With winter weather finally leaving and warmer spring evenings on the horizon, you won’t be faulted for turning your attention to planning your next spring dinner party.
Bringing your close friends and family together for a celebration of good food and even better company in the comfort of your own home is the ideal way to welcome the new season.
One advantage to hosting a magical outdoor spring dinner party is that it will accommodate all your guests, including those who choose to smoke or enjoy indulging in a pod vape. Many non-smokers prefer to keep their homes smoke-free, and the outdoor setup will happily satisfy both you and your guests.
Keep Your Setting Cozy
Traditional dinner parties embrace the communal nature of dining tables and chairs, creating the ideal setup for sharing a delicious meal and scintillating conversation. But sometimes, it is nice to forego this standard setup in favor of a comfortable garden location where your guests can settle in for the evening. It helps make people feel more relaxed and facilitates better conversation, especially for guests who may not know each other before the event.
Spring evenings can still hold the familiar chill of a winter day, so including comfortable seating with a roaring fire or plenty of cozy blankets will help you transform your backyard space into a warm and inviting space to gather with your friends and family.
Simple & Seasonal Menu
The best part of hosting a seasonal dinner party is cooking with the foods and flavors that showcase the time of year. Building a menu around the fresh fruits and vegetables available during spring, paired beautifully with your favorite protein of choice, creates a filling and enjoyable menu that won’t feel intimidating to prepare or overwhelming to eat.
Serve two or three absurdly simple sides alongside the main protein on your menu. This will allow your main meal to be the star of the show and give you the chance to prepare the sides ahead of time to cook or plate when needed.
For dessert, you want to select something that is easy to make and serve at the end of your meal and will leave your guests with a positive final impression of the evening. Delicious and easy seasonal compotes served with a healthy dollop of frozen yogurt or creamy ice cream are both scrumptious and foolproof.
Use White Dishes
Many event and catering experts recommend serving food on white plates. White plates are said to bring out the bright and vibrant colors and contrast of your food, making it easier to plate and present. From serving platters and dinner plates to pasta and salad bowls, standard white crockery will best showcase your beautiful spring feast.
Pair your white dishes with matching white linens for a cohesive and sleek look. However, introduce vibrant color accents with your flatware, glasses, and table decor to make your setting feel more engaging and exciting.
Soft Lighting
When hosting a spring dinner al fresco, the easiest and most effective way to incorporate mood lighting is with flickering candles, a crackling fire pit, or twinkling string lights. All three options add a warm and comfortable hue to your space that perfectly complements the lighter evenings and richer sunsets.
If you are concerned your chosen light sources won’t be able to properly illuminate the walking path between your home and your event space, tiki torches or solar lanterns are fantastic lighting options that won’t spoil the overall ambiance of your party.
Skip Giant Platters
When hosting a dinner party, it may be tempting to serve giant platters of food that can passed around the table for guests to serve themselves. But passing giant platters down a big table can be awkward and cumbersome. Instead, plate a new dish for every three to four guests. For example, a dinner party of six to eight guests will have two plates for each dish to accommodate a more straightforward plating process.
This spread allows you to create a decadent and accessible tablescape from only a few well-made dishes. Before serving, remember to give every plate a light sprinkling of flakey finishing salt.
Consider Wine Pairings
Planning a menu with a selection of wine pairings in mind is a simple and easy way to elevate any gathering and make it feel more special and well thought-out. With a grazing-style feast, simply include a couple of bottles of a chosen paired wine that guests can pour themselves. For those who would prefer to stick with their chosen drink or want a non-alcoholic option, simply encourage them to sip whatever they like and ensure you have alternative options to accommodate them.
With the bright flavors of crisp vegetables and fresh fruit, a fruity and fresh Chardonnay will be the perfect accompaniment. Earthy and rich flavors deserve an equally robust Pinot Noir, while you can never go wrong with a pasta and Pinot Gris pairing.
The Perfect Playlist
If you have ever been to a party where the setting was stunning and the food was delicious, but it didn’t feel like a fun atmosphere, it is likely because the host failed to include the perfect playlist to accompany their event. Many people underestimate the importance of including appropriate background music when hosting dinner parties, but the impact a well-curated playlist can have should not be underestimated.
The music you ultimately choose depends on the mood you are trying to set and the overall atmosphere you want to build. Whether you choose upbeat tunes that your guests can sing and dance to or low-key music pieces to accompany a delicious meal of lively conversation and lots of laughing, there are plenty of fantastic playlist ideas available on all popular streaming platforms to suit any mood.
