We may be past the days of jello meats and silk cupcake dresses but entertaining guests is still very much en vogue. If you’ve got a party, either formal or informal, and you don’t know where to start, we’ve got your back. It’s easier than it sounds; a little organization, a little food, a little drink, and plenty of conversation starters and activities later, you’ll have a great party on your hands and some very entertained guests.
If you’re really looking for ways to make people laugh and entertain them in that sense, then please see our article on How to Entertain People.
StepsPart 1Part 1 of 4:Getting Set Up
1Organize the space for a party. Start by getting the area organized for a party. You’ll probably want to rearrange the furniture to allow for the most amount of space and to ensure that people can sit and stand in such a way that’s it’s easy to talk to each other. You also might want to consider having a quiet conversation area that’s slightly away from everything else, so that people that need a moment of quiet time can get it.XTry to split large areas into smaller sections, to facilitate the small conversation groups that normally form at gatherings.If the space is small, move as much of the furniture as you can to the outer edge, or place some excess furniture in another room that will not be used, in order to create more space.
2Clean up around the entertaining area. Once you’ve arranged the space to look how you want, start cleaning up. You’ll want to make a good impression on your guests. What needs to be cleaned will depend on where you’re entertaining but some good places to start include:Taking out trash and any other pungent itemsMopping and vacuuming floorsCleaning glass and windowsPicking up clutterThoroughly cleaning the kitchen and bathroom
3Remember all the east-to-forget places. There are lots of places that we often forget to clean and a party is a perfect excuse to make sure that those spots aren’t neglected. Try to be thorough when you clean, picking up items that you usually leave alone and being sure to get all the spaces that were covered by the furniture you remove.For example, many people forget to clean under the toilet seat for a party. Female guests might not notice, but male guests can’t miss a bunch of caked on gunk!Another neglected spot is your front yard. This is where guests will get their first impression, so you’ll want to be sure it looks nice, clean, and organized.Don’t forget the inside of the fridge, either. People will be opening it looking for drinks and they don’t want to see dried meat juice from those steaks caked to the shelf.
4Remove any items that you don’t want around guests. Once everything is clean, you might want to make a mental checklist and decide if any items need to be removed from the area. There are lots of items that you might not want around your guests for many different reasons. This includes breakables, valuables, and items that might be sensitive. Store these items away until you are done entertaining.For example, your great grandfather’s pocket watch might be in a case in your living room. If you don’t know the people that are coming over, it might be a good idea to put it somewhere less obvious.
5Put out some decorations. With a solid base for your party environment, you’ll want to put on some finishing touches to really wow your guests. This is where decorations can be really helpful. You’re probably used to ribbons for birthdays and spider webs for Halloween, but don’t feel like that’s all you can do for decorations. There are lots of options to choose from.For example, let’s say that you’re having a going away party for a friend. Theme the decorations to the place where they will be going so that they know you’ll all be with them there in spirit.
6Don’t neglect the soundtrack. With everything else ready to go, you’re ready to put together your playlist. Music can make or break a party, so you’ll want to consider setting up those background sounds.X Make sure that you don’t turn the music up too loud. You want people to be able to hear each other.Try to theme your music to your party or to the tastes of your guests. However, if you’re unsure, try to choose music which is widely liked. Bob Marley or the Jackson 5 make great listening for a summer party, while Sinatra era music is great for winter gatherings, for example.You can use websites, like Pandora, to act as a DJ for you. This can save a lot of trouble and ensure that the music is a good mix. You can set online radio stations like this to play music for any theme or taste, so this is a great party option.Here’s the basics on connecting speakers to your computer, if you don’t know how to set up music for a party.Part 2Part 2 of 4:Making and Presenting the Food
1Start with some appetizers and snacks. Snacks, appetizers, and finger foods are crucial for a party. This is because they are easy to graze on in between activities and conversations.X Eating a meal tends to fill your mouth for too long, making it hard to interact with people. You don’t even need to have “real” food as long as you have plenty of great snacks.Great options include crackers and cheese, individual small cups of layered dips,X and stuffed wraps or rolls. Don’t forget the gold standards either, like chips and veggies with dip.
2Come up with more substantial foods. If your party coincides with a mealtime, you’ll want to be sure to offer foods that are a little more substantial too. Someone that’s too hungry can cruise through snacks, leaving other guests without something to eat. You’ll want to plan ahead and make something that’s easy and fast to prepare and that doesn’t cost too much.For example, a burrito bar is quick to throw together and very cheap. It’s also easy to cater it to lots of different tastes and food restrictions.
3Bring on the dessert! Everyone loves dessert. Even if your other food was lacking, having a really great dessert can make sure people leave with a great impression of your gathering. Of course, you can just buy a dessert from a local store (splurge and get something fancy) but you can also make your own.Did you know you can make a pretty impressive cheesecake in your blender with just milk, sugar, cream cheese and Biscuits?X Pour it into a store-bought crust and top with fresh berries to wow your guests with minimal effort.
4Carefully schedule your food prep. As you’re planning your food, try to think about how you’re going to prepare it all. You’ll want to leave yourself plenty of time to make the food so that you’re not left in the kitchen while your guests are out. Try to choose foods that you can make the night before or that can be prepped a day or two before and then thrown in the oven when guests arrive.For example, let’s say you’re throwing a formal dinner party. You can start marinading a roast overnight, setting it to soak in juices and stuffing it with garlic. Prep mashed potatoes the night before that only need to be reheated when guests arrive. Supplement all of this with a salad that’s easy to toss together. This way, all you have to do on the night of the party is toss together the salad and put the roast in the over about two hours before guests are ready to eat.
5Make sure to have plenty of drinks. You’ll want to be sure to have plenty of drinks for all your guests. Assume that every person at the party will have at least two or three drinks over the course of the party. Allowing for more can be better, if possible. You’ll also want to have lots of different drinks available, since people will have differing tastes. Do take the theme and type of party into account when you choose, though.Good party drinks include daiquiris (virgin or otherwise), spiced wine, and ginger ale.You can display your drinks in a unique way if you want to. For example, you can make a bowl out of ice for displaying fruit punch.
6Set out the food. Once everything is prepared, you can start setting out your food. For formal parties, everyone might be sitting down around a large table. For less formal parties, it’s better to have food on a table somewhere slightly out of the way. Just be sure that you’re not setting out food that can spoil too early. Cold or hot foods should wait until guests arrive to be displayed.Putting food on multiple levels or tiers can make it easier to reach all of the food items. Just don’t put things toward the back which are easy to drop. You don’t want cocktail sauce too fall into the fruit salad!If your guests will not be sitting to eat, try to choose foods which are easy to eat while standing up. Some foods, like soup, can pose too much of a challenge.Part 3Part 3 of 4:Being a Great Host
1Welcome people to your home. When people come in, you’ll want to start by welcoming them to your home. Don’t just ignore them or rush off to talk to someone else, even if the party is informal. This can leave your guest feeling unwelcome and neglected.Even just saying something simple like “Aw, I’m so happy you came. Make yourself at home.” can be enough.
2Show them around. If you have the time to, show them around the areas where the party is happening. They don’t need a tour of your knickknacks but pointing out where the bathroom is and where they can find the food is useful.You also might want to tell them where they can put things, what some of the basic house rules are (such as if shoes aren’t allowed in a room), and so on.
3Introduce people to each other. A good host will introduce people that don’t know each other and try to help them communicate with each other. You want to get a conversation started before you move on to talk to other people.XFor example, if you know two people both like the same musician, you can say something like “Oh, Becca, you’ll appreciate this: Julie just got back from a Macklemore show in Seattle. Julie, Becca is just obsessed with Macklemore.”
4Make everyone feel included. As the party goes on, try to talk to and interact with everyone. You probably will have a few people that you’re closer with than others and you might be tempted to just talk to them all night, but that can leave other guests feeling left out. Try to at least check on everyone every now and again, even if it’s just to offer them more to drink.Try to ask at least one question of each guest over the course of the party. This shows them that you take an interest in them and that you care about their presence.
5Send them off at the end of the party. Once the party wraps up, say goodbye to people as they leave and thank them for coming. This makes people feel appreciated and respected. Neglecting to say goodbye can hurt people’s feelings and ruin their perception of your party (even if they had an otherwise good time).Part 4Part 4 of 4:Bringing the Fun
1Find ways for people to have fun together. Of course, it’s a party so you’ll want to be sure to set up activities to keep people talking and interacting. You’ll want to tailor those activities, however, to the number of guests you’ll have as well as the interests and personalities of your guests.Create large group activities. If you have lots of people, you’ll want to have at least one activity that lots of people can do together.X Try a cheesy dance competition, rent a karaoke machine, and hire someone to come and give your group dance lessons. Of course, the activity you choose should take your guests into account. If they’re quiet ladies, for example, someone to give a lesson on decoupage might be better appreciated than a dance instructor.Create small group activities. If you have a more intimate group, you’ll have a few more options for activities you can all do together. Set up a game of sackhole or pull out some board games. Don’t feel limited to Monopoly, either. Newer games, like Apples to Apples, are great for small party groups (around 10 players).
2Create space for introverts. Remember that not all of your guests will be extroverted, just because they’re at a party. By giving introverts a quiet place to escape for a few minutes, you can make sure that everyone enjoys your party. But of course, you also want to give them the tools they need be social comfortably. Try:Creating conversation starter cards. These cards have a couple of questions or conversation topics written out on them. Place these cards at their place setting or on a table in the middle of the room, so people can use them when they want to.
3Mix outdoor and indoor activities as needed. If your party will outside, you’ll need outdoor activities. If your party is indoors, you’ll need indoor activities. Having both available might be a good idea too. Just remember that if you’re planning an outdoor party and environmental factors might ruin your plans (like rain), you’ll want to have indoor activities available as a backup plan.For outdoor activities, you can set up carnival games, a s’mores station, or an outdoor movie theater.For indoor activities, you can set up a photo booth (all you need is a camera, a stand, a backdrop, and props), white elephant gift exchange, or a station for temporary tattoos.X
4Theme your activities to the party. Choosing a theme for your party can also help you in planning activities. For certain occasions, a theme might lend itself (such as a party for a particular holiday). Otherwise, you’ll have to come up with a theme and themed activities that you think will appeal to your guests.For a Roaring 20’s themed party, screen a silent movie and set up some casino games. You can even make alcohol free cocktails if there will be too many younger people at the party for real ones.For a manly party, hire a cigar roller. Get a custom blend made up just for the occasion and then get someone to roll cigars for any guest that wants one.
5Account for formal parties. If you’re having a formal gathering, you’ll probably need to take a slightly different approach to entertaining. Make sure you account for this when you plan your event. Often, formal parties are more challenging, since people are less inclined to be social and friendly. This means that you might want to make sure that people have cues that can get them talking and interacting.You can have guests play the “Who am I?” game. This is where you write down the name of a well known person on a card and tape it to the back of each guest. The guest then has to ask questions of other guests to find out what person they’ve been assigned.Favors that get people doing an activity are also a great option for formal parties.
