In 2021 We all need a bit of cheering up after living through COVID lockdown and quarantine. Perhaps it is time to show your friends and family how much you have missed them and what they mean to you by hosting a sumptuous dinner party. Nothing warms people’s hearts like delicious food and good company, so here are 6 ways to throw a lavish dinner party.

The Invitation

So that they save the date, send beautiful handmade invitations to all of your guests. If you are artistically inclined, you can create your own cards and showcase your drawing or painting prowess. If making anything remotely crafty eludes you, then you could design some invitations on your computer, buy some at your local store, or commission a designer to create some exquisite pieces. 

The Venue

Depending on where you live, your party will either be indoors or outdoors and will be hugely dependent on the weather and the number of guests attending. If you don’t have enough room in your home to host the party, you may want to consider hiring a local venue for your soirée. If the weather is warm, dry and you have plenty of space and a large table, you could set up a dinner table in your garden.

The Food

Obviously, you will need food at a dinner party and enough of it to feed your guests. Plan well in advance what you plan to serve and how much it will cost. Set a budget per head and buy ingredients accordingly. 

Decide if you want a themed dinner serving the cuisine from a specific country such as India or Italy. Sometimes it is easier to do this so that you can serve courses of food that complement one another – it doesn’t always work to serve a pakora starter followed by a main course of lasagne. 

Canapés are always a welcome treat to pass around when your guests arrive. At a lavish dinner party, money should be no object, so really push the boat out and serve the blinis topped with the freshest caviar from around the world, melt in the mouth scallops drizzled with truffle oil, Foie Gras and miniature smoked salmon and cream cheese bagels.

At the main course, you could really wow your guests and serve wagyu steaks, beef Wellington, saffron risotto, or Scottish salmon. Use the best quality, freshest ingredients and impress your guests with your culinary skills. If you aren’t the most confident cook, you could hire caterers or a private chef to prepare the feast for you, leaving you free to relax and enjoy the company of your nearest and dearest.

The Decorations 

Decorations are an essential aspect of any party as they create a theme and set a mood. For a lavish dinner party, you will probably want to use your best silver cutlery, porcelain dinnerware, and a pristine white Egyptian cotton tablecloth. The plain tableware can be brought to life by dressing the table with elegant candlesticks or tea lights, exquisite serviettes, a sumptuous fabric table runner, and crystal wine glasses. You may even want to have a professional carve an ice sculpture for the middle of the table or some beautiful flower arrangements to place on the backs of the dining chairs.

The Guests

The guests will be members of your family and close friends but don’t be too relaxed about it. Think about the personalities of your guests and whether they would recoil at the thought of a crowded party or consume vast amounts of alcohol and become obnoxious. If you invite guests who rub each other up the wrong way, you should maybe plan to entertain them on separate occasions. Alternatively, you could make place-name tags and sit your guests in strategic positions around the table, so those with conflicting personalities are not seated next to one another. The best parties are made up of extroverts, introverts, talkers, and listeners.

The Drink

A great party should serve a variety of beverages and plenty of them. Get the merriment started by popping the cork on a bottle of the finest champagne, such as Dom Perignon or Moët & Chandon. Hire bar staff to serve your guests decadent cocktails, including some non-alcoholic ones for teetotallers.

Think about your menu and get some advice from a sommelier about what wines will be best to serve with your meal. Ensure the wine is kept at the appropriate temperature and that you have plenty to keep your guests’ glasses topped up.