10 Easy Steps To Planning A Great Dinner Party

Congratulations, you want to throw a fabulous dinner party! Dinner parties are the most delightful way to entertain friends and family in the comfort of your own home. There is a very special feeling that your guests have when you open your home to them. It is much more entertaining and pleasurable than having a get together in a restaurant atmosphere.

There is a lot of work that can go into planning, but it does not have to be difficult. You are the only person who can make the process hard, or you can make it simple and easy.

Above all, here is one main rule that you must adhere to – You must stick to your budget. If you go overboard, you will end up regretting that you even gave the party and will not be as thrilled to throw another one, so stick to the plan when it comes to money.

Here are the 10 Easy Steps for Planning a Great Party:

1. Sit down and write out a list of guests. You should do this first because once you determine the number of guests, you can work with a budget. The number of people you invite is up to you, so determine how many people you want to accommodate in your home. People will need space to mingle and not feel cramped.

2. Determine your theme of the party. See Dinner Party Tips

3. Next, concentrate on your color theme if you are not using all white, or a black and white theme. If you are using color, try not to have more than two to three colors.

4. What will your table setting look like? Do you have enough china and tableware to accommodate the number of guests? The color of your linen napkins (if you are using color) should look striking next to your china.

5. Next, work on your centerpiece. Imagine how it will work with your color choices. The flowers should match your color theme as well. See section on choosing flowers as your centerpiece.

6. Now the good stuff! Plan your meal menu. You can use a cookbook to try and find your meals, but will have to try and combine the dishes to make sure they go well together. You can also search the internet for countless hours and search for recipes. Keep in mind that your time is valuable and the more that you can have done for you the better. Get a copy of The Gourmet-Licious Cookbook and you can have at your fingertips 150 delicious recipes that were combined for party entertaining. The cookbook also features 30 fully customized five course meal menus! You will save an entire day alone on this step.

7. Make a grocery list of the items that you will need for your meals and the quantity according to the number of guests that you want to invite. Get your groceries a few days in advance. Do not wait until the day of the party. Do not forget your beverages!

8. Make a list of the other items you will need, such as flowers, china if you do not have enough, tablecloth, linen napkins, flatware, chair covers if you choose, wine or champagne, coffee, candles, and beautiful vase.

9. Make a scheduled day when you will get the house cleaned for the party. Are the carpets fresh, floors waxed, bathrooms spotless?

10. Send out your invitations 3-4 weeks ahead of time. See Dinner Party Tips for more information and rsvp’s.

The Day Before The Party

**Pick a day to shop for your groceries, flowers, beverages and other supplies.

**Write out a list of things to do and cross them off as you complete them.

**Get the house cleaned if you have not already done so.

**Choose your outfit. If you have other family members, make sure they know what they will wear.

**You may choose to prepare one or two of the meals on this day as well, preferably the main course and the dessert.

**Set the table arrangement and the centerpiece.

The Day Of The Party

**Prepare your meals in the morning as early as possible.

**Make sure the house is clean.

**Make sure there is enough room in the home for mingling. If you have to rearrange furniture, please do so.

**Put up your theme decorations if any.

Tips For Choosing Flowers As Your Centerpiece

When planning your dinner party, flowers are one of the most important features, along side your meal planning. Some flowers can be costly, but you don’t have to choose the most expensive ones. Don’t get caught up in all the beautiful colors and forget that the expense can add up. Stick to you color plan and do not change it just because you notice something that looks stunning. There will always be something that stands out and looks great, but your plan is great as well.

Tell yourself ahead of time that you will not leave the store with the most expensive flower. Choose the less expensive flowers first and make it a challenge to put an arrangement together with the most vibrant colors.

Everyone wants a beautiful centerpiece because this is the main focus of the table. Just make sure that the colors will not clash with any tableware.

Tip – Keep your choices simple and at a minimum. Don’t allow yourself twenty flowers to choose from. The less you have to choose from, the easier the process.

When it comes to flower choice, color is very important, but make sure that the flowers are not so tall that they will block the view of your guests. This is a social event and people want to see each other at the dinner table. If you absolutely love the flowers and they happen to be tall, then of course you can cut them. Then again, you are adding more work to your list of things to do for the preparation.

If you like, you can choose scented flowers, but keep in mind that some guests may be allergic and the smell of the flowers may actually clash with the aroma of your delicious meals.

Some people say they are not artistic and can not put together an arrangement. If you are one of these people, remember that you can always stick with white flowers. There is no way you can mess up this color arrangement.

The Tablecloth – White, White, White, Right?

Yes, because every other color will work well together, from your centerpiece, to the china, the linen napkins, and candles.

A tablecloth with a pattern may work, just please insure that it does not clash with your china. A lighter color pattern will work better than the darker colored tablecloths.

What To Do Today To Insure a Smooth Party

Get your copy of The Gourmet-Licious Entertaining Cookbook. The completely organized book will save you countless hours of your valuable time when preparing for your spectacular dinner party. The book has been sold at $27.95, but we are offering it at a special price of $14.95 for a short time.

Remeber, there are 2 Fabulous Bonus Books Included!

The Gourmetlicious Cookbook Includes:

**Table Setting Tips

*150 Delectable Meals, Appetizers, Soups, Salads, and Desserts

**30 Fully Customized Five Course Meal Menus. All the work is done for you.

Imagine what you can do with Gourmet-Licious Entertaining:

Have your five course meals pre-planned and organized

Save time from wandering around the grocery stores wondering what to prepare

Save hours of preparation because you already know exactly what is needed

At the spur of the moment you can treat yourself, your family, or friends to a wonderful dining experience because you know the meal planning is hassle-free.

With 150 Recipes, you can get creative and mix and match your own five course meals (although the customized menus are well-themed)

You may actually be the person to always volunteer to host a dinner party for your company, friends, or family.

Gourmet-Licious Entertaining is also great for:

**Family Dining

**Fabulous Dinner Parties

**Meal Planning for Weddings

**Special Holidays

**Bridal Showers

**Baby Showers

**Impressing a Special Date

Enjoy and Have a Fabulous Party!