Bringing Back the "Old School" Dinner Party!
A few weeks ago, photographer extraordinaire Hollie Lytle sent me the following images of a really fun dinner party she’d recently hosted for friends of hers in the wedding industry. As we talked about the party and how the idea came to life, I thought it not only fair to share the quirky, fun decor details with you, but also a peek inside of Hollie’s brain for some (really!) fantastic party hostessing tips and tricks. Trust me when I say, her answers are worth the read!
Can you give us a list of 5 do’s and don’t for hosting a dinner party?
1. Do…have a theme or motif that can be creatively incorporated into the food, invites, decor, etc
2. Do…have something interactive for guests to do to “break the ice” {photo booth, drink mixing station, etc.}
3. Do…have music planned
4. Do...have some kind of guest-personalized item that they can take home,like the comic book seating cards from the Comiformal, eye-patches for a pirate feast theme, etc. It doesn’t have to be expensive; handmade is much more personal and fun. Imagine it and then make it…really! There are tutorials for everything online.
5. Do...prepare as much as possible of the meal {appetizer, entree, and dessert} the day or two before so that you can enjoy it all the day of with reduced stress
1. Don’t...take yourself too seriously {ie. pour the wine, serve the brie, and play classical violin} You want your guests to feel “mi casa, su casa”, not “please don’t touch that; this is the couch you can sit on”.
2. Don’t...underestimate people’s appetites 😉
3. Don’t...be afraid to get a little carried away, you will love it and so will your guests. Make it the dinner party that YOU would want to attend, talk about, and come to again.
4. Don’t...forget to take pictures and share them with your guests!
5. Don’t…be stressed out. This is supposed to be fun. Make sure you are allowing yourself time to drink, eat, and hang with your friends.
How do you create your guest list? I’ve tried to invite different people every time so that I can mix and mingle my work friends with each other. The wedding industry in general is just an amazing melting pot of personalities and I love it so. The idea of breaking bread ‘old skool’ with those that I share common interests and laughs with seems so natural. There’s nothing sweeter than looking around the table and seeing the faces of those you love; it quiets the noise around us in this busy life.
What inspired you to “bring the dinner party back?” Andy Warhol. Seriously! He used to regularly host dinner parties in his home for everyone from the person he met on the street that day to his business partners and film makers. He was one crazy character whose style and authenticity I find inspiring in many ways. He was onto something…he really was. 🙂
Fill in the blank: Fill in the blank “My secret hostessing weapon is a smile and a glass of wine waiting in the kitchen.”
Fill in the blank:”My dinner party philosophy is be quirky, be comfortable, and have fun!”
A BIG thanks to Hollie for sharing such awesome party photos — I think it’s safe to say that everyone involved had a blast! (Psst. Did you know that in addition to be a great hostess and photographer, Hollie designs a really cool line of bridesmaids couture?)
