a menu to suit the number of guests you’re inviting, and one which is simple enough so you can pre-prepare. Remember, the best kinds of hosts are the ones that cook a fabulous meal but still spend most of their time with their guests and not in the kitchen.

Planning is your friend

Keep it stress-free and plan ahead of time by getting the unpleasant tasks out of the way before the party. Prep as much as you can ahead of time and clean up after yourself so you have somewhere to put the dirty dishes at the end of the night. Finish off by writing up a time plan for your cooking activity so you don’t have to stress about cooking times, and your guest’s won’t have to wait for long periods of time until their next course.

Setting the table

Think of your table as the canvas for a delicious meal. This should complement the occasion of your dinner party and your own individual style. Start off by considering the centrepiece you’d like to use. This doesn’t have to be elaborate or expensive, but it needs to be able to bring the whole table together. Depending on the occasion, you may fancy picking some fresh, colourful flowers or you may prefer to use candles to set a relaxing, chilled out atmosphere. Whatever you choose, be sure to keep the height of your centerpiece low enough so guests can talk over them.

Keep your guests pampered

A truly fantastic host can make their guests feel at home from the moment they walk through the door, and who’ll keep them pampered from the outset, to the end of the evening.

Ensure your guests feel relaxed with somewhere to place their things and somewhere comfy to sit to set the right vibe for the evening. However, more importantly, remember to keep your guests’ drinks refilled and tummies replenished with nibbles and drinks both before, during and after the main meal so they leave feeling delightfully satisfied and well fed.

Enjoy yourself

While your priority will be to ensure your guests are enjoying themselves, it’s important that you enjoy yourself too. Don’t worry about keeping your kitchen clean when your guests are there. Relax and enjoy the good company and delicious food you’ve put so much hard work into.