Planning a Dinner Party

Choosing your Guest List is the first step to making your party a success.

1) Pull out your address book and look through it from A-Z. Start with the following questions to help you narrow the list: Who haven't you seen lately? Who has invited you over or out to dinner that you would like to reciprocate? Who would be a good business contact for you that you want to get to know better? Once you have selected one or two people, then build your guest list around them.

2) Make sure that the others selected have similar interests (recreational sports, travel, business-related, charities, membership to organizations) so that the conversation can begin.

3) Consider their personalities, political interests, and religion so that the conversation doesn't turn ugly. For example, if you invite someone who is loud and boisterous with someone who is more on the quiet side, this could be a problem for the others, particularly the quiet one. If you invite someone for example who is a staunch Republican and group this person with a raving Liberal, it could either turn into a very passionate and aggressive conversation or shut down the desire to converse. If you group a very religious person with an Atheist who is outspoken, someone might feel uncomfortable.

4) Consider their ages and energy level. Older people tend to like to arrive early, eat early and leave after dinner. However, you may find an elderly guest is youthful, energetic and eager to participate in a longer evening with others of all ages. (You just don't want your guest falling asleep at the table or couch and causing a domino effect on the others.)

5) Consider how many people you want to entertain at one time. If you are not hiring help in the kitchen to cook and clean, then a party of 6-8 people is perfect. When the list turns to 10-12 people, it really becomes difficult to get food served and the clean up is that much harder. With a smaller group, it is not only easier for you to cook, serve and clean, it is also easier for everyone to discuss things as a group and carry on one conversation at the table.

6) Now pick up the phone and check on availability, this is the real trick. Hopefully all the people you want to invite as a group will be available on the same date. Give people as much notice as possible to help ensure availability.

Now that you have your list, Step 2 will be choosing the menu. Stay tuned!

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