5 Dinner Party at Home Ideas That Make Hosting Effortless and Thoughtful

1. What are the best dinner party ideas for hosting guests at home?

We always think that the most thoughtful ideas for hosting a dinner party come from focusing on natural materials, seasonal decor and ingredients, and choosing a simple theme that can range from the formal to the simple! For this example of a dinner party, we hosted a Friendsgiving that focused on winter florals and greens, cozy linens and sheepskins and organic versions of all our favorite Thanksgiving foods and wines.

2. How do I plan a simple but elegant dinner party at home?

We love to imagine how the night is going to flow before guests arrive so we can think of how best to plan. For instance, thinking about what you want to serve as welcome drinks and appetizers should be your first consideration. Then think about the number of guests you are having and whether you want to do individual servings or a big family style meal with platters. Finally, consider how filling the food is  that you’re going to be serving so you can then consider if a light dessert and tea feels right, or something richer to end the meal.

We also feel that planning should include thinking about what ingredients you can get seasonally, locally and ideally organic. Why should you think about having organic food at your dinner party? It’s a great topic of conversation as so many of us are interested in health and small business now. We deep dive into some talking points on this subject here!

3. How can I decorate my home for a cozy and welcoming dinner party?

When it comes to decor we often think simple is best – in the summer that could be vases overflowing with local wildflowers and in the winter beautiful evergreen branches that can often be foraged in nearby woods. The most important element is often lighting, and we suggest simple beeswax candles for the perfect warm light that is all natural. We love these unique candles from Gloam Goods for that.

Also, when it comes to tableware we really don’t think you can do better than linen napkins and tablecloths. Vintage plates are always a nice touch too – don’t be scared to mix and match if you need to! Choosing a color theme should make this easier – oftentimes we will lean towards neutrals and pastels to let the food shine!

4. What are fun themes for a dinner party at home that guests will enjoy?

Themes can help to guide your menu, decor, and music without becoming overwhelming. 

Options we love include:

Solstice celebrations – Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter!

Friendsgiving – it’s just Thanksgiving, but with your friends! Here are some tips on hosting Thanksgiving we love as well. 

Wine tasting – we think doing a deep dive into the beauty of wine can be a wonderful celebration of taste, and our favorite vineyard to work with for something like this is Avaline, who have all organic and low sugar wines you can feel food about!

5. What dishes are easiest to serve for a stress-free home dinner party?

We love things that are simple to prepare but truly satisfying to eat – also as much as you can make ahead of time is ideal! 

For instance we love the Pissaladiere tart from Julius Roberts, which is a light yet beautiful puff pastry tart that you can prepare and bake before guests arrive to serve slightly warm.

A beautiful and seasonal salad is always great as you can prepare the greens and vegetables, as well as the dressing, ahead of time and then dress the salad when you are serving dinner. Along with a salad we love a simple main course like an organic roast chicken or a seasonal lasagne that you can simply pull out of the oven when hot and keep warm until it’s time to serve. 

For desert, a simple fruit tart like this one from Alison Roman is perfect as you can swap out fruits for anything that is in season when you have your party!

Also to get rid of any leftover food or scraps sustainably we love using the Mill at home compost machine for effortless zero waste dinners!

FAQs

How far in advance should I prepare for a dinner party at home?

We highly recommend doing all of your menu planning and shopping the day before a dinner party – head to your local farmer’s market and see what you can get locally and seasonally first and foremost! Starting with anything baked the morning of the dinner party can help set you up for success, and we love even setting the table with our morning coffee. Things that area freshest like greens, flowers, dips, etc. should be prepared last!  

How many dishes should I serve at a home dinner party?

We think beautiful trays of appetizers upon arrival, a light salad, main meal and light dessert often make the perfect array of dishes for any dinner party! 

How do I make guests feel comfortable when they arrive?

First of all we love to make sure a good play list is on – we find that jazz or bossa nova is great for dinner parties. Then make sure drinks are on hand as people arrive and you are free to serve appetizers and speak to everyone so they feel personally welcomed by the host. 

What time should a dinner party start?

Anywhere between 6-7pm is common, but we sometimes will start as early as 5:30pm in the summer if we want to take advantage of being outside before night falls. 

How do I keep the party flowing smoothly?

Serve each course with gentle pacing, keep drinks refreshed, and create natural conversation breaks using music or brief transitions.