Planning a Formal Dinner

Planning a Formal Dinner - I

Learn some basic steps to give that formal dinner gathering a professional touch.

All of us have friends or relatives over for dinner at some point. Most of these meetings tend to be informal, so they are not difficult to arrange. However, there may be rare occasions when you have to make arrangements for a formal gathering. Keep a few things in mind to avoid any social faux pas.

Choosing the guests

Selecting the right guests is the first step to a successful evening. In an ideal setting, you would have some variety in your guests, depending on where they are from or what their occupations are. Sometimes, this is not possible, especially if all the guests share the same workplace. Also, choose guests who will get along with each other. Avoid inviting people who are known to cause arguments or display disruptive behaviour. Make sure to invite a few people who are good at making conversation. A person with a nice sense of humour is great for getting people to relax.

Remember to use your judgement while inviting people. In some cases, you may also have to invite a person's spouse or partner. When your guests call you to confirm their attendance, ask them if they plan to bring someone along. This way, you would be able to save yourself the trouble of dealing with an unexpected extra guest. Note that a dinner party is usually a private affair, so keep your guest list limited to around eight to ten people.

Sending out invitations

Send out the invitations to your guests as soon as possible. Ideally, you should invite them at least one month in advance. This is important because it would give your guests enough time to make arrangements like rescheduling appointments, or informing the babysitter.

Invitations should be delivered by mail and should contain all the relevant details like date, time, your telephone number, etc. You could also include a small card with directions to your house. Another important detail of the invitation card is the RSVP date. This is a date by which your guest would need to inform you if she is planning to attend the function.

Creating a pleasant atmosphere

The right setting goes a long way towards putting your guests at ease especially is they are visiting your home for the first time. Place vases with flowers in them on tables in each room. You could even decorate the vases in the same colour as the room itself. Dim the lights in the rooms but make sure that people can still find their way about the place without bumping into each other or knocking over furniture. Have some soft music playing in the background to cover up awkward silences. Ideally, the choice of music should be something with a classical flavour.

Planning the menu

Keep your guests in mind when selecting your menu for the evening. Also, ensure that you find out whether your guest is on a particular diet, or does not like a certain type of food. Ask people who would be attending if they are allergic to any particular food items like nuts and seafood.

You should plan the seating arrangements carefully. While assigning places to people, try to avoid having two people from the same profession, or the same office department, seated next to each other. Otherwise, they will engage themselves in their own personal conversation, which might exclude their neighbours. Preferably, seat a good conversationalist next to a quieter person so that they can interact with each other.

Part 2

Back to Previous Page More on Homedecor Index

Email this Article to a Friend