Family Dinner Parties Ideas
Dinner Party Planning
Family dinner parties ideas you can use. View a sample of the blank planning chart for figuring out all the little details that go into making a memorable event
So here's an outline to make sure you don't forget any of the elegant touches that go into dinner party planning and tips for cleaning the mess afterwards.
View a sample of the dinner party planning outline below and THEN download the PDF version because it's much easier to read!
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The dinner party is a serious production. Take the outline and make it your own (copy and paste). It isn't just about the food, it's about having the right equipment and even remembering if you have a nice utensil to serve with and enough knives, forks and spoons. The table setting should be gorgeous - send us a picture of yours! . The cheatsheet reminds you of details such as ironing napkins and the tablecloth that you might otherwise forget until the day is on top of you such as polishing the silver.
If you have ideas for family dinner parties to share, we'd love to hear from you.
WHAT'S THE OCCASION?
WHAT'S THE DATE AND TIME?
WHO'S INVITED?
I. HOW MANY GUESTS?
II. ATTACH LIST OF GUESTS
III. SEND INVITATIONS?
A. DO I HAVE ADDRESSES? PHONES?
1. YES
2. NO
IV. DECIDE: CHILDREN INVITED TOO?
A. YES
B. NO
V. JUST CALL, OR SPECIALLY PRINTED OR ST OR E BOUGHT INVITATIONS?
WHAT'S THE THEME AND COL OR S?
PLAN THE REFRESHMENTS
I. MENU
A. DECIDE: APPETIZERS OR NOT?
1. YES
a) ARE GUESTS BRINGING ANY ITEMS?
b) HOT OR COLD?
c) TOOTHPICKS?
d) NAPKINS?
e) SMALL PLATES?
f) ATTACH RECIPES TO THIS F OR M- DON'T F OR GET SAUCES IF NECESSARY
2. NO
B. TYPE
1. BUFFET
a) ARE GUESTS BRINGING ANY ITEMS?
b) ENTREE ITEM 1
c) ENTREE ITEM 2?
d) CARBOHYDRATE?
e) GRAVY OR SAUCES?
f) VEGGIE
g) SALAD
h) SOUP
i) DESSERT
j) COFFEE
(1) REGULAR
(2) DECAF
(3) SUGAR
(4) EQUAL
(5) CREAM
2. SIT DOWN
a) ARE GUESTS BRINGING ANY ITEMS?
b) ENTREE ITEM 1
c) ENTREE ITEM 2?
d) CARBOHYDRATE?
e) GRAVY OR SAUCES?
f) VEGGIE
g) SALAD
h) SOUP
i) DESSERT
j) COFFEE
(1) REGULAR
(2) DECAF
(3) SUGAR
(4) EQUAL
(5) CREAM
II. BEVERAGES
A. ADULT TYPE
1. ARE GUESTS BRINGING ANY ITEMS?
2. WINE OR CHAMPAGNE
3. BEER
4. COCKTAILS
5. SET UPS
6. NON-ALCOHOLIC
a) SPARKLING GRAPE
b) O'DOULLS
7. ICE
8. ICE BUCKET & TONGS
9. STIRRERS & STRAWS
10. COCKTAIL NAPKINS
B. CHILD TYPE
1. ARE GUESTS BRINGING ANY ITEMS?
a) JUICE
b) REGULAR COKE
c) SUGAR FREE, CAFFEINE FREE
III. FOOD PRESENTATION
A. LINENS
1. CLEAN AND IRONED TABLECLOTH?
2. CLEAN AND IRONED NAPKINS?
B. DISHES AND FLATWARE
1. ENTREE ITEM 1
2. ENTREE ITEM 2
3. CARBOHYDRATE
4. VEGGIE
5. SALAD
6. SOUP
7. DESSERT
8. COFFEE
a) SPOONS, CUPS AND SAUCERS
C. SERVING BOWLS/TRAYS/PLATES
1. ENTREE ITEM 1
2. ENTREE ITEM 2
3. CARBOHYDRATE
4. VEGGIE
5. SALAD
6. SOUP
7. DESSERT
8. COFFEE
D. SERVING UTENSILS
1. ENTREE ITEM 1
2. ENTREE ITEM 2
3. CARBOHYDRATE
4. VEGGIE
5. SALAD
6. SOUP
7. DESSERT
8. COFFEE
a) URN, CREAM & SUGAR BOWL, HEATING CANDLE
E. CENTERPIECE
F. CANDLES
G. GLASSWARE F OR BEVERAGES
HOUSE
I. SEATING
A. NO OF CHAIRS NEEDED
B. NO OF TABLES NEEDED
C. WHAT ROOM(S)?
II. PROJECTS THAT NEED DOING BEF OR E GUESTS ARRIVE
III. CLEANING
III. SILVER POLISHING
PERSONAL
I. WHAT WILL I WEAR?
A. IS IT CLEAN AND IN GOOD REPAIR?
B. DOES IT FIT?
C. SHOES
D. ACCESSORIES?
1. JEWELRY
2. NEW PANTIHOSE
II. OTHER
A. MANICURE?
B. HAIR APPOINTMENT?
C. MAKEUP?
AFTER THE PARTY
ANALYSIS
FILE UPDATED NOTES IN FOLDER F OR FUTURE REFERENCE
MAKE A LIST OF SERVING ITEMS I OWN
This page of ideas was developed for a family dinner party, but there isn't any reason you couldn't use these ideas (especially the outline and the blank chart) for any elegant affair where you pull out all the stops and use your china, silver and linens.
For a showy vegetable that is pretty easy to do, check out the artichoke presented as a bloom with a great Hollandaise for dipping.
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