Dinner parties are the new “it” event. Here’s how to host one without breaking the bank.
Hungry but want to keep the party at home? Good news: 2024 has been dubbed “the year of the dinner party,” allowing hosts with the most to create a private ambiance feat. home-cooked—or catered—dishes and QT with family and friends sans the stress of navigating the hoopla of heading out for a meal (read: booking a rez, finding parking and changing out of your PJs).
Digging further into the trend, as the cost of eating out increases and the desire to imbibe decreases (hey, sober revolution!), many millennials and Gen Zers are opting to take hospitality into their own hands while simultaneously keeping costs low—and sharing on their social feeds, natch.
Clearly, the movement is sweeping society, with Evite data showing searches for “dinner parties” have boosted by 148% compared to last year. See also: local startup small biz Canary honing in on providing the resources for said stylish abode events—from originally decorated tablescapes and curated themes to an array of glassware and table rentals, Spotify playlists and place mats.
For the lowdown on how to throw down via your own foodie night in, we tapped event planning extraordinaire Catrina Vienrich of Vine Rich Events. Here, her tips and tricks to host a showstopping at-home supper soiree—without breaking the bank. Cheers to a house (dinner) party!
Shake It Up • For an elevated experience sans the upward of $20/cocktail price tag, stir up a fun welcome alcoholic or nonalcoholic bev with ingredients already in your pantry (mod cocktail database Make Me a Cocktail always has great ideas!). Or grab a cheap bottle of wine and mix with fruit on-hand and your fave juice for an easy and budget-friendly sangria.
Hey, Buds • Get guests in the dinner-party mood without shelling out Benjamins on pricey buds via a bouquet (or two!) of flowers for the table from the farmers market or grocery store.
On Theme • Pick a vibe—then go ham flexing those Pinterest skills to create your own decorative tablescape, invitations, dress code and ambiance. Pro tip: Cut costs further by repurposing what you already have or visiting a local craft store or thrift shop.
What’s Cooking • If you opt for full-fledged dishes over snacks and starters, prep your meal(s) ahead of time rather than calling in a caterer—and keep the dishes in a warming drawer if needed while you wait for your guests to arrive. Taste of Home has a smattering of tasty—and affordable!—recipes that promise to smack.
Familiar Fare • Instead of snagging fancy ingredients and products from the store, keep it simple and stick to your strengths. Think of emulating A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving—it doesn’t always matter what you’re eating… just who you’re with!
Keep It Sweet • Don’t forget dessert! Truly the inexpensive cherry on top of an appetizing evening, the most important part of the meal stays price effective with ops like a DIY ice cream bar or batch of brownies. Or for summer vibes, stay stacked with s’mores prepped in the oven or out on the bonfire
Don’t ever text someone ‘k’—and other ways to get along in a postmodern society.
Miss Manners meets New York Magazine’s The Cut a la hypermodern etiquette when the publication-on-the-pulse put out a modern manners list of sorts that got the world talking—from MSN to the UK’s The Guardian to, naturally, the internet.
“Do You Know How to Behave? Are You Sure?” queries the punchy headline, subtitled with the call to action: “How to text, tip, ghost, host and generally exist in a polite society today.” Essentially, in a fast-paced, tech-driven, bot-friendly society, “the ways we socialize and date, commute and work are nearly unrecognizable from what they were three years ago.” Facts.
And in those trio of short years alone, we’ve come head-to-head with a pandemic; social, cultural, workforce and literal warfare; the proliferation of social media; and so much more… all of which has moved the needle faster than our minds or wallets can pace or comprehend—NTM the AI takeover.
To the rescue are 194 tips amassed and vetted by The Cut—with guest picks from celebs and socialites like artist Laila Gohar and actress Amy Sedaris and socialite/mag editor Lauren Santo Domingo—running the gamut from lessons on friends & lovers (“You may callously cancel almost any plans up until 2pm”) and strangers to going out and hermiting in to work life, the city, parenting; and, of course, posting and texting (oof).
And the list got us thinking… (*in our best Carrie Bradshaw voice*): In a society that’s becoming ever more casual, are there certain rules we must abide by to avoid social upheaval?
Don’t ever message someone “k.” (It’s the text equivalent of “I hate you.”)
You may callously cancel almost any plans up until 2pm. (We feel so liberated.)
If someone starts telling you a story you’ve heard before, you have two seconds to tell them. (Though we argue it should be more like 10 seconds!)
The proper response to being told something you already know isn’t “I know.” It’s “You’re right.” (Don’t be a know-it-all)
Listening is not the time for you to silently rehearse what you want to say next. (Say less)
Go on, take the last bite. (We’d say go for the “gentlemen’s bite,” aka the second to last one—less rude.)
Hot gossip goes only in the voice memo, never in text. (Some next-level Inspector Gadget ish)
Whoever put the most work into planning the trip gets first dibs on rooms […] whether single or a couple. (It’s like the story about the hen who made all that bread with no help.)
If you’ve met someone and they clearly don’t remember your name, say, “Hi, we’ve met, I’m X.” (Let’s be real, y’all.)
Don’t talk shit about your baby. (You know it’s your baby, right?)
There are three things never to gossip about at work: someone crying; someone getting yelled at; a private phone call you overheard. (Keep your thoughts to yourself.)
It’s OK to ghost after one date. (Houdini who?) … But… if you ghost someone, stay gone forever.
Ask if someone wants advice or just wants to vent. (Venting is therapy.)
Still, the historical mandate is hard-coded into most people and should be considered: If you’re penetrating, you pay. (It’s just the hard truth)
Never answer a compliment with a compliment. (Thank you.)
Don’t be loudly naïve about dating apps if you’re in a relationship. (There’s a lot of pee in the dating pool—and a whole site dedicated to outing local losers.)
When casually asked how you are, say “Good!” (Save your real feelings for your therapist.)
Never ask anyone what their job is. (Why?)
If there’s no dress code, tell your guests what you’re wearing—and then actually wear it. (It’s a thing)
If you like them, text people within three hours of hanging out with them. (Friends, fam, your date…)
Leaving negative comments says more about you… (How do you even have the time?!)
Sit down and respond to an email, even if it’s a year late. (Better late than never, right?!)
While on a date, if… you’re talking a lot, ask yourself, When was the last time I asked a question? (Dating is a two-way street, people!)
