Elevate a potluck dessert buffet by creating a beautiful tablescape and setting up serving dishes for guests to fill with sweet offerings. Photos: Chris Emeott
Plan a meaningful event to bring friends and family together.
Balancing packed schedules with the need to connect with family and friends can be difficult—especially during this busy season. When we go through the effort of planning and executing a party, we want to feel like we’ve actually attended and enjoyed the event.
With that in mind, we chatted with two seasoned party professionals, Katrina Post, founder of On Point Parties & Events, and Kristin Lauerman, owner of Petite Fête Event Decor Rental, to get inspiration for planning our next gathering with a focus on making it meaningful. “This might be a little radical, but something that pops into my head is simplification,” Post says. “With an overcomplicated event, the host can just get lost in the details and the execution … Simplification does not necessarily equate to cheapening the event or cutting corners.”
Instead of getting lost in details, focus your attention on the three things Post and Lauerman agree that guests remember most: Food, drink and connection.
Food
Plan a menu that’s simple to execute and won’t take you away from conversation with guests.
Charcuterie boards are popular for a reason: They’re prepped in advance, can be constructed to serve guests with different dietary restrictions and they foster conversation by creating a communal place to graze.
Along those same lines, fondue or a hot pot give guests a focus as they chat while preparing their dinner, Post says.
Entertaining doesn’t have to be a sit-down dinner; consider focusing on small bites or appetizers. Lauerman suggests a potluck dessert buffet.
For holiday meals, don’t hesitate to order a pre-made meal from a local restaurant or grocery store. Heat the food, and plate it on your own serving ware.
Drink
Create a self-serve drink station, so guests can easily help themselves, and you’re not spending the night worried about drink refills, Lauerman says. Find a specialty drink you think most guests will enjoy, and make a big pitcher—or dust off the punch bowl. “Anytime you can set a self-service bar area, so that you don’t have to worry about whose cups are full, that’s always advantageous,” Lauerman says. “Especially, if you can batch a drink.”
Spend the night chatting instead of monitoring cups by creating a beverage station.
Find an existing recipe you like, and rename it to fit your theme, Lauerman says, noting that she picks a new signature drink each year for Christmas with her family.
Think beyond the booze with mocktails or herb or fruit-infused water. “We always do a big hot chocolate bar with all the fixings,” Lauerman says. She makes the hot chocolate in a large crockpot, and lets guests ladle the drink into cups and top it off with biscotti, cinnamon sticks, marshmallows, peppermint sticks, whipped cream and more. She also recommends offering alcohol for adults who want to spike their hot chocolate.
A hot chocolate bar delights guests of all ages.
Connection
Once the food and beverages are ready, focus on fostering connection. The easiest way to do this is to plan a lowkey game that allows people to chat.
Serving fondue encourages guests to linger and chat as they eat.
For a kid-focused gathering, an oversized coloring mural poster can be hung on a wall or set at a large table with a selection of crayons or washable markers.
If you’ve got a smaller group, Post remembers her mother’s New Year’s tradition of going around the table and making predictions for the next year. The family would spend time reflecting on last year’s predictions and making predictions for the new year.
Plan it Out
As you start to prepare your party, here are some tips from the pros:
- Set Your Intention. Before you plan the menu, decor or entertainment, think about your guests and how you want them to remember the night.
- Know Your Guests. Guests’ schedules and dietary preferences should come into play when planning everything from the party time and location to the menu. Find ways to make the party feel personal to them.
- Create A Timeline. You’ll want to set up a timeline of tasks leading up to the party, including cleaning, decorating and meal prep, but don’t forget to create a loose timeline for the party, as well. Make a plan for how you’ll handle the early guests (Save a few easy tasks to keep them busy, like setting out utensils, Post says.), as well as the late ones, so everyone can feel connected, and the party doesn’t drag out or feel too rushed.
On Point Parties & Events
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Petite Fête Event Decor Rental
Facebook: Petite Fête Event Decor Rental
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