Guide to Being the Perfect Party Host by Alexis Walker

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There are tons of reasons why people steer away from entertaining and hosting parties but the biggest one is not being shown how. That’s right. Hosting a party may seem complicated and often enough many people find it stressful as well.

This may be due to the fact that they were never shown the right way to entertain and host. And they were never introduced to all the perks of being a party host.

Our job here is to give you a detailed guide on how to be a perfect party host, and we guarantee once you start entertaining and party hosting you’ll never go back. You’ll become the ultimate party host and everyone will love coming to your parties.

Getting the house ready

There are two opinions to this step of the guide – some people will like to get their house squeaky clean before hosting the party, and the other side who sees no point in cleaning as tons of people will pass through it.

Whatever your stance on this is, one thing is clear – you don’t want to invite people into a dirty house. Because of this, our first step is very important.

A couple of days before the party you can do the vacuuming, cleaning, dusting, and all the tidying up you need to do. The toilet or the bathroom is the only place you would want to clean on the day of the party, to keep it fresh and because it’s the most frequented room in any house.

If you want to avoid deep cleaning your carpet after every party, we recommend you get yourself a nice indoor mat that will remove all the dirt and absorb all the moisture right in the entrance so you won’t have to think about everything being spread all over your house. There are heavy-duty indoor mats that are designed to withstand all the heavy traffic and look nice at the same time.

Setting the party atmosphere

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The next step is setting the atmosphere and the kind of atmosphere you set will largely depend on the occasion (if there is any) and also if the entertaining you’re doing is casual.
Special occasions can be many, from anniversaries to Christmas parties and for each of them, the atmosphere should be different. Setting a table in a different way, adding different ambient lighting, adding flowers or other types of decorations, even different menu but more on that later on.

It’s important to say that when making casual gatherings atmosphere also matters. So, don’t forget to set the mood even when you’re inviting just a couple of friends for a nice casual get-together.

Music

While we’re still on mood-setting and party atmosphere, let us not forget that the background music is also there to set the atmosphere. Take for example a Christmas party, have you ever been at a Christmas party that had no Christmas music playing in the background? No, right?
Depending on the party theme you’re going for, choose the appropriate soundtrack, and play it in the background – not too loud but then again not too low that it can’t be heard either.
You’ll see just how right the music can be for mood-setting.

Drinks and appetizers

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Before the main course is served your guests should be served drinks and there should be an appetizer station set somewhere where everyone can see it.

When it comes to drinks, different people like different things so make sure you have options. Various types of cocktails and wines, or if you know that your guests prefer only wine – then make sure only different types of wines are served. Beer and other types of both alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks should also be served.
The point of the appetizers is to get you ready for the main course. So as such appetizers should be light and served as small bites of food, a lot of vegetables and fruit, cheese, crackers, bruschetta, and any other appetizer recipes that come to your mind.

Food

And then we slowly come to the main course. What you should never do when preparing food for parties is to overestimate yourself and start cooking things you have never before cooked. This is mistake number one that will for sure ruin every desire to host a party ever again.

The best thing is to stick to what you know and what you can make successfully. Also, you would want to stick to the menu that doesn’t require you to spend all your time in the kitchen tending to it. You’re the host, so spend some time mingling with the guests instead.

The same goes for money, try to keep your meals budget-friendly, especially if you’re going to invite a lot of people. Remember, just go easy and cheap when preparing party meals!

Spending time with guests

Since you are throwing a party it only seems right that you should spend time with your guests. The first rule of throwing your own parties is to invite people you actually like, your friends and family.
When the guests arrive, welcome them into your home and take their coats. Then, if there is a need, introduce guests that don’t know each other (in case they don’t already know each other). Only after everyone has been introduced you can ask them what they would like to drink and point them to the appetizer station.

Throughout the party, make sure your guests have their glasses full – never let guests go with empty glasses. Also, make sure you subtly remind your guests to eat, just don’t be too aggressive or too boring with it.

The perfect host will make sure they spend a bit of time with each of their guests. They will also make sure the whole situation is amicable and relaxed.

In case you have that one awkward guest who stands alone in the corner, make sure you introduce them with someone so that they don’t spend the whole party bored and alone.
Being the perfect host and balancing cooking and mingling might take some trial and error, so don’t be too hard on yourself if you don’t manage it the first time around.

Just relax and have fun

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When you decide to host a party, it’s on you to set the tone to it. Don’t be nervous, just relax and have fun. Keep in mind that nothing is perfect so your party won’t be either. Once you accept that you can move on and be cheerful and in that way set the whole mood of the party.
There will be curveballs, that’s for sure, and when they happen all you can do is just go with the flow. This party hosting thing takes a bit of practice just like everything. After you’ve done it a couple of times you’ll see that it gets easier with experience.

The after-party

After you’ve said goodbye to all of your guests and thanked them for coming and told them that they are welcome again anytime, it’s time to congratulate yourself for successfully pulling off your first party as a host.

The after-party is the time when you’re left with the house full of the mess – but don’t let that ever prevent you from entertaining and hosting parties. Think about all the fun you had while you’re putting everything back in its place. And start thinking about hosting your next party, even better than this previous one!

Hopefully, we managed to give you a little insight into what means to be a perfect party host. The point is not to be scared to make that first party, even if it doesn’t go according to plan, even if you have a mishap in the kitchen – you can always order takeaway.
The point of every party is the mood you set as a host. That’s why don’t think much about it, decorate your home, make some food and drinks, invite some friends over, play some music, and enjoy!
You as a host should be the first to enjoy your own party and then everyone else will as well! Make that first step, and everything else will come slowly and with experience.

Alexis is a Sydney-based part-time writer and a full-time mom of two. Her words carry the richness and offer advice and inspiration to those who desire to improve their lives. Outside of the office, she takes pleasure in spending precious time with her youngsters and absorbing the happiness they constantly radiate.

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