How to Be a Great Party Hostess
Listen to Chrystina summarize these hostesses’ top party ohsting tips in Episode 40 of the Party Ideas & Logistics with Chrystina Noel podcast, above.
I learned how to be a party hostess from watching those around me - mainly mom mom and aunts during the holidays growing up. To learn even more I’ve asked 11 party hosts about their party hosting styles, where their love of party planning came from, their go-to food & beverages, how they decorate, the best party they’ve ever hosted, their biggest challenges, and their best tips.
The interviewed hosts and hostess include:
Yours Truly (link to below)
My Mother (link to below)
Jessica from Sweet Love & Ginger & Old Wisdom Wellness (link to below)
Beth Mirzai, soprano opera singer (link to below)
Brigette from Brigette I. Design (link to below)
Heidi from Parties for Pennies (link to below)
Sarah from Pretty Providence (link to below)
Andy from Plum Deluxe (link to below)
Nida from Red & Gold Events (link to below)
Lauren Caselli, consultant of consultants (link to below)
Johanna from Nice Nails (link to below)
Party Tips and Tricks from Chrystina from Chrystina Noel
This is me!
Party-Hosting Style
The parties I usually host revolve around food, are very casual, and have some kind of theme. I’ve found that the theme gives people who don’t know each other something to talk about if they’ve never met before, which isn’t unusual for one of my parties. Introducing my friends is one of my favorite things. Also, I try to keep the food relatively simple because the purpose of the party is usually to hang out with friends.
Hosting Origin Story
Our holiday traditions always involve 20+ people. There’s no such thing as a small dinner of four on a nice quiet evening in. We go big or go home. My mom and her three sisters cook for days and then we all gather around a very long table (or two) and feast for hours. It’s a pretty great tradition that I’ve been awesomely blessed to be living for 27 years now. I think it’s this feeling of enjoying bringing everyone together that inspired me to get started hosting parties of my own.
Go-To-Recipes
Appetizers: Spinach dip, Jalapeno popper dip, Fancy cheese
Entrees: Usually I try to avoid serving entrees are parties because I’m not always overly confident in my cooking skills, but I’ve been getting better recently. For a small dinner party, these Orange-Ginger Salmon Packets with Broccoli and Sweet Potatoes worked great recently. And when I know I’m cooking for a large crowd, homemade manicotti is my choice default.
Desserts: Cupcakes (This recipe for chocolate, otherwise funfetti.) Chocolate Chip Cookies (I will have to share this recipe with y’all.) Ice cream
Beverages: Wine, Water, Hot Tea
Potluck: I usually bring one of the desserts or appetizers listed above to a potluck.
Do you decorate?
Sometimes if I’m feeling really inspired I’ll make a paper chain out of card stock and hang it all around the room. And recently I’ve started buying flowers which I’ve added in small quantities around the house to make things look prettier. It’s simple, and looks festive.
Best Party Ever Hosted
I would tell you that my 25th birthday party is currently the best party I’ve ever hosted. I rented out one of my favorite brunch places in the city after hours and we had a boozy late night brunch. There was a personalized letter for everyone when they walked in the door, one of my friend’s dad’s DJ-ed, and it was BYOB so I was able to purchase all the alcohol ahead of time and bring it in. Even my parents came down to Philadelphia for the event!
Biggest Challenge
My current biggest hostessing challenge is that my kitchen and family room aren’t on the same floor and they’re small. My favorite way to orchestrate a party is to talk to people while being productive in the kitchen, but if I’m being productive in the kitchen there’s (a) not enough room for people to hang out with me or (b) everybody else is on a different floor. It’s kind of a bummer, but I’m trying to learn to do more prep work so I get more time to enjoy with my guests.
Best Tip
Give everybody all the details ahead of time. Tell them the who, where, why, when, what, but also make sure to include logistical things that will make it easier for them. Should they eat before they get there? Should they bring anything? Can they bring a plus one? Is there a theme? Is there a dress code? Where should they park? Are there any tricks to finding your street? The more details you can give someone ahead of time the more comfortable they will feel when they walk in the door.
Party Tips and Tricks from Debbie, Chrystina’s Mom
This is my mom. I’ve been telling her that she should start a blog for a long time, but she’s just not biting.
Party-Hosting Style
Everything needs to be in place for the first course when company arrives. Dishes and serving utensils for the following courses are laid out. I like to be totally prepared.
Hosting Origin Story
I went on maternity leave one month after we moved into our new home. The kitchen was huge and ideal for entertaining. My husband (your Dad) travelled a lot and I passed my time by planning get-togethers and trying new recipes.
Go-To-Recipes
Appetizers: I dislike appetizers, I think that they take away from the main course. I would rather serve an antipasto or serve shrimp cocktail rather than appetizers. However … I realize that there are times when you need appetizers due to timing. At times like this, I like bacon wrapped pineapple, spinach dip with water chestnuts and clam casino dip.
Entrees: Manicotti served with Meatballs, Italian Sausage, and Braciola in a homemade tomato sauce. I have recently served Baked Stuffed Shrimp, Chicken Marsala, and Chicken Cacciatore. I like these entrees because everything is ready before company arrives.
Desserts: Tiramisu – lady fingers soaked in coffee and Kahlua then layered with mascarpone cheese and heavy cream – Heaven!
Beverages: I went to a bridal shower at Tony Di Napoli’s in New York City. They served white Sangria that was light, sweet, and fruity. The waitress showed us how they made it and White Sangria has become one of my favorite drinks. I also like a fruit punch served with sherbet and ginger ale. It is refreshing and looks festive.
Potluck: I prefer making desserts. Tiramisu, Scandinavian Almond Bars, and Epicurious Vanilla Bean Rice Pudding.
Do you decorate?
I enjoy setting the table so it looks festive and welcoming. Name tags with a little favor for each person is always a nice touch.
Best Party Ever Hosted
I wanted to try something a little different for a Fathers’ Day Luncheon. I had recently travelled to Savannah Georgia and brought back a gift pack of different flavored honeys from the Savannah Bee Company. For dessert, I set up a tasting station with the different types of honey with a card that explained each variety and the undertones of flavor in each. They were paired with chocolate, green apple and sour dough bread. Even though there were many desserts, everyone tried all of the varieties of honey. It was something different!
Biggest Challenge
Having everything ready and the house clean when the first guest walks in the door.
Best Tip
Relax and enjoy the moment – that’s the reason you are entertaining in the first place.
Party Tips and Tricks from Jessica from Sweet Love & Ginger & Old Wisdom Wellness
This is Jessica, she blogs at Sweet Love and Ginger and sells herbal products at Old Wisdom Wellness. She’s an engineer living in the great northeast with her husband, Chuck, and their dog, Brody.
Party-Hosting Style
I don’t know that I really have a style as far as parties go. I love a good dinner party, but spur of the moment get-togethers and game nights seem to happen around our house a lot.
Hosting Origin Story
In the womb I think? Growing up there were always people at our house. Both of my moms are amazing cooks and everyone was always welcome at the dinner table. That’s the kind of open door policy I like to have at my house as well.
Go-To-Recipes
Appetizers: Bruschetta, chips and salsa (mom’s homemade canned), or my step-mom’s homemade pepper jelly (she cans it from peppers from her garden) over cream cheese with crackers. Yes, I totally owe my moms some props.
Entrees: Chicken Parmesan, Roast Chicken, or Venison Chili – I love to experiment in the kitchen, but I find that people really appreciate the classics. Besides I’m totally comfortable with them, so it makes putting together a meal for 10 or more a breeze.
Desserts: Ice cream. I’m not really that into desert so I’ll pull out the stuff for make your own sundaes, though a lot of our guests are just as happy with a desert wine, whiskey or a glass of our friends homemade cider instead of an edible desert.
Beverages: Wine, tea, and whiskey. My husband likes a nice whiskey or bourbon after dinner, while I grew up in a house hold where tea was offered every time someone entered a house or finished a meal. I don’t think wine really needs any further explanation.
Potluck: My Smoked Cheddar Mac & Cheese seems to be a pretty big crowd pleaser, but I also get a lot of requests for my step-mom’s Jalapeño Poppers. It’s kind of a secret recipe. The funny thing is that I don’t really love spicy food, so I’ve never even had one; I just make them a few times a year for everyone else.
Do you decorate?
I have to admit, I really hate decorating. It’s just not my thing. A friend and I do a combined cookie tasting party every year around Christmas time and this year we were doing it at my house. She offered to come early to decorate knowing that I typically don’t even put up a Christmas tree let alone other decorations. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not a scrooge or anything, I just can’t get into seasonal/ holiday/ temporary decor. I’d much rather spend that time in the kitchen.
Best Party Ever Hosted
Oh man, I don’t think that I can pick just one. Any time there are happy people around, food and music I just go into a happy place. Every party is the best party to me.
Biggest Challenge
I would have to say timing. I have been known to put a hot appetizer out just as the main course is ready or completely finish the main course and realize I never put the brownies in the oven. I like to think I’ll get better with this as years go by, but even if I don’t it doesn’t really effect things too much so I don’t let it bother me.
Best Tip
Just start. Don’t think too much. Just invite people over and keep it simple, or invite your closest friend and try something crazy. The only way to overcome the fear and figure out what works is to start doing it.
Party Tips and Tricks from Beth Mirzai
This is Beth. I sang in church choir with Beth for a long time, and man, she throws wonderful parties. She’s also an opera singer.
Party-Hosting Style
I like to be prepared above all thing. My goal whenever I am hosting a party is to prepare as much as I can in advance so that when my guests arrive, I am not stuck in the kitchen with my head in the oven watching my food cook. I want to be able to relax and enjoy the night too so I find some extra time preparing in advance goes a long way for me. I also try to plan to serve foods that can be prepared in advance!
Hosting Origin Story
Growing up in a Italian family, every occasion is calls for a celebration and there are no celebrations without food. I am also an exceeding extroverted person so I am always looking for an outing or event to attend. For this reason, I love planning my own parties. I have slowed down a bit in terms of hosting lately but mostly because life with 2 kids gets crazy and the house is always scattered with toys.
Go-To-Recipes
Appetizers: Spinach-artichoke dip and Baked brie with caramelized onions and dried cranberries are always crowd favorites!
Entrees: I try to keep it simple. One time I made homemade pasta with short rib bolognese after a trip to Eataly in NYC where I fell in love with their short rib bolognese. I had to try to recreate it for myself and it was a hit! I also love to expose friends to new types of food so I make an Iranian dish called Gormeh Sabzi with Rice and Tadiq (the crispy bottom part of the rice). It is a dish that has taken me a long time to learn to make and make well (and that requires some secret family ingredients from my husband’s family in Iran) but that people are always intrigued by and it is also well liked (even my picky 6 year old loves it!).
Desserts: Lemon tart, Chocolate tart, my sinless chocolate chip cookies, Fruit crisp is another great one because it can be made with less sugar and still tastes amazing!
Beverages: I keep it simple with the beverages…wine, beer, sometimes if it’s the holidays I will throw in wassail in the crockpot or sangria when the weather is getting nice.
Potluck: I like to sit back and see what everyone else is making. I find though that most people either opt for an appetizer or a dessert so a lot of times I end up bringing a main dish. I wouldn’t say I have a standard that I usually bring though. Sometimes it depends what I have on hand for ingredients because I don’t like to do extra grocery shopping if I can help it. I find a lot of times that I can make something great with what I have on hand in my pantry and refrigerator. My dad taught me this!
Do you decorate?
Maybe some fresh flowers but generally, no. Unless it’s Christmas, then all bets are off and I definitely decorate!
Best Party Ever Hosted
Hmmm. This is a tough one. I find that my enjoyment of my parties has changed over time. When I was in grad school, I loved parties with a few friends where we could have lots of time to just relax and talk. Now that I have kids, I like having parties with friends and their kids. We feed the kids first then put on a movie for them so we can sit down and eat and enjoy adult conversation. Actually, I take it back. Can my wedding count as a party I have hosted? Because that was an amazing night and I did put a TON of work into it but in the end, it went exactly as I wanted it to and everyone enjoyed it.
Biggest Challenge
Timing. I am really OCD about timing with myself and so I like to time everything perfectly but generally don’t account for most people being fashionably late so my food is usually done too early. I am working on it!
Best Tip
Do everything in your power to give yourself a chance to enjoy the party too. Yes, hosting a party is a lot of work but if you do some prepping in advance and plan your day right, you don’t have to spend the entire day in the kitchen while everyone else is having fun in the living room.
Party Tips and Tricks from Brigette from Brigette I. Design
Meet Brigette! She is a graphic designer at Brigette I. Design specializing in logo/identity and non-profit graphic design. (She also just won a board game creation competition which is just cool.)
Party-Hosting Style
Entertaining is one of my favorite things to do – I love bringing people together for any reason. As a graphic designer, I love having a theme, making decorations, and figuring out creative ways to carry out that theme.
I usually follow a simple formula when throwing a party: come up with a fun theme, make a few themed food and drinks, incorporate one activity to get people mingling, and have one iconic element that people will remember afterwards. For instance, I threw a video game themed 30th birthday party for my boyfriend, “Tom Reached Level 30”: there were Tetris cookies and potion bottle cocktails, we made pixel space invader decorations with post-it notes, I created a “Tom’s High Scores” wall where people could write their favorite memories they’ve had with the guest of honor, and I used a projector to have a huge playable game of Tetris on the curtains in the front of the house.
Hosting Origin Story
My mom has always been a master party planner, I got my passion for over-the-top themes as well as arts & crafts from her. She has thrown some pretty incredible parties for my sister and I growing up, including a beach-themed sweet 16 party involving a beach volleyball court in the backyard with actual sand. After having my own space that was big enough to entertain in, I fell in love with always having my friends over for various events, parties, craft days, board game nights – you name it!
Go-To-Recipes
Appetizers: Any party is a good excuse for a cheese plate, so I typically put one together for any gathering I’m having. Also cheese-related, brie pinwheels are a really easy and delicious appetizer to make, and are always a crowd-pleaser. I like to make them with crescent roll dough, brie and fresh basil.
Entrees: I have never thrown a classic dinner party before, since all of my gatherings tend to be for large groups of people I typically go for potluck-style when dinner is involved, or go with simple foods for large groups like chili or barbecue.
Desserts: I became obsessed with making sugar cookies with royal icing decoration a few years ago, so every one of my parties includes a cookie that compliments the theme – whether it be dollar bills for a thrift store party, compasses + leaves for a camping party, or tickets for a carnival party.
Beverages: Sangria in the summer and mulled wine in the winter.
Potluck: For a brunch potluck – a sweet potato and spinach frittata, for a dinner potluck – mashed sweet potatoes.
Do you decorate?
Yes! I always decorate the main table where food and drink is set up to help carry out the theme, and then incorporate some decorations throughout the space. I usually try to come up with something fun for guests to wear, like ribbon pins for a carnival theme party, or leis for a luau, which also helps add to the decor!
Best Party Ever Hosted
My favorite party I throw every year is a New Years Eve soiree with all of my close friends. It’s a classic silver/gold/black and stars motif, and everyone comes dressed to the nines even though it’s just at my apartment. I have New Years resolution sheets that guests fill out, which also include reflections on the past year like favorite movie, hobby, memory, and we hang them on one big wall so everyone can read what other people wrote. I’ve thrown this party four years in a row now, and I’ve put all of the past year’s sheets into a book, so we can all look back on the past year’s memories and resolutions together.
Biggest Challenge
Balancing my time to be able to socialize with all of my guests, as well as helping different groups of friends mingle tend to be my biggest challenges. I’ve tried a few activities and games in the past that have worked well for bringing different groups together, like personality bingo.
Best Tip
Don’t be afraid to go big with your ideas, but also try to keep it simple when possible – party planning should be fun!
Party Tips and Tricks from Heidi from Parties for Pennies
Heidi blogs are Parties for Pennies. She adores entertaining, champagne, and watermelon bubblegum. I love the way that she breaks down even the most elaborate parties into pieces that feel do-able for someone who hasn’t done it before.
Party-Hosting Style
I love creating beautiful, champagne-style parties on a beer budget! I think it’s important to create a unique and fun environment, but the most important thing is your guests. You can host a party with a glass of champagne, some granola bars, and your besties. The most successful party is where you were present, connected, and the guests felt like rock stars!
Hosting Origin Story
Actually from as early as elementary school. We didn’t have much money, but I always wanted to create special events whatever the budget. When I was in 5th grade, I got my siblings involved and we planned a romantic French dinner at home for my parent’s anniversary. I even created a menu in French.
Go-To-Recipes
Appetizers: You can never go wrong with brie cheese topped with a jam and maybe some crushed walnuts. It looks beautiful and takes minutes to plate up. My favorite is peach jam. If it’s a casual get together, I love popcorn topped with herbs and maybe some parmesan cheese. Popcorn is so budget-friendly and is a safe choice for those with food allergies.
Entrees: If I’m having a fall/winter dinner party, I love a crockpot roast over polenta. It’s so easy to make up ahead of time and keep warm until time to serve. It looks really pretty plated up with the polenta, topped with the roast and vegetables. For the summer, I love a pasta or an assortment of flatbreads.
Desserts: For the fall, I love this easy apple dessert recipe using instant oatmeal packets! For the summer, this gluten free pound cake with vodka strawberry sauce is mouth-watering delicious!
Beverages: I have a special place in my heart for champagne! Here is a simple drink recipe or formula you can use for a great budget-friendly option – MIX 1| Champagne/White Wine + 2| Juice of your choosing (Pineapple, Grapefruit, Mango, etc) + 3| Cut up mixed fruit (Strawberries, blueberries, pineapple, etc) = easy and cost effective drink. Have fun coming up with your own concoction and give it a fun name!
Potluck: Since I can’t have gluten, I usually do a salad to make sure there’s something hearty for me to eat. I have fun adding really great stuff to my salads – nuts, fruit, cheese, etc. It usually reflects the season and vibe of the potluck. Another great thing to take to a potluck is a trifle dessert. It’s beautiful, easy to throw together, and all you have to do is add a spoon and it’s ready to serve.
Do you decorate?
Usually, but don’t underestimate the hosting power of flowers and lighting! A gorgeous centerpiece of flowers take a plain table and create a fun vibe! Here are some additional ideas of how to create a budget-friendly dinner party.
Best Party Ever Hosted
Usually, but don’t underestimate the hosting power of flowers and lighting! A gorgeous centerpiece of flowers take a plain table and create a fun vibe! Here are some additional ideas of how to create a budget-friendly dinner party.
Biggest Challenge
I think the biggest struggle I have is with the guest list – both deciding who to invite and then being prepared if people RSVP a day before or cancel minutes before. That’s really hard when you’ve worked so hard on something and spent so much time planning.
Best Tip
Have fun with the decorations and food, but remember to keep the focus on your guests! The best hostess, in my book, is one where guests leave saying, “I felt so special and loved.”
Party Tips and Tricks from Sarah from Pretty Providence
Meet Sarah! She is one-half of the duo that runs the blog, Pretty Providence. It’s a frugal lifestyle blog where she and her best friend Jessica share cheap and easy recipes, crafts, home decor DIYs, thrifty tips, and afforadable fashion.
Party-Hosting Style
My party hosting style is casual and relaxed! I love a party with perfect details but when I plan a real party, I try to just focus on having great food and creating a fun atmosphere. If I am stressing over the small details, people can feel it!
Hosting Origin Story
I’m not sure… I think I just started doing it with my friends in college because we liked any reason to get together with our friends, and it just grew from there! I got obsessed with cake decorating, poured over party and wedding blogs for decor inspiration, and was always looking for a new reason to throw a party.
Go-To-Recipes
Appetizers: I love chips and dip! Any kind!
Entrees: I pretty much always go for Mexican if I’m serving dinner. My 20-minute chimichangas are always a crowd pleaser and are easy to put together ahead of time!
Desserts: Everyone’s favorite is my Golden Grahams S’more Bars, they’re melted chocolate and marshmallow and they literally taste like heaven.
Beverages: Definitely Dirty Dr. Pepper because that’s my FAVE, and then I always like to do a lemonade or something simple like that!
Potluck: Once again, I always bring my S’more Bars, they are my most requested treat!
Do you decorate?
Yes. I always do some kind of garland and I like balloons, or simple paper backdrops and centerpieces. (Click here to see her floral cake stand centerpieces.)
Best Party Ever Hosted
I think my nephew’s Star Wars party was really awesome, and it felt low-pressure because I knew the kids would be happy no matter what.
Biggest Challenge
My biggest challenge is not getting a little out of control with the decor ideas I have. I guess you could say I have too many ideas and not enough time to do them.
Best Tip
Collect white serving dishes, they go with everything! You can find great ones at thrift stores, keep your eyes peeled. For my tips on starting a party stockpile on a budget – click here!
Party Tips and Tricks from Andy from Plum Deluxe
This is Andy. He is the founder & creator of Plum Deluxe, which is a place on the internet (and in real life) that combines delicious tea and moments that matter. It comes with a subscription service, a motivational podcast, and a weekly newsletter. He does it all.
Party-Hosting Style
If we narrowed it down to a two-word phrase (like they do on those restaurant and hotel remodel shows), I’d call it “elegant comfort.” For example, a recent party I had made homemade cream puffs with my mom’s pastry cream recipe – phenomenal – with prosecco and a Costco cheese plate. Who doesn’t like Costco?! And we just sat around the table on the back patio. I think people are not hungry for fancy foods or fancy table settings or fancy drinks – those are nice, but people are hungry for connection. I like to have things that make people feel special and treated, but then just create the space for people to connect.
Hosting Origin Story
I lived in Europe for a very long time, and all of my friends were social hosts – and it’s almost a requirement to return the favor, so I became a regular to host a Sunday cocktail with cheesy bacon quiche!
Go-To-Recipes
Appetizers: I love a good savory popcorn, or roasted nuts – even some cinnamon almonds are a nice warm up. For a sit-down appetizer, I almost always do a soup and bread with salty or infused butter. And of course – cheese, cheese, cheese!
Entrees: Hmm – if I’m having several people I tend to aim for casseroles (like chicken broccoli) because I like to make sure people go home with a full tank. I also love pea parmesan risotto or mango chicken with rice.
Desserts: I love crème brulee or custards because you can have a variety of flavors prepared in advance. Depending on the scene I also a mean salted chocolate chip oatmeal cookie.
Beverages: Prosecco, vinho verde, rose wine, sangria.
Potluck: Really nice cheese, or dessert (see above).
Decor
I don’t often decorate the house, but I do like a really good table setting – thoughtfully chosen plates, centerpiece, etc. Lighting is also important to me – you want it intimate but also not like a dark bar. Candles, twinkle lights, dimmer switches can do wonders here.
Best Party Ever Hosted
Many years ago I hosted a dinner party that was a brunch party. I’d never heard of it before, but my favorite dish is breakfast, so why not? Drinks were really nice mimosas and a bloody mary bar. I made homemade biscuits, cheesy eggs, mini pancakes, bacon, sausage. I felt like a line cook in a diner, but we had an amazing time (and nobody had to get up early). I highly recommend it.
Biggest Challenge
Getting a party on the calendar. Gotta plan ahead to make sure people can, and do, RSVP.
Best Tip
People don’t care about how clean your house is. They care about being heard, connecting with like-minded people. So make time to listen. Have some thoughtful conversation starters. Connect people. Worry more about deep connection than dust bunnies.
Party Tips and Tricks from Nida from Red & Gold Events
This is Nida. She runs Red & Gold Events. She works one-on-one with friends and families to deliver their vision with the company’s experience. Organizing and planning are her inherent strengths, allowing Nida to channel her passion into helping her clients.
Party-Hosting Style
Hosting a party is not easy, or I should say hosting a GOOD party is not easy. I pay a lot of attention to details, and my perfectionist personality has to bring out my style. A few things I always do at my parties are:
I always use big serving platters to serve food in. I hate platters which are too small, so when you take out food it spills everywhere. Also, when the food has room to breathe, it looks good and appealing to your senses.
Next, I like to plan according to a theme. That’s the best way to host a party, it gives you direction and ideas for decor. Deciding a theme is very important to me, it gives me room for creativity. For example: My son’s birthday was a “Royal Birthday Party”. With the royal theme, I incorporated crowns, gowns, bling, royal blue color, and sparkles!
Another hosting style I do, is to have different stations everywhere. If it’s at home I have a station for drinks, another for appetizers, and others for desserts and main entrees. If it’s outside, I try to do the same, so guests don’t feel cramped and have motive to walk around and mingle!
Hosting Origin Story
When I was young, I always helped my mom in the kitchen. I enjoyed cooking and more than that enjoyed organizing and decorating. So, it was easy. Mom did the cooking, I did the planning. =)
Go-To-Recipes
Appetizers: Appetizers are something which I think should be quick so we can concentrate on other items. I like doing egg rolls, fancy salad, bread & cheese, soup, or grilled chicken bites. I love a good savory popcorn, or roasted nuts – even some cinnamon almonds are a nice warm up. For a sit-down appetizer, I almost always do a soup and bread with salty or infused butter. And of course – cheese, cheese, cheese!
Entrees: The way I plan my menu is: 1 appetizer, 1 salad, 3-4 main entrees, and a rice/pasta item. Desserts can be endless but minimum 2. =) Some of my go-to entrees are Lasagna, Bean Salad, Spaghetti & Meatballs, Kababs, and Garlic Bread.
Desserts: Yummm…this is my favorite part in hosting. I do not have a go-to dessert, it all depends on what I feel like eating and hoping guests will like it too. Some of my options are: Brownie Sundae, Flan, Cake or Cupcakes, Fondue Stand, Cheesecake, or Truffles (and yes, I make them homemade).
Beverages: Beverages depend on the season for me. If it’s summertime, I like to use peach, mint, mango, raspberries with club soda. If its wintertime, I like to use grapes, strawberries, and kiwi.
Potluck: My famous Lasagna. I usually get it assigned before I can pick what I want to make. I also like to do some fancy salads. My favorites are: mango salsa salad, macaroni salad, russian salad, or a simple arugula salad with berries, some cheese, walnuts and bell peppers.
Do you decorate?
Do you decorate for the festivities?
Absolutely! I think décor pulls everything together. It is as important as having a good menu! I love using fresh flowers and food tags for all my parties.
Best Party Ever Hosted
My daughters 1st birthday; where the theme was based on her “tutu dress”. It was a pink and brown tutu with polka dots. From backgrounds, to table covers, to party favors, to the photo booth, everything matched and looked amazing. Another best was my son’s 1st birthday. It was a “royal prince” themed party. I had royal blue and gold as the main colors, which were used from everything from table cloths, to stage backdrop, to photo booth, to the royal horse he came on for his entrance. It was a fantastic party too. =)
Biggest Challenge
Juggling my kids while I get so involved in hosting. I do not want to neglect my kids and want to give them the attention. However, I cannot depend on anybody else to help me (in the planning stages), because I have to do it the right way, which is in my head. I do work ahead of time; however time still seems to be running out the day of the party.
Best Tip
PLAN PLAN PLAN. From ribbons to centerpieces everything requires details. And in my opinion, details is what makes a party fabulous. Go the extra mile and do the effort; results will show on there own. Hosting a great party requires a lot of hard work, so make sure you work days/weeks ahead of time.
Meet Lauren! I met her at The Yellow Conference in Los Angeles this year. She is the owner of Lauren Caselli where she helps providers and consultants price their work to make more money. She believes that live events have unparalleled power, and I have to say that I totally agree with her (and that’s why she’s a wonderful hostess).
Party-Hosting Style
I’m Italian so party hosting has been in my blood for generations. My family members were immigrants, so they didn’t have lots of money to spend on throwing elaborate parties, but the biggest crime was if someone went hungry. Now, I always make sure we have extra of everything, including linens, chairs, and food. The joke in my family is that if you can’t feed an army AFTER everyone’s left, you’re doing it wrong.
Hosting Origin Story
I think once I got my own apartment, I started really loving throwing my own gatherings. It felt unbelievable to open the door to my home, welcome in people that I loved, and make sure they were taken care of. I liked connecting people, and having a space in which to do that made it so much more wonderful.
Go-To-Recipes
Appetizers: Bruschetta. It goes on toast points, can be served on a rice cracker, or on a piece of lettuce and no one is offended that you didn’t honor their dietary restrictions. Alternately, I’ve never seen pigs in a blanket leftover, and even though they’re not a regular, EVERYONE loves them.
Entrees: Chicken french, which is a breaded Italian dish native to western New York (where I grew up). It’s the only complex dish I can make without measuring anything or a needing a recipe (or even needing a list when I go to the grocery store), so when I’m looking to impress someone, that’s what I make because it’s easy for me.
Desserts: Hah! My biggest secret is that I hate baking, but I love this chocolate budino from a neighborhood restaurant called “Blackbird Kitchen”. If it’s a small group, I’ll buy one for everyone to go. The caveat to this is chocolate/pumpkin pie, but I only like baking pies on Sundays during the fall, so they rarely make it as a dinner-party dessert.
Beverages: I love making old-fashioned’s because they’re easy to batch and serve. If I can’t batch it, I won’t make it for a party. Otherwise, I always put out red, white, and sparkling water and let people serve themselves.
Potluck: Christmas salad, which is arugula, orzo pasta, cranberries, feta, slivered almonds, dressed in olive oil, vinegar, lemon, salt and pepper. You let it sit in the fridge for a few hours, mixing a few times before you pull it out to make sure the arugula and orzo soak up the dressing. People die over it, and it’s so inexpensive and beautiful.
Do you decorate?
Since I got my own apartment, yes! But only for Christmas, because I love holiday decor (and holiday music). I always cut my own tree down (Montana! It’s legal here!) and drag it home, and then I usually make hot chocolate and decorate it. I don’t have family here where I live, so it’s a nice reminder of my traditions growing up when I’m alone in my apartment during the holidays.
Best Party Ever Hosted
The best one I ever hosted was for my business and it was a networking event for female entrepreneurs called The Boss Lady Bash. Most networking events are stale and people leave early, but this one treats people to really fun details, there’s delicious food, wine, beer, and you’re pre-placed into groups with other women who you may not know. It takes some of the hurdle out of networking, and people seem to love it. (Plus, they die over the swag, which is my favorite part!)
Biggest Challenge
Wanting to mingle, and making sure everything looks clean, presentable, and up to par. I like when my guests feel like they’re comfortable, so I don’t want them worrying about washing dishes, cleaning up after themselves, or feeling inconvenienced. That’s my idea of an awesome party for guests. But, since I want my house to look good, I’m constantly running around and cleaning, while also trying to mingle. It’s tough to do both.
Best Tip
Understand that your guests’ comfort is important, and try to walk through your part from the perspective of the guest. When they walk in, is there a convenient place to hang their coat? If not, have someone taking coats and placing them in a bedroom (a great job for a partner!). Are the plates in a spot that makes sense? Is there enough glassware or plastic cups so people don’t have to hunt for glasses? Think about what people are going to need before they have to ask, so you can relax during the event (or if you’re me, run around and clean up after people).
Party Tips and Tricks from Johanna
And finally. Last, but never least, Johanna. Johanna and I have been friends for over 10 years now. Through that time I have been to countless parties, and I’m still always impressed by exactly how much she is able to pull off, and how much she has it down to a science.
Party-Hosting Style
I like to host house parties with food rather than ‘organized other place gatherings’. Some of my parties have been more themed than others. I like to bring people from all aspects of my life together to socialize.
Hosting Origin Story
That’s a good question… I have always like organizing things. I enjoy putting together spreadsheets for menus and beverages. I attended bar tending school for fun while I was in college. I always got to decorate my sister’s birthday cake… I guess that’s probably where it started.
Go-To-Recipes
Appetizers
I’m going to answer this question based on an afternoon/evening party… brunch parties and pizza parties are a completely different categories. I like to go homemade as much as possible:
Buffalo chicken dip has more recently been superseded by jalapeno popper dip
Hummus
Guacamole
Taco dip
Salsa
Deviled eggs
Baked brie with cranberries
Monkey bread
Non-homemade go-tos:
Cheese and crackers
Chips/pretzels/veggies and Helluvagood dips
Pre-made Giant brand appetizers (bake and serve)
Entrees
Haluski (cabbage and noodles)
Sausage and Peppers
Chicken Paprikash
Chili
Desserts
Chocolate fountain with various dippers
Cupcakes
Cake
Fruit tart
Pies
Beverages
Jello shots
Beer
Wine
Soda
Juices: cranberry, orange, grapefruit, pineapple, tomato
“Nectar of the Gods” (champagne, peach nectar, white peach cranberry juice)
Coffee/tea
Wassail (mulled apple cider) when in season
Potluck
Jello shots :)
Johanna made +1000 Mini Cupcakes for her sister’s wedding.
Click here for a list of what to dunk in your chocolate fondue.
Pie recipes for your next Pi Day.
Do you decorate?
This depends on the reason for the party and the theme. Generally I put more focus into cleaning than decorating.
Best Party Ever Hosted
This is a tough one… I like the live band aspect of the annual New Year’s Eve party, a wedding reception is a great party to plan, but I think the best theme house party I ever hosted was a semi-surprise party for my husband’s 30th birthday. He knew there was going to be a party but didn’t know the theme. He was born in the year and month that Epcot opened in Disney World. A weekend trip to Epcot was prohibitively expensive so I decided to bring Epcot to his party. Each area of the house represented an area or country from Epcot. To represent Future World – The Living Seas, I had a room set up for viewing Finding Nemo with goldfish snacks (this was a hit with the kids). I did decorate a bit for this party. Each area had a laminated sign with Epcot style text identifying the land and a few other decorations were used depending on what I had for the countries. Each country had a selection of homemade food based on Disney restaurant menu selections.
Appetizers
Guacamole and chips (Mexico)
Pretzels (Germany)
Hummus and Pita (Morocco)
Goat cheese and Kalamata dip with balsamic reduction (Morocco)
Quiche Lorraine (France)
Mini croissant sandwiches (France)
Cheese plate (France)
Entrees
Pork Tenderloin Mole (Mexico)
Lamb shawarma (Morocco)
Steak (Canada)
Burgers and Dogs (American Adventure)
Brats (Germany)
Mac and cheese (France)
Sushi (Japan) – yes, even this was homemade
Salad
Caesar (Canada)
Seaweed (Japan) – ok, this one I bought prepared
Sides
Esquites (Mexico)
Couscous Salad (Morocco)
Lentil Salad (Morocco)
Cheddar Cheese Soup (Canada)
Creamed Spinach with Parmesan (can’t remember what country – it might have just been to add a green vegetable)
Beverages
Beer (Germany)
Saki (Japan)
Bloody Caesar (Canada)
Tea (United Kingdom)
Dessert
Tiramisu (Italy)
Biggest Challenge
Getting all the food ready (semi) on-time and remembering to serve everything. I use a post-it note system to help with remembering to serve everything.
Best Tip
Cover the big things first then worry about the smaller things. Only you will know if something that you had planned didn’t come to fruition by party time. Don’t forget to have fun! It’s easy to get too wrapped up in the details.
I hope that you learned something new, bookmarked some good recipes, and feel inspired to host a party of your own sometime soon!
