Key Tips for Hosting Any Size Gathering
As many of you know I do have some pro experience in party planning/hosting/throwing etc. Though I left the pro part in the past, it is still something I genuinely love to do. This blog is about making things beautiful, even the day to day things, or week to week in this case. Game days are no exception, and though they are very chill I do not take hosting them lightly. These are my three key tips for hosting football Sundays.
Be Prepared
I can’t stress this enough! Prepare, prepare, prepare! This can mean so many things. From buying extra to making lists, people prepare in different ways. I’ve learned that what works for me might not work for someone else, but, it’s worth sharing right? It seems obvious, but it’s definitely the most important of all the key tips to hosting any gathering.
I’m a list girl, plus with my experience in catering, I have an idea of how far food will go. First, I really try to gather who is definitely coming. Then, I add in a few extra heads to get my “shopping number”. Then, I’ll start to come up with a food and beverage game plan depending on this number. I try to make dishes that make sense for the number and obviously what goes with the vibes. There are always so many ways to mix and match what you’re feeding your guests, I am anal enough that they always make sense together.
Pro Tip: Coming from a vegetarian it’s really considerate to have a menu that is well balanced. All of mine have a vegetarian, vegan, and gluten free option, even if it’s fruit or a vegetable that is vegan. Make sure there is SOMETHING!
Introducing:
The Ultimate Guide for the Millennial Host
This “guide” will transform the nature of this blog. It will be a series of PDF’s, videos, tips and tricks for modern-day hosting. Life is fast, but the old school values of home and hosting need to be brought to light again. More about the Millennial Host in a post coming soon.
This Week: My Football Sunday Menu Cheat Sheet
In the meantime, the first release is this Football Sunday’s Cheat Sheet. This cheat sheet has all of my favorite football Sunday menus. Joe and I have our specific recipes or techniques for most of these dishes but I linked a ton of my favorite recipes I’ve found through Pinterest! It’s an amazing cheat sheet for creating your shopping list. The menu is important and so is mixing it up for your guests. I’m here to help.
Go here, then just plug in your email and it will get sent directly to your inbox.
Make Your Guests Feel at Home
Okay so my key tips to hosting might be seeming obvious, like this one, but it’s harder than you think. You don’t want to make your guests feel awkward in your home, ever. However, if you aren’t actively trying to make people feel comfortable, you might actually be doing the opposite of what you want to accomplish.
To ensure you aren’t the latter, reiterate sayings like “help yourself” and “feel free” over and over again, especially if they’ve never visited before. I also find that if you let people do things themselves they become more relaxed. If they want to bring their dirty dish or throw something out, don’t be too in their face about taking it for them or cleaning up behind them. Personally, I am happy to throw out my own garbage in someone’s kitchen or find my way to the restroom because in a weird way it means they are more trusting of me being in their home. In my house, I’m going to do the dishes and clean etc, but little actions like those allow people to shake off the feeling that they are guests and you are the host. That hard-line goes away and they feel at home.
Extra Entertainment
Yes, the Football Sundays come with entertainment be that there are one million games all day long, fantasy leagues to keep up with and friends all around. However, a little extra entertainment is the cherry on top of a party. Of all the key tips to hosting this is the most overlooked because one can assume, it’s a party, therefore, it is entertaining. However, to be a good party, you have to give it a little somethin’ somethin’. Some of my favorite ideas to ramp up the vibes are:
Drinking games. Or non-drinking games.
Entertainment systems. Get loud.
Keep music on in the kitchen (or everywhere if this is a party without TV).
Cigars for the guys. Hookah for the girls.
A fun dessert! Ice cream bars, DIY anything type food.
Polaroid station. These moments won’t last forever but the memories will.
Okay, on that corny note, I’m out! Let me know what you think of my menu cheat sheet but in the meantime, throw a party! Any reason is a good reason to throw a party! Plus, you’re set with my key tips to host Football Sunday ANYTHING!
Have fun and Go Bills! Ugh.
xo Liv
