As an event and wedding planner, I love to plan parties and I also love to host. This holiday season, I hosted an intimate dinner party for my team of planners at my house and luckily Artiese Studios was there to capture it for me.
Since I had so many pretty photos from the dinner, I thought I would share some party planning tips with you too. When planning a dinner party of your own, follow some of my tips and tricks below to make hosting a breeze (and look effortless while doing so!). Or see the full feature here.
1. Beautiful details
Place settings: The Perfect Table; Stationary: Brooklin Paper Co.
If you want your party to be memorable, include beautiful details. I rented vintage place settings to complete my look and it made cleaning a breeze. It was beautiful and also functional. Creating your own stationary is also a fun way to give your party a personal touch. I extended the floral in the invitation into the labels for the mini champagne bottles, and they were a huge hit.
2. Never too many flowers
Flowers: Fete Boutique
Flowers will elevate every party. Dress up your dinner table with pretty centrepieces from your local florist to take your dinner party from drab to fab. My florist even sprayed some of the leaves a blush metallic pink for a pop of fun. Tapered candles between the floral arrangements gave it an extra touch of romance.
3. Welcome guests with drinks and snacks
Cheers sign: Laser Cutting Plus
Always have something ready for guests when they arrive. A cute drink station awaited guests at my party, along with fruit garnishes and punch. I included some gourmet marshmallows as a fun snack at the table.
4. Order in
Caterer: Daniel et Daniel
If you have a lot on your plate already, order some ready-made food from a local caterer to give you a hand. Mix in catered food with a few side dishes of your own for a full feast. Guests won’t know the difference once they are plated and served!
5. Sweet endings
Sweets Table: Mademoiselle Vanilla; Ice Cream Cookie Sandwiches: Sweet Sammies; Hutch: Southerm Charm Vintage Rentals
What party is complete without dessert? Always have something awesome ready for dessert to end off on a high note. I had a full sweets table at mine, but you can easily order a pretty cake and small treats for something simpler. For something cold, I also served ice cream cookie sandwiches too. Yum!
Whether you want to impress your friends or have a cozy night in, there are always ways to elevate your party into something special.