There’s nothing quite as refined or adult as throwing a dinner party. Gathering your friends together over some great food and an ambience to die for is the best way to celebrate your achievements and unity together. But what if your ambience is a little less to die for?
Nothing kills a dinner party like a bad atmosphere. If you want your dinner party to be more high-end-sophisticated-fun and less having-lunch-with-co-workers-in-the-cafeteria, then read on!
Today, we’re covering 5 easy ways to make your dinner party more atmospheric. Let’s check it out.
Lighting
In the world of atmosphere, lighting is king. It doesn’t matter what sort of food you serve, how well everyone dresses, or how good the banter is; if the lighting is ugly, the event will feel ugly. For the best atmospheric lighting, try to avoid lighting from the top. While a lot of ceiling lights can be nice, many are too bright or unflattering for an idyllic dinner party setting. Lighting from the side and from the bottom will best flatter your attendees, as well as create an intimate ambience that’s perfect for the occasion.
Floor lamps will help you out, but what you should really be on the lookout for is candles. Candlelight is the best light for creating a whole other world to transport your guests to and ensure they have a memorable night. If you want to be really theatrical (you do, you’re hosting a dinner party), then opt for some vintage candlesticks as well and really wow your guests. There’s just something about the warm glow of candlelight combined with the lavishness of a silver candlestick that makes your dinner party entirely otherworldly.
Music
A dinner party and a dance party are indeed not the same thing, but that doesn’t mean that your dinner party should be without background sound. Set up a playlist, or find one already established online for this exact purpose, and make sure you’re creating the best atmosphere for comfortable conversation and delicious food. Anything too loud or intrusive should be off the playlist, as well as any songs you love so much you can’t help but sing along and you’ll shush anyone who tries to talk over it; these songs would likely only ruin the atmosphere.
Instead, find something calming and steady-paced that can play in the background and fill any natural lulls in conversation. It’s fine for things to go a little quiet every now and then, but ideally, these moments are accented by other sounds like music and the gentle clinking of glasses and cutlery. If your dinner party is oriented around a specific theme, such as Italian food or Japanese food, for example, then use this prompt in your music selection to create a next-level atmosphere that both you and your guests will love.
Decoration
While your house shouldn’t look Christmas-ready for your next dinner party, a certain level of decoration is appropriate for ensuring the atmosphere is correct and your guests will have a memorable time. This can be anything from specific lighting (think back to our candles, or even well-placed fairy lights), to colour-themed balloons accenting the dining area. Balloon arches have been a big hit recently for parties of all kinds, and if you keep your colours sophisticated such as gold and white, silver and sky blue, or other simple combinations, a balloon arch can be a feature decoration at your dinner party where your guests can enjoy taking some pictures together whilst they wait for their food.
Other, smaller types of decoration such as using coloured wine glass tags on your guest’s drinks can elevate your dinner party whilst also serving the practical purpose of guaranteeing that nobody forgets whose glass is whose. Set your table with a proper linen table cloth and provide linen napkins for your guests to continue this trend of elevating the event and creating a highly sophisticated atmosphere.
Be Prepared
This one isn’t strictly atmosphere-oriented but it is very important for ensuring that you do not harm the atmosphere so carefully created. Nothing ruins a relaxed and intimate ambience like a host who is rushing off their feet in a flurry because they didn’t prepare well enough. The real preparation for your dinner party should start two weeks before you are establishing the guest list and beginning menu concepts. In the days leading up to the big event, you can save yourself a lot of trouble with some timely and considered preparation.
Firstly, ensure your kitchen bin and dishwasher are empty so that you have the room prepared and the dishes don’t end up in an enormous stack on the counters. Prepare as much ice as you might need – if you’re going to serve cocktails, you will be better off buying a couple of bags as well. Make sure you’re certain of the number of guests, any dietary restrictions they have, and set aside the crockery so you know you have enough for everyone. These simple things will allow you to enjoy the night instead of creating a stressful atmosphere for your guests.
Establish a Dress Code
This one should be relatively straightforward, but it is important to remember to establish a dress code well in advance of your dinner party. When attending dinner parties, it can be very stressful to worry if you might be overdressed for the occasion, or – worse – underdressed. Let your guests know when you invite them what the expectations will be for their wardrobe. As the host, you are in a position to not only set the standard for appearances but establish if there will be any specifics involved in dressing for the party.
If your dinner party is themed around a certain cuisine, you may want to ask your guests to dress in a way that celebrates that culture; salsa-style dress wear for a Spanish Mediterranean meal, for example. Equally, maybe you want everyone in a certain selection of colours, or maybe you would like your female guests to wear flowers in their hair. Any of these options can help build the atmosphere of the night – but you might want to have a few backups on hand if your request is very specific so that your guests don’t have to feel any embarrassment for failing to remember their flowers or other accessories.
With these steps considered, your dinner party is sure to be a big success among your guests, and you can take pride in knowing that you hosted an evening that everyone will remember for a long time to come.
