Effective Party Planning Tips

By Guest Writer: Irsan Komarga. Komarga’s passion is to write on wide varieties of subjects. His latest writing is at Paris Hotel Las Vegas which contains reviews and discounts on Luxor Hotel Las Vegas and other information about hotels in Las Vegas.

The road to a successful dinner party, brunch or informal buffet starts days and even weeks ahead, when you sit down and plan your menu. As you do, take into account the following party planning tips:

1. The time. How much time do you have before the affair itself? How much time will you have between courses? Will you be having help, or will you be doing everything yourself?

2. The season. The time of the year will suggest not only the suitable items to include in your menu, but to a great extent even the ingredients that are readily available. For instance, a rich hot beef stew provides a hearty welcome to guests coming in from the rain or the chill from December nights. On sultry summer days, however, wouldn’t a cold salad and, perhaps, a chilled soup be more welcome?

3. The numbers involved. Hot soufflés are lovely for two or three persons, but not practical for six or eight. Cost must likewise be taken into consideration. Avoid very expensive ingredients like caviar, smoked salmon, and other dishes that contain almost nothing but heavy cream when you are planning for very large numbers.

4. Health. No one these days will welcome three courses, all of which are rich and creamy.

Resist the tendency to have a table groaning with wide selection of dishes. In a formal dinner, you could provide five courses (soup, fish or entrée, main course, cheese and dessert is quite adequate). Planning is even more important when you’re giving a buffet party, as the food served must be easy to handle. The dishes must complement one another, as they all will be lying together on a plate. As much as possible, serve only one or two main dishes, complemented by a salad, pasta and vegetable casserole, and perhaps one or two desserts.

Naturally, you will be tempted to do a little showing off when you entertain. But it is much better to make dishes that you know will work, rather than attempt for the first time a slightly tricky recipe. The uncertainty will only bring on added stress and detract from your own enjoyment of the party. Experiment with recipes with which you are unfamiliar before you give a party.

Ideally, you should have everything more or less ready to serve before your guests arrive, so factor into your planning whatever other duties you might have to do just before the party – such as putting the children to bed – and plan on serving the appetizer or first cold course.