Once in a while I will get an email or text and someone has a question pertaining to a dinner party or a small gathering. Elegant Events Errika’s slogan is “no event to small” and that’s why our newest client Rebecca reached out to us. Rebecca is the newly married and her husband is a doctor at their area hospital .This weekend she is having a dinner party for some of the Doctors at the hospital and their wives and she is stuck. She found me on Instagram and she requested our help…. So here is what I told her for starters dinner parties are more structured than a party and they require a little more pre-planning! Before you dust of your china and rearrange your furniture there are a few things that you must do first.

1.       Think ahead – many of my colleges agree that planning out your menu 4-6 weeks in advance gives you ample amount of time to gather ingredients.
2.        Create a game plan- depending on what you’re serving you need to know cooking time and temperatures. No one likes raw chicken or chewy beef.
3.       Set the table- a perfectly set table is a MUST!!!! Your table is the canvas for your beautiful meal.
Here is a list of items that every hostess should have on her table:
o   Napkin
o   Forks ( Salad, Dinner, Dessert)
o   Knifes ( Dinner , Butter)
o   Spoons ( Tea Spoons & Table Spoons *** typically used for soup)
o   Glasses ( water or iced beverage  and wine )
o   Tea Cup and Saucer

Sometimes we want so badly to impress our guest that we overdo it…. Just remember to plan accordingly, gather your items in enough time, and try to be done everything a few hours before the party starts so that you can have a moment to yourself and actually relax! Happy Planning #living2plan