Having guests over? We’ve got a heaping helping of advice that you do not want to miss, courtesy of Eden Passante, the mastermind behind the beautiful lifestyle blog Sugar and Charm.
We teamed up with Passante for an exciting issue of Good Taste, our weekly cooking newsletter, featuring tips and tricks from her book, Entertaining with Charm. That included her stellar recipes for party-friendly dishes like a pulled pork taco bar and no-bake mascarpone cheesecake, but we couldn’t stop there. In addition to her delightful dishes, Passante’s full of guidance about how to set the right mood when you’ve got friends or loved ones coming to your place, so we also picked her brain about how to throw a fabulous party.
Below, get her take on where to shop, how to set a realistic schedule for your preparation, how to get your guests mingling and having fun, and much more.
Katie Couric Media: What’s the most common mistake you see hosts make when entertaining, and how can we avoid it?
Eden Passante: Not making each guest feel welcomed and included right away. To avoid this, make sure to introduce guests to each other and engage them in conversation throughout the event. And with your setting, you want to create an inviting space so there is an instant welcoming feeling as people walk in. Candles, music, flowers, lighting, and a good cocktail (or mocktail) are so important upon arrival.
What are your go-to money-saving tips to throw a fantastic party on a tight budget?
You don’t need to make an extravagant dinner; serve apps and drinks to save money. Decor can also be budget-friendly by using flowers or plants from the garden for a quick arrangement, white candles or tea lights from a budget store, and thrift shopping for festive glasses and details.
Your book offers a helpful list of the kitchen and pantry essentials that hosts should always have on hand when inviting guests over. What are a few of the most important?
I always suggest having a good bottle of wine on hand, the basics for a small cheese platter (one cheese, crackers, and olives), and some dried flowers and citrus slices to easily add charm to food and drinks. It’s about the charm!
You advise that hosts should do as little prep as possible on the day of their event. Why is that, and how should we organize our prep instead?
Anything and everything I can do before the day, I do. It takes so much stress away on the gathering day, so you can relax more. I can’t imagine saving everything for the same day, and I know I would forget or ignore essential aspects. Things like grocery shopping, flowers, decor, food prep, playlists, and a clean house can all happen days before.
It’s common for guests to ask what they can bring when they arrive. How do you recommend answering that, especially when you’ve planned everything carefully and don’t need more food or drinks?
I usually insist that I have it all; I entertain to give my friends and family a break and a good time. The last thing I want to do is put something on their list. If they don’t let up, I’ll give in (to not make it awkward) and tell them an inexpensive bottle of wine or a bag of marshmallows for s’mores, but I keep it very simple and prefer they don’t bring anything.
What are your dos and don’ts for using lighting to create the perfect atmosphere?
Lighting is everything! Do not have bright, fluorescent lights on during any gathering. Always have candles (if you prefer battery-operated, those work), and keep it all dim and moody. It makes for a much better gathering. During the day, use natural light and candles.
What are your go-to retailers for finding top-notch party supplies?
I have so many, but a few retailers I often shop at for parties are Williams Sonoma, World Market, Anthropologie, Terrain, Etsy, Food52, and Amazon.
You write that good conversation starters are one of your tricks for livening up a party. What are some of your favorites?
Conversation cards are the best for gatherings. It’s fun to bring out a deck of Conversation cards and have each guest pull one to start the fun. Let’s be honest: People love to talk about themselves, and you can get some juicy stories sometimes! It’s all in good fun. I have a few of the TableTopic sets that are always good. If you don’t have cards, some good conversation starters could be asking your guests about recent travels, what they’ve been watching or reading lately, and their favorite memories from childhood.
When guests are starting to overstay their welcome, what’s your polite way of signaling to them that it’s time to go?
I have a strict no-cleaning rule during a gathering; however, if the party is over but there are some lingering guests, I will grab a few dishes to signal it’s over. I will also mention that I have an early morning or have to get the kids to bed. It’s essential to be polite and gracious, and sometimes, I stay up later than I intended, but luckily, I haven’t had to deal with this too many times!
