People make a party
The Art of Crafting the Perfect Guest List and Hosting Memorable Dinner Parties
People make a party, and the real skill lies in bringing together those who are compatible. People always come first and foremost—and then Champagne. Lots of it.
When creating a guest list, a hostess must be ruthless.
Rule One — No Bores
The men should be handsome and interesting, and the women should be intelligent, witty, and beautiful.
Rule Two — Never Host a Party Made Up Solely of Couples
Of course, it is inevitable to invite one, two, or three couples, but challenges can arise. You may know a fascinating man whose wife is a deadly bore—or the other way around—and there is nothing you can do about it.
I know one couple—whom I will not name—and it is a significant issue because as soon as they arrive at my parties, a gloomy cloud descends. Everybody notices it.
Eventually, I had to stop inviting them.
Rule Three — Include as Many Single People as Possible and Mix Ages
Age does not matter at all. People in their twenties often mix wonderfully with people in their forties.
Dinner parties provide a wonderful opportunity for young professionals to network and develop their social skills.
Rule Four — Mix Professions
By that, I mean you do not want to host a party entirely made up of accountants, chefs, or architects.
Do not worry whether people from different professions will get along—they usually will.
At Home Soigné is here to help you develop your hosting skills.
Number of Guests
I advise keeping numbers manageable and keeping everything as simple as possible. Gradually increase your guest count as you gain confidence—from six to eight, then to ten, and so on.
I strongly believe there are ideal numbers when planning a dinner party.
Obviously, two is a wonderful number—the very best dinner parties can simply be you and someone special.
However, the purpose of a dinner party is engagement. Having the opportunity to talk with all your guests, and allowing your guests to get to know one another, is the whole point.
Ten is the ideal number.
When to Hold Your Party
What night should you host your dinner party?
This is an important detail to consider, and the answer will vary depending on your guests’ personalities and regional culture.
The French and the English are often willing to enjoy hospitality any day of the week.
New Yorkers—particularly Manhattanites, in my experience—often avoid Fridays and Mondays, as many leave town for the weekend.
Chicagoans, I have discovered, are more likely to participate in happy hours and often prefer accepting hospitality on Friday or Saturday evenings.
Therefore, depending on where you live, I encourage normalizing dinner parties on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, or even Saturday nights if people are not traveling.
Why people limit themselves from enjoying an evening of hospitality and lively conversation simply because they have work the next day is a mindset I will never fully understand.
