How to Entertain More Than 10 People Without Hitting the Panic Button

When you have the space in your private home, it’s a call for entertaining. If you are only having a couple of friends over for dinner or one family with three kids, then it’s not a big deal, but what happens when it’s time to turn your home into the convention center and you have more than a few people you must entertain? Here is your guide that will walk you through the entertaining process step by step and ensure you know exactly what you are doing without hitting the panic button. Let’s turn hosting into a fun experience that you will want to do over and over again.

RSVPs

The first thing you have to make sure of is the number of people who are planning to arrive at your party. There is a big difference between 17 and 25 people; you want to be prepared. You have got to master your guest list, so make sure everyone RSVP’s in time and prevent any last-minute unexpected visitors. You should always be prepared for an extra one or two friends or friends to show up unexpectedly; however, predicting the number of people will give you a calm and stable start to the evening.

Share the Responsibilities

When it comes to what you are serving and how you are going to serve it, remember it doesn’t always have to be a candle-lit supper. You can decide to have an open buffet where everyone just helps themselves, or even better, you can ask every guest to be something and create a multicultural feast. Some can bring a salad, others will be responsible for a dessert or a bottle of wine, assuring you do not have to work so hard and saving you a few dollars, too.

Mix and Mingle

Remember rule number one when it comes to seating arrangement. The more you mix, the better they will mingle. Forget about seating together people who know each other or related colleagues from work. Place your most conservative guest next to the least expected one, and this will guarantee an exciting and stimulating gathering without a dull moment.

Music and Games

Although having a lot of people over is an insurance policy for a loud night, not everything has to be around small talk and introductions. First, make sure there is pleasant background music that will put everyone in a good party mood. Then, why not try to spice things up a little with games, charades, or Wheel of Fortune? You can even hire a DJ to control the tunes or active bartenders to really turn the party into a domestic carnival.

Easy Decorating

When it comes to home decoration for your big night, think. There is no need to go crazy and spend lots of money on things you will use only once, and try to focus on items like fairy lights, fresh flowers, or warm and fragranced candles. Think of a theme or a main color you would like to use and work your way around that.

Plan B

If you have everything under control and have a neat and tidied schedule, then there is no reason why your entertaining night shouldn’t be a huge success. Plan your evening so that there is plenty of time for mingling, enough time for your guests to eat, and go back for seconds. Remember that there could be a hiccup or two, so always have a plan B for everything.

Make it Your Own

Bringing a home event to perfection takes more than once, and the more your host, the better you will be at it. There is no need to hit the panic button because that for sure is not going to make things organized. If you have a set guest list, if you know what you are going to serve, and if you have a plan B for every single part of the evening, there is no way your party will turn into the talk of the week (in a good way, that is).