5 Tips for Effortless Entertaining: Dinner Party Style

Throwing a dinner party might seem like a daunting task. How can I make it look amazing without spending a million dollar or a million hours? Can I even still enjoy the party while preparing food and playing hostess? Never fear! I’m sharing 5 Tips for Effortless Entertaining: Dinner Party Style with you today so you’ll feel party ready in no time. I often find that a few simple tips in your “back pocket” are all you need to take the stress and worry out of entertaining. Here are 5 of my top tips:

1. STYLE YOUR TABLESCAPE THE NIGHT BEFORE: You could take this tip further and style your party a week before if you aren’t worrying about flowers. Setting the table early allows you time to “play” with different decorations and get it just right. It means you won’t have to fuss with it the day of the party. So gather your plates, tablecloths, candles, and any other decor and get styling! I chose a fall-themed tablescape to share today! White plates make the orange hues pop and mini pumpkins add the perfect “fall” touch!

2. USE CANDLES FOR AN EASY CENTERPIECE: Candles provide an inexpensive and chic centerpiece when grouped in various heights to match your tablescape. We chose a variety of fall colored tapers and brass candlestick holders. Not only does it create a pretty centerpiece but it provides a glowing ambiance to set the mood for your dinner! 

3. LABEL FOODS WITH HEATING INSTRUCTIONS: Similar to tip #1, prepare food ahead of time. Do your cooking the few days prior to the party and label all foods with post-it notes for heating instructions. The day of the party, grab your containers from the refrigerator or freezer and follow your notes! You won’t have to worry about looking up all your recipes again to get cook times, oven temperatures, etc.

4. Invest in White Dishes: My favorite tip for those who love to entertain is to invest in a pretty set of white plates. They can be used year-round and for every holiday! Colors always pop against white and it’s easy to replace one if any are broken. Trade in various colored napkins and tablecloths for dozens of different tablescapes for dinner parties all year-round!

5. KEEP CLEAN-UP EASY: Optimize dinner party prep and set yourself up for an easy clean at the end of the night by throwing all your dishes into your dishwasher! We’re loving the Electrolux Stainless Steel Dishwasher with IQ-Touch™ Controls (EI24ID50QS) for a lot of reasons! It has 30-Minute “Fast Wash” so your party clean-up is essentially done before the guests are even back home! Another awesome feature is the clean light that alerts you when the dishes are clean because it’s so quiet! This is fabulous for throwing in dinner dishes while guests enjoy dessert and no one will even notice the dishwasher is on! {Also checkout their Facebook page}

I hope you’re inspired to host a dinner party with these tips for effortless entertaining! I’m super excited to share mine above and stay tuned for a recipe I served at this dinner party coming soon so follow along! It’s a delicious one!

The new Electrolux dishwasher provides a professional level clean with its 30-minute wash and dry cycle. As the highest rated dishwasher on Reviewed.com, it also features SatelliteSpray Arm technology which provides 400% more water coverage than a traditional dishwasher. Visit ElectroluxAppliances.com for more information on this and other stylish and functional options available from Electrolux.

Disclosure: Compensation was provided by Electrolux via Mode Media. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of Electrolux.