Most hosts and hostesses have a phobia about arranging their own home party, when they could do a better job economically, efficiently and much more effectively than some of the catering or event management companies. These companies only add to the glorious mess of lists and more lists of confused details, which are conveniently somehow overlooked at the last and crucial juncture when the party is just about to begin and the guests have already arrived at the main door.
First things first, note down the date, time, place and occasion you wish to have the party in aid of. Shoot off your invitations to your listed guests at least one or two weeks in advance with a RSVP calling number so that you are certain which one of your guests is coming and which one is not. This helps prevent a lot of wastages.
Chalk out and decide on the drinks and food menu making sure that you take care of their every choice and comfort as much as possible to the very last detail. For starters welcome them with soft and hard drinks - cocktails or mocktails. Provide an assortment of nuts, canapes, barquettes, munchys, tandoori tikkas (vegetarian or non-vegetarian) as per your choice or bar-b-qued items.
Remember to have sufficient glasses, mats, under-liners, waste-bins, ashtrays, cigars/ cigarettes and cloth and paper serviettes of good quality so that we make a good first impression. You could give roses for the ladies and button hole flowers for the gents suit lapels. You can also give mogra bunches for the ladies hair-dos to enhance your position as you weave through the groups of guests always making them feel comfortable and at ease.
Put on the right music, videos, band or DJs to make for a romantic and memorable occasion. Add flowers, decorations and art pieces and nick-nacks to heighten the sophistication and grandeur of your party.
After a few drinks, serve the starters or hot or cold soups to your guests prior to the main meal. Remember to serve all the foods piping hot no matter what.
- First the clean plates with serviettes,
- Then the fish dishes
- The chicken dishes
- The mutton dishes with assorted salads
- Lots of vegetarian fare for our vegetarian guests
- Complements like papadums, pickles, chutneys, raitas
Needless to say, the chaffing or warming dishes should be refilled to the top and the table-tops should be always cleaned and tidy.
If you are serving Chinese food items, the Chinese sauces should be presented. While if you are serving continental or English items do serve rolls, butter, soup-sticks, mustard, ketchups, HP Sauce, Worcestershire sauce and so on.
After the main meals arrange for finger bowls and a copious helping of napkins or steamed napkins so that the guests can proceed to the dessert table, the cheese board, the nuts and dry-fruit trolley and the tea/coffee/cocoa trolley.
At the end, while the guests are about to leave you could pass out some souvenirs with some hot almond or herbal milk or egg-nogs or perhaps a hot cup of consomme Royale to bring the party to a high ending.
Always be there at the main door to say your goodbyes and thank you and wish them all the best and a safe journey home. After the party, make immediate arrangements to clean up the place and account for all the used and unused items.
Check with your earlier budget and write off your losses. Wherever possible you could try recycling any dishes for your next days menu, after properly freezing and preserving the items in order to economise and save where you can.
Happy Partying!!!
