When I think about throwing a dinner party for friends, it sounds pretty overwhelming.  But not because the desire to host and entertain isn’t there. It’s the opposite case; I recently kicked off a monthly supper club with my friends, and together we’re slowly navigating the casual dinner party waters.  It only took us a month or two to find that timing the dishes’ cook times, setting a beautiful table and not being stressed out the ENTIRE time comes with lots of experience. 

It’s easy to find stunning tabletops, inspiring centerpieces and gorgeous bar carts these days, thanks to Pinterest and Instagram.  It’s easy to find checklists of anything and everything you should have on-hand when hosting your picture-perfect dinner party.  But while those checklists are helpful, the reality is that you won’t always have ALL of the so-called “essentials”, (and you won’t always want to go out and get them).  

That’s why I tapped entertaining guru Amanda Gluck of Fashionable Hostess for a little practical entertaining advice for us here today.  Amanda makes it look SO easy to pull together pin-worthy spreads, so she was my go-to gal for some solid insider advice.  Instead of having her share everything you DO need when hosting a casual dinner party, I invited her to share the five things you can actually do away with.  Whether you have a lot of entertaining experience or not (*raises hand*), I think you’ll find this list helpful when planning your next get-together. Cheers, Kat

No. 1…A full set of silverware. A fork and knife will suffice, especially if you are eating casual. Make dessert finger-friendly, like cookies or brownies so you don’t need dessert plates or forks!

No…2. Place cards. While for large parties it’s great to assign seats so people will mingle, keep small parties casual and let people sit where they choose.

No. 3…A table cloth. I often times use placemats, or even just chargers and plates!

No. 4….Multiple courses. When I get together with friends or family, I put out all the food on on my buffet in my dining room with serving pieces and all at once everyone gets up and eats! I always encourage people to get up and take seconds too!

No. 5…You don’t need to do everything! Ask one guest to be in charge of dessert, another to bring a fruit salad, another to bring wine. You would be surprised but people love helping out!