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Home » Dinner » How to Host a Dinner Party on a Budget

How to Host a Dinner Party on a Budget

May 7, 2018 by Tara Noland 14 Comments

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How to Host a Dinner Party on a Budget

Learn How to Host a Dinner Party on a Budget will help with all your party needs. Hosting a dinner party can be such an exciting experience, but also a costly one. 

The good news is that throwing a beautiful and classy dinner party doesn’t have to break the bank. In fact, there are many low cost ways to host a dinner party at your house without flattening your pocketbook.

How to Host a Dinner Party on a Budget

Whether is it be a backyard soiree or a winter holiday sit down dinner, keeping it in budget will be easy with these tips. 

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Start Planning Early

One of the cheapest tools you can possess while preparing for a dinner party is time. If you have enough time to spend, you can stock up on beverages, source out the best deals on food items and even find a way to borrow any extras like stemware and serving pieces.

Rushing through the preparation steps of a dinner party will only be to your detriment, so the best thing you can do is start planning right away.

Make Lists

With so many details to consider when planning a dinner party, you will want to start making lists.

Lists can help to keep you on the ball and help to avoid any mistakes or mishaps that could take place. Make a list of to-do’s, a list of guests, and even a checklist of menu items.

Lists can also help you to avoid going overboard with your spending and planning.

How to Host a Dinner Party on a Budget

Focus on the Table

There are many ways to make a beautiful and dazzling table without breaking the bank. Think candles, fresh flowers and a beautiful table cloth but do these on a budget and be creative. Use small glasses for vases, a pretty teapot, antique tin, mason jars, small bucket, vintage colander with a bowl inside, all work well too.

Find items in your home you already have. Use cut flowers or leaves from the garden.

Doing a long line of greenery down the center of the table with a few roses stuck in with water pics on the end would also be stunning and inexpensive. 

Cluster tea lights together and also grab some items from around your home like pretty tea towels overlapping for a runner. Name cards are cheap and make a table instantly special. Also, I type out menus which is very inexpensive and a lovely touch. Mix and matching items if done correctly can look stunning too! 

Use eye popping colors for the table with paper napkins that you can get from a party store or dollar store. Do a few little pretty candies on a plate to add color and excitement or place some on everyone’s individual plate maybe wrapped up in a small paper napkin or some mesh. 

Keeping the table décor simple, yet eye-catching should be your goal. Remember, people also eat with their eyes so setting a gorgeous table is an important element to a dinner party.

Make a Playlist

Create a nice playlist of music to have playing in the background of your dinner party. Mood music can really set the tone of a party and is an inexpensive way to create ambiance.

Music is also a good way to let people know when the party is over, simply turn off the music for a tasteful way of hinting to your guests that the party has come to a close.

How to Host a Dinner Party on a Budget

Make it a Potluck

A potluck is an amazing way to host a dinner party without worrying too much about having enough food, or enough money. Have every attendee bring their favourite dish.

Make sure to keep an ongoing tally of what people will be bringing to ensure an appropriate balance of menu items and sides. Use a site like Perfect Potluck to keep you organized.

If it’s going to be a large party, you are going to want to make sure that everyone has somewhere to sit, so perhaps request your guests bring chairs if you don’t have enough seating for everyone.

It is also a good idea to request that your guests bring their own alcoholic beverages. You can offer things such as juice, pop and so on, but alcohol can get expensive.

Have fun

There are many fantastic ways to host a dinner party on a budget and still have a fantastic time. You don’t have to break the bank to have fun and there is no shame in requesting people bring their own alcohol, or a favourite appetizer.

Just go with the flow and you will be throwing a beautiful dinner party in no time.

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Filed Under: Dinner, Everyday ideas, Party Essentials, Popular Posts Tagged With: budget, dinner party, ideas, party, plan ahead, save money, tip

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Comments

  1. Stacie says

    May 10, 2018 at 2:39 pm

    I love these tips. I’m a big fan of using what I have rather than buying a bunch of stuff. I’m bookmarking this.

    Reply
  2. Jeanette says

    May 10, 2018 at 3:01 pm

    I am definitely going to pin this one! We like to do a lot of parties but it always cost a lot of money. I think these tips could definitely help.

    Reply
  3. Melissa Chapman says

    May 10, 2018 at 6:45 pm

    I don’t host a lot of parties but these tips are a great start to having a successful one. I love the use of music to signal the end of the party.

    Reply
  4. Amy says

    May 10, 2018 at 7:19 pm

    I have never hosted a dinner party but I have heard of them from movies! I think my family would love to have some family over to host one outdoors!

    Reply
  5. Mama to 6 Blessings says

    May 10, 2018 at 7:52 pm

    I am all about potluck’s. Makes things so easy and a diverse menu! Great way to stretch your dollar too!

    Reply
  6. Merry Kuchle says

    May 10, 2018 at 7:58 pm

    I love entertaining! You have some great suggestions to make it a soiree to remember. I usually save money by skipping the table decorations. I find that guests are much more interested in the food and drinks.

    Reply
  7. Jeni Hawkins says

    May 10, 2018 at 8:47 pm

    I LOVE this! What fun! The playlist idea is great…and making it a potluck can really help a lot. Plus, I always like to bring food, so I love GOING TO potlucks!

    Reply
  8. janis @mommyblogexpert says

    May 10, 2018 at 8:52 pm

    We entertain a lot and I’ve gotten some really good ideas from reading your blog regularly. Now that summer is almost here most everyone will be entertaining more, so they will appreciate your great tips.

    Reply
  9. Nancy at Whispered Inspirations says

    May 10, 2018 at 10:51 pm

    These are such great ideas. If you’re not careful, a party can really rack up quick and you may not realize this. Bookmarking!

    Reply
  10. Allison Cooper says

    May 11, 2018 at 6:31 am

    Such great tips! I love having people over all the time, but it truly does get expensive after a while. Love the advice of starting early!

    Reply
  11. Lisa Bristol says

    May 11, 2018 at 6:55 am

    This is perfect timing for this post. I am planning a dinner party for next month. Thanks for all the great tips. With a new Grandbaby money is tight. Planning ahead and shopping sales can be a big help.

    Reply
  12. Crystal says

    May 11, 2018 at 11:37 am

    These are really great tips! Having a beautiful tablescape and awesome music playing in the background makes for an inviting space to hang out.

    Reply
  13. Stacie says

    May 11, 2018 at 12:39 pm

    I don’t host dinner parties often but these are tips I will definitely follow. I never know how to get people to leave. I like the subtle hint with the music.

    Reply
  14. Alicia Gonzalez says

    May 11, 2018 at 1:32 pm

    What a beautiful setup. This makes the guests feel so welcome, too.

    Reply

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