Tips For Easy Entertaining

Entertaining is an art.

When done with care, celebrations bring people together and create memories that are shared for a lifetime.

A bride and groom’s first dance to the song that defines their romance, wine glasses clinging, enticing, redolent fragrances filling the air—those moments, those experiences take people from their everyday lives and transports them to enchanting venues that seduce the senses through beauty that stuns the eyes, toe-tapping music that delight the ears, and with ambrosial aromas that whet the appetite.

At the root of all successful, entertaining events lies planning,” is the credo Page Nichols Stroud of Sociably Yours® uses as a guide in designing celebrations. Understanding that there is no right or wrong way to entertain is the motivation behind Sociably Yours’s quest to provide others with tips on how to entertain effortlessly. “Your signature is unique to you; your wedding or event celebration should be too.”

Follow these tips for easy entertaining courtesy of Sociably Yours:

• Set a date and create a timeline of the event: Start with the event’s start and end times. This helps provide some organization to your thoughts and a general guideline for when you begin to feel overwhelmed.
• Decide your guest list:Mix it up a little: Don’t always invite the same crowd. You are always at work (so it seems) so if hosting an event at home, invite your coworkers to meet and mingle with your neighbors.
• Select a menu: Choosing food that everyone will like requires that you offer a variety. Be cognizant of your guests’ dietary restrictions and/or food allergies. Keep it fun. A themed event should be complimented with a themed menu.
• Stage your space in an inviting way: Invite your guests to serve themselves by establishing a variety of food and beverage stations, complete with disposable plates and cups, napkins, straws, and plasticware. Stations are an excellent way to allow guests to partake in the foods they enjoy and shy away from those they don’t, while eliminating the awkwardness of watching someone toss a plate of the meatball sliders you spent all afternoon preparing into the trash.
• Have fun: Create an atmosphere of fun. Are you hosting a watch party? Ask television show trivia questions during the commercial breaks. Games are also a great way to keep guests entertained. And, don’t forget the music! Be sure to update your playlists and keep the tunes playing just loud enough in the background so that people can converse without raisin their voices to be heard and your guests will be sure to move their feet while they eat.

Following these tips for easy entertaining will help transform your next gathering into an infallible success. Paying attention to the minor details associated with designing your event will pay great dividends for your guests as they delight themselves in the work you’ve done. And don’t forget to have fun!