Hosting a dinner party is one of Ashley’s favorite things to do, and—especially in our always-on society—a highly underrated way to connect with friends. Whether you favor a low-key gathering or a more formal soiree, you can host a dinner party whether you have a lot of time and money or not much at all.
In both cooking and decor, creativity can take you a long way. Maybe you don’t have napkin holders, but you can get cute ribbon to replace them. Candles aren’t expensive, but they’re sophisticated and stunning in groups. A simple hummus dip can be visually appealing with the addition of pickled onions. The point is, there’s no need to despair if you can’t afford to match your vision, or it doesn’t look exactly like Pinterest – just focus on the experience and having fun with your loved ones.
Whether you fall on the lower end of this budget or the higher, a few fail-safe tips can make things easy. Be sure to have a list of everything you need to get done ahead of time. If you’re cooking, prep the day before by having all the recipes written down and the required ingredients on hand so you’re not desperately looking for the heavy cream or cumin after you already started cooking. This way, you can spend more time with friends and less time isolated in the kitchen.
Ahead, find ideas and dinner party tips to suit a range of budgets.
Under $100
Think a dinner party can’t be done for less than $100? Think again. It’s just a matter of planning. If you have a modest budget, obviously this isn’t the time for lobster—and that’s okay! Choose foods that can be made inexpensively. Think pasta dishes, casseroles, and salads. Or host a dessert party instead. Who doesn’t love a make-your-own ice cream sundae bar?
Also, there’s always the potluck route. Decide on a theme (e.g., a chili cook-off). You could ask each guest to bring their favorite dish and you’ll provide drinks, or settle on an Italian dinner and have everyone bring a wine they like (or a mocktail if they don’t drink alcohol). Want to up the ante a bit? Try matching the theme to a murder mystery for an added bit of fun.
Truly, there is no need to go out and buy things like serveware and decor. If you really want to, you can find cute things at thrift stores – just remember, when buying dishes, to check that it’s food safe with lead-testing strips first. As far as decor goes, a single flower in a vase can be the pinnacle of chic, so don’t overthink things.
$100-$500
For people who can afford to splurge a little more, but still want to have a DIY element to the whole affair, $100 to $500 should be enough money to give your guests a memorable evening. Where you fall within that spectrum depends on things like whether or not you have the time to cook or need to order catering, or if you already have the necessary dishes.
But even if you don’t have everything, there’s no need to go out and bulk-buy everything you could possibly need. Take the time to build a collection that you really love, instead of purchasing everything in a hurry just because you’re hosting an event. If you’d rather spend the money on the food, ask your friends and family if they have serving dishes you can borrow for now. Your local Buy Nothing groups can also be a great resource for borrowing.
Above $500
Either you have a healthy budget, or this is an event you’ve been planning for a while, or maybe all of your friends pitched in and you’re just in charge of organizing. Whatever it is, a larger budget generally means more options —as long as you aren’t serving caviar, that is. So here, think about how you can make things easier for yourself. Do you love cooking but dread tidying up your place? Consider using some of your budget to hire a cleaning service before guests arrive. Another fun idea if you’re ready to splurge: hire entertainment. (Student musicians can be surprisingly affordable for an hour or two.) If you’re really feeling fancy, consider sending guests home with a small treat like a cookie or chocolate. It’s a sweet way to wrap a memorable evening.