by Gordon Hamilton

Created on: January 29, 2009

When we are considering the best tips for hosting a successful party, the most important factor is of course which type of party it is we intend hosting. There are a great many different types of party we could be looking at, from birthday parties, to formal dinner parties, to parties hosted simply for the sake of having a party! There is also the fact that parties may be held at a wide variety of venues which would affect our planning significantly, from parties within our home, to outdoor parties, to parties held at a specially chartered suite or event room. Let us first therefore look broadly at the concept and some tips which should apply in all instances before getting more specific.

The first thing to bear in mind is that parties are generally organised as some form of celebration. It is the intention that everyone attending be allowed to have fun and enjoy themselves - including the host and/or hostess! We therefore have to ensure that as much as is at all possible is organised and prepared in advance, both to minimise the chances of something drastic going wrong at the last minute and to allow us to spend as much time as possible enjoying the company of our guests.

Formal Dinner Parties

This is probably the type of party which affords the biggest likelihood of something going wrong. Food can be burned or under-cooked, we may have neglected to cater to one of our guests' vegetarian requirements, we may simply have forgotten to purchase a vital ingredient for our "Piece de resistance." What we have to do therefore is ensure that we know the general eating habits of our guests beforehand. We have to decide very specifically what we are going to prepare and ensure it is a dish or series of dishes which we have prepared at least once in the past. This is not the occasion to be trying out that new, daunting recipe we have just discovered! We have to make a very detailed "to do" list of everything from shopping to when to begin preparing what and ensure as much as possible is done in advance. This will both reduce our worrying and free us up to spend more time at the dinner table and less in the kitchen. If one of the guests is a good friend, perhaps ask them to bring with them their already prepared speciality dessert - you can offer to pay for the ingredients.

Informal Parties in the Home

Whether it be a birthday party, a house warming party or simply a party for the sake of having one, it is always a good idea in these instances to serve food that has been pre-prepared

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