The Ultimate Dinner Party Checklist: How To Host A Stress-Free Gathering
The secret of how to host a dinner party is doing almost everything before anyone rings the bell. This checklist works backwards from the night so you are pouring drinks, not panicking over the hob.
Honest note: we design and print our place cards, candles and decorations in the UK. The wine aerator is a recommendation from elsewhere.
Shop the cards that go with these
Shop scented soy candles Party items Gifts for men who have everything How to decant red wine
Candles for the table
Our own UK-poured soy candles for the dinner table.
You Old Bastard (Funny Birthday Card)
£3.87
Cheeky Wordsearch Valentines Day Card For Him
£3.87
Fifty & Even More Fabulous Than Ever (50th Birthday Card)
£3.87
Cheeky Wordsearch Valentines Day Card For Her
£3.87
I Wish You Looked At Me Like Any Can of Strongbow Dark Fruits Ever (Valentines Day Card)
£3.87
Happy Valentines Day, Bab (Valentines Day Card)
£3.87
One week before
- Confirm numbers and ask about allergies and dietary needs.
- Plan a menu with one hot dish only - a cold starter and a make-ahead pudding.
- Check you have enough chairs, plates and glasses.
- Order place cards and candles - Shop the range
The day before
- Make the pudding and any sauces.
- Set the table and chill the whites.
- Clear the fridge and the dishwasher.
Sort the wine without the fuss
- Skip the two-hour decanter wait with an automatic aerator. The automatic wine aerator set sits on top of the bottle and pours at the press of a button, pushing air through the wine as it goes. It comes with a filter, a display stand and an electric corkscrew, so it replaces the decanter, the waiter's friend and the waiting.
- It opens up a young supermarket red in seconds and makes a nicer bottle show off.
- Budget roughly half a bottle per wine-drinking guest, plus plenty of soft drinks.
- Please drink responsibly - drinkaware.co.uk has UK guidance.
On the night
- Put music on and candles lit before guests arrive.
- Nibbles out, first drink poured within five minutes of arrival.
- Plate up in the kitchen - less faff at the table.
- Leave the washing up until tomorrow.
Found your words? Now find the card
Shop scented soy candles Party items Gifts for men who have everything How to decant red wine
How to write it so it lands
- Write a timings sheet and stick it on a cupboard.
- Never try a new recipe on guests.
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We make cards, pin badges, prints and party bits in house. These are from other shops we rate, and buying through the link costs you nothing extra.
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Frequently asked questions
How many guests should you have at a dinner party?
Six to eight is the sweet spot - enough for good conversation, few enough to cook for and seat around one table.
What should I serve at an easy dinner party?
A cold or assembled starter, one slow-cooked main that looks after itself, and a pudding made the day before.
Do I need to decant red wine for a dinner party?
Not always. Young reds benefit from air, and an aerator gives a similar result instantly without planning hours ahead.
Do you make the wine aerator yourselves?
No. We design and print greetings cards, enamel pin badges, prints, candles and party decorations in the UK. The automatic wine aerator set is a recommendation from elsewhere - only the things linked to our own shop are ours.