Hosting a big dinner can be a bit of a blind panic – any party can be a stressful situation for the host, and it can make the evening feel a lot less fun when you’re sweating from running around the kitchen. Not to worry though, as we’ve got the ultimate guide to hosting the perfect dinner party! From food suggestions to party games and conversation starters, we’ve got it covered.
A good dinner party is defined by the food, atmosphere, and hosting capabilities, so we’ve gathered a wealth of fun dinner party ideas you can use as inspiration. From dinner party games to a top-tier dinner party menu, prepare to be impressed.
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Dinner party themes
For a truly epic dinner party, you’ll need to get to work on brainstorming some knockout themes. Setting a theme can make your get-together feel super immersive, giving guests a more memorable experience. No idea where to begin? Not to worry, we’ve got you covered with the below ideas:
- Destination dinner party: Got a location and cuisine you all adore? If so, opt for a destination dinner party theme. Italian pasta dishes, delicious Japanese sushi, or a Southern BBQ offering—anything goes!
- Murder mystery: For a dinner party everyone will remember, there’s nothing quite like a murder mystery theme. Pick your characters, set the table, and reveal the murderer as dessert is served. Love the sound of this? Check out our full guide on how to host a murder mystery party.
- Night at the movies: A true classic, everyone will love a night at the movies theme. Whether you dress to the nines in Hollywood glamour or pick a film and recreate iconic food scenes (we’re thinking the Matilda chocolate cake or a huge Lady and the Tramp-style pasta dish), this is bound to be a hit.
Send out your invites
Once you’ve got your theme sorted, it’s time to write up your guest list and invite your guests! Is it going to be an intimate affair with your nearest and dearest, or are you wanting to invite your whole friend group over for a night of fun?
Whichever lucky people make it onto your list, you’ll need to let them know the date, time, and location of your dinner party (also mentioning the dress code if you’ve set one). If you’ve gone for a specific theme, make sure to mention this on the invite too, giving guests a hint of the fun to come!
Oh, and one final thing, send the invites out with plenty of time to spare to make sure everyone can make it.
Dinner party starters
It’s a good idea to start off strong when it comes to a dinner party, and getting the starters right is the first step in having a great evening! Set the tone with some of our tasty and sophisticated dinner party starter ideas:
- Canapes: The small decorative delight that is a canape can be made from so many different ingredients – whether you’re a seasoned chef or a hopeful beginner, you can try your hand at making blinis or crackers topped with your favourite meats and cheeses.
- Vol-au-vents: These delicious puff pastry treats are an excuse to use up all sorts of veg from your fridge, as they can be filled with anything that takes your fancy. You can keep it casual with veggie vol-au-vents or crank it up a notch with some smoked salmon and cream cheese.
- Edible table decorations: Fruit, artisan bread and green and black olives all look and taste beautiful. They can be used to decorate your table for the guests arriving, and can be easily picked up to have as starters.
- Seasonal specials: If your dinner party is happening in the summer, it’s a good idea to keep the food pretty light and fresh. Hosting a winter celebration? Opt for festive foods like mincemeat, cranberries, and pastry.
And don’t forget the drinks! We’ve got a guide on wine pairings if you’re looking for a little inspo.
Dinner party mains
The main dish is where you can truly test your culinary skills. This is also the area where you’ll want to be totally sure of your guests’ dietary requirements – gluten-free, dairy-free or vegetarian/vegan, don’t leave anyone with an empty belly! Try some of these dinner party ideas for inspiration:
Use seasonal foods
Stay environmentally friendly and get everyone in the mood for the season with vegetables and meat that are perfectly primed. We’re thinking lamb in the spring, root vegetables in the autumn and winter, and strawberries in summer.
Go all out
This is not the place to scrimp and save, because it will be noticed most in the main course. Go to the butchers for your beef, or the fish counter for fish, and go organic for your veg so that your guests can really taste the difference.
Prep your main meal ahead of time
You don’t want to get caught off guard with your guests arriving before you’ve even finished prepping the meat and veggies. So, prep the morning before, or even the night before if your main needs marinating beforehand.
Dinner party desserts
Now’s the time to tie all of your culinary skills together, with a sweet dessert to complete the trio:
Use up leftovers
You’d be surprised how much waste can be made from making dinner for a large group of people. For example, use leftover egg whites from your carbonara main to make meringues you can serve with fresh berries and cream.
Add a personal touch
You’re (most likely) not a professional chef nor do you need to feel pressure to cook like one! Own your food’s imperfections and always feel free to rename puddings that crumble or crack to reclaim them as your own.
Get your guests to lend a helping hand
It can often be quite fun, and a bit less stressful, to get your guests to decorate or even make their own desserts. This can be everything from making a lovely cheese board that they pick from to offering a chocolate fondue which guests can help themselves to.
If you’ve got the capacity, go big!
If you’ve been super-efficient and have everything prepped way ahead of time, then you’ve definitely got time to make a show-stopping dessert. Whether it’s a 17-layer cake or you make your own flavoured ice cream, if you’re feeling up to it, go for it!
Dinner party ideas for adults
Now that the food is out of the way, you’ll be wanting to relax and enjoy each other’s company. If your show-stopping food didn’t spark a conversation, then there’s sure to be something in our lists of conversation starters and games that get people talking!
Dinner party conversation starters
- Where was everyone born?
- What was your favourite TV show as a child?
- What are everyone’s star signs?
- What is one thing you’ve always wished you could do?
- Aside from ourselves, who are your ideal dinner party guests?
- All costs aside, what is your dream Christmas present?
- What did you want to be when you grew up?
- What was the most embarrassing thing that has ever happened to you?
Dinner party games
When it comes to dinner party entertainment ideas, there’s nothing quite like encouraging everyone to get stuck into some games:
- Everyone picks another guest’s name out of a hat and has to learn and recite three facts about them – a great game for a dinner party with lots of strangers.
- The newlywed game is a fun way to quiz your partner about your relationship – this is a great one for a group of couples.
- Never Have I Ever is a classic party game that is solely designed to embarrass each other – go for either a clean or NSFW version.
- Kiss Marry Kill is a fun game to find some surprising secret celebrity crushes amongst your dinner party guests.
- Two truths and 1 lie is another great icebreaker, where guests need to guess which of three statements is a lie.
Feeling inspired by our fun dinner party ideas? Well, there’s only one thing for it: it’s time to pick a theme, invite your guests, and get cooking!
Or, if you’re the one attending a dinner party in the near future, be a perfect guest and bring along a lovely dinner party gift. And for even more event inspiration, you’ll want to head over to the rest of the thortful blog!
