Summer’s creeping in and you can practically feel everyone getting that urge to host something. You know the feeling – warmer evenings, windows open, neighbours having barbecues, and suddenly you’re thinking about cleaning the patio and finding the box of fairy lights you definitely didn’t pack away properly last year. There’s something about summer nights that just makes everything feel a bit more relaxed. It’s not even about throwing a big event. It’s just nice to sit in the garden with good food, drinks flowing, and the kind of company you can actually enjoy.
If you’re planning to have people round and you want the night to be more than just food and polite chat, you don’t need to go overboard. A few small tweaks can turn a regular dinner into something people will still be talking about days later. And no, that doesn’t mean themed napkins or smoke machines. It’s honestly a lot simpler than that.
Have a theme
One of the easiest things you can do is decide on a loose theme. Nothing fancy. If you’re not sure where to start, just pick something simple and run with it. Doesn’t have to be themed, but giving the evening a loose direction always helps. You might decide to do a proper sit-down meal, or maybe it’s more of a help-yourself situation with picky bits on the table. Either way, just settle on it early so you’re not winging it while your mates are already at the door. And if you want to throw in a bit of a dress code for fun, go for it. Nothing too serious. Just something easy, like “wear something green” or “no jeans allowed” – something that gets people laughing rather than panicking.
Set the table
The table’s worth sorting ahead of time. That way you’re not trying to match up cutlery while someone’s asking where the loo is. It doesn’t have to be fancy – just give it a bit of a tidy and throw a few candles or plants on there so it looks like you tried. If you’re eating outside, wipe the table down, cover it with something clean, and get rid of the plant pots that have been sitting there since April. You want it to feel like an evening, not an afterthought.
Let people help themselves
Make life easier for yourself and let people sort their own drinks. Line up a few bottles, stack the glasses somewhere obvious, and if you’ve got ice, great – if not, no one’s going to cry about it. If you fancy doing a cocktail, leave the ingredients out and let people give it a go themselves. Most people enjoy messing about with a cocktail shaker once they’ve had a drink anyway. Just make sure there’s something decent for the people who aren’t drinking, because no one wants to be stuck with warm tap water while everyone else is knocking back mojitos.
Don’t overcomplicate the food choices
The food doesn’t need to be complicated. Honestly, the simpler the better. One solid main, a couple of sides, something sweet, and you’re sorted. Do as much as you can ahead of time so you’re not disappearing into the kitchen every five minutes. The best evenings are the ones where the host actually gets to sit down and be part of the night. People don’t care if the potatoes are perfectly crisp. They care that you’re not too stressed to have a chat.
Focus on presentation
If you want to impress without making more work for yourself, spend a bit of extra time on presentation. A decent looking dish can make even the simplest meal feel a bit more special. Scatter some herbs, serve it up on a big board or tray, and boom – you look like you know what you’re doing. And if you don’t? Make a joke out of it. Most guests would rather laugh about a slightly burnt garlic bread than sit through an awkwardly serious three-course meal.
Play some games
One thing that makes a big difference, especially if people don’t all know each other well, is having something to break the ice. Doesn’t have to be a full-on game. It could be quiz cards, a random question in a jar, or even a weird ornament you put in the middle of the table just to get people talking. I once went to a dinner where everyone had to write down something ridiculous they’d done recently and drop it into a bowl. Then we had to guess who’d written what. It took about five minutes to prep and we were all crying with laughter before dessert.
Up the anti
Sometimes, the best moments come from something completely unplanned. Like the time we ended up playing crash gambling on someone’s phone after pudding. Sounds mad but it completely changed the energy in the room. We’d gone from eating cheesecake to shouting at the screen, cheering each other on like it was the Olympics. No one expected it, which is probably why it worked so well. You don’t need to plan every detail – just be open to letting the night take its own shape.
Take the party outside
If the weather holds out, get outside. String up some lights, bring out some blankets in case it gets chilly, and let the evening drift on naturally. There’s something really lovely about sitting outside when the sun’s gone down, nursing the last bit of your drink while the conversation starts to get a bit more real. People always stay longer when they’re comfy.
Don’t worry yourself over it
The best advice, though? Don’t overdo it. Nobody’s coming round to score your hosting skills. They’re there to enjoy the evening with you. If you’re having a good time, chances are everyone else will too. Burn something? Who cares. Forgot to chill the wine? Stick it in the freezer and move on. The only thing worse than a dinner party gone wrong is a host who’s too stressed to laugh about it.
So yes, clean the bathroom, set the table, maybe even write out a loose plan. But once everyone’s arrived and the night’s going, just roll with it. You’ve already done the hardest bit by getting everyone in one place. Now just enjoy it.
