Tips & Tricks

It is that time of the year again, when we start planning parties and have friends and family over! Entertaining can sometimes be stressful. We've compiled a short list to help you relax and plan the perfect evening.

Your soiree attendees!

Deciding on guests can be difficult if you have limited space, so think first about the people who you simply couldn't imagine the party without and confirm their availabilities.

Once you've decided on a date, you can begin to invite your secondary group. Decide what kind of party it is; if it's a sit down dinner be sure to have spare chairs, surprise guests happen. If it's a cocktail party, less chairs will encourage mingling!

Did someone say delicious?

Plan in advance and think the words "crowd pleasers". Keep things simple and easy - there's nothing worse than a group of hungry party-goers! Coloured and textured food will keep things interesting so think about great looking, simple dishes to entice taste buds. Your guests should have a variety of drink choices too. Be sure to over-stock, there's no sure party-ender like no food or drinks!

Serve up a storm!

Whether it is a casual BBQ (our favourite!) or a sit-down dinner, make sure you have utensils prepared! Try serving canapés on rustic chopping boards to give a homely feel. We can't stress this enough: always have enough utensils for your guests! Bringing out nice glassware and serving dishes shows you trust your guests so try serving simple snacks like chips in stylish bowls (think enamel to complement the rustic theme)!

Little touches

Go the extra mile and make sure you've covered all your bases! Serving a roast, where's the gravy?

Celebrating New Year's? You'll need to keep the champagne on ice! The flow of the night is dictated by the ambience you set. Try using soft lighting like candles. To minimise wax dripped from candles put them in the freezer three days before, this should slow the process.

Enjoy yourself!

Don't be afraid of things going wrong, if you keep your cool, your guests will too! Parties will remind guests why they value your friendship and are a great way to introduce new friends.

Our final tips: make a playlist of cool tunes to keep your guests boogying into the night and be sure to take lots of pictures to remind yourself what a great job you did and to share with your guests.