Forty three people. In a 1650 sq. Ft house. What was I thinking inviting so many people to my daughter’s graduation party? Well, I’ll tell you, and while I’m at it, I’ll share 5 essential hosting tips for throwing a party.
I was thinking about my Mom and Dad. My sisters and brother. Matt’s Mom and Dad. His brother. All of our nieces and nephews. In-laws, aunts, uncles and cousins.
And how our people show up for each other.
Knowing that, I wanted to make space for them which is exactly what these tips allowed me to do.
5 Hosting Tips Every Hostess Should Know
- People remember how you make them feel. And, one thing I know for sure is they do not care what your house looks like, the type of dishes you serve food on, or what you’re wearing. What matters most is how you make them feel.
- You can host a party in a small house – You do not need a big house to throw a party. For the most part, the traffic flow worked out really well. We didn’t even end up using the overflow seating.
- You don’t have to do everything by yourself – Let others help, delegating what you can, (Hannah even helped prepare for her party) and hire what you cannot do. We paid someone to mow the yard, and since this was such a special occasion, I wanted the invitations to not only be pretty, but to set the mood for the party. So, I ordered the invitations from Minted. And if I’d had the budget for it, I would have hired a photographer.
- Relax and have fun– My Aunt Marilyn gave me some excellent advice and that is this: Focus on the party. Not home projects. Not work. Just focus on planning the party. So, I did. And because of that, it was much easier to enjoy our guests. Which is why I didn’t take some of the photo opportunities I meant to capture; I was busy mixing and mingling and celebrating.
- Hospitality creates community. Community is essential to creating a home and life you love, so whether you host a party or not, (I really hope you do) try to make time for your people.
With these hosting tips up my sleeve, my daughter’s graduation party turned out to be one of the most special occasions I’ve ever hosted.
For more hosting tips and tricks, read:
- Holiday Entertaining Tips: How to Throw a Good Holiday Party (good tips for any time of year)
- How to Throw a Dinner Party at Home
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