Along with my love of planning trips/vacations, I get my love of planning dinners and parties from my mom. Other than helping my mom with holiday dinners I had never hosted a dinner myself until just a few weeks ago.

Once I got the idea in my head to host a dinner for our families I immediately started planning it out and thinking of everything we would need.

With the holidays coming up I decided to share a few things that helped me successfully prepare for hosting a dinner. Don’t let the idea of hosting intimidate you! It is so much fun and with the right preparation anyone can do it 🙂

1. Plan the menu: By planning the menu first you will be able to determine if you need any specific cookware or dinnerware (extra dishes, serving platters, utensils stockpots, etc.). Not only can you make sure you have the items you need for the party but you will have time to test out any new recipes. (Tip: Its always a good idea to try a recipe at least once before serving it to guests. This allows you to make sure it not only turns out but gives you time to make any little changes if necessary).
2. Stock up: Make a list of the items that you will need for party and then start ordering what you don’t already have. A few great places to find kitchen and dinner-ware: Williams Sonoma, Sur La Table, Target, and Crate & Barrel. (Tip: Tablecloths and cloth napkins are always a nice touch for a dinner party.)
3. Grocery List: Once the menu is finalized go through each recipe and make a list of all the ingredients needed. Its also a good idea to make sure you have a few staples on hand like salt, pepper, butter, etc. And don’t forget about drinks (Depending on the time of year you may want to serve coffee, tea, lemonade, etc. in addition to water).
4. Set aside the day: We chose a Saturday because I knew there would be a lot of preparation involved with cooking and cleaning. Having an entire day to get ready helped cut back on the stress of having to rush to get everything ready.

The earlier you start to plan the easier it will be to organize a successful dinner party. Pinterest is always a great place to look for menu, theme, and decor ideas! Start with something simple and small and the more comfortable you get work your way up to larger and more detailed parties.