- Decide your budget—if you’re going to invite friends over for cocktails, have a holiday dinner party, or host the family’s big dinner for the holidays, don’t overspend beyond your means.
- Decide your theme — What do you want to create? What experience do you want your guests to have? Are they coming for just a drop in? Will family including children be invited? Are you trying to create new connections for friends and family?
- Decide your menu—The menu is usually dictated by the number of folks you’re entertaining. A small dinner party may mean a full meal is served and you can try something new, like these French Onion Aussie Lamb Meatballs. Maybe with ten to twelve people and you roll out a buffet meal, or if you’re closing in on nearly twenty-plus party animals maybe just nibbles, as in tapas and mezze eats. Establishing this part of the entertaining is big. It affects everything else that can happen in the event planning process.
- Develop your plan— Keep a notebook hand to jot notes for ideas and to-do’s for pre-party planning to avoid those frazzled, I forgot, moments! We know that this, in turn, spills over into stress. And, that keeps you from enjoying an #aussome time with friends and family.
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