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T he Last Act
o f a Gracious
G uest

The day after a party a gracious guest will follow up with a thank you note or phone call. Do this within 1-2 days so your appreciation does not seem stale. The formula for a thank you looks like this:

O bserving O fficial P rotocol
S eating at a
D inner Party

Some dinner parties require a more formal protocol. For example, a military dinner will have strict guidelines as to where personnel will sit. If you are hosting a client dinner, you might also prefer a more formal arrangement. Even in a casual setting, you can choose to follow protocol to honor a special guest. The below description is based on a social party (vs. business), a rectangular table, and includes both men and women:

Seating for a
D inner Party

When hosting a dinner party, where you place your guests around the table is a crucial element for the success of your event. You presumably put thought into who you invited to the gathering. Do not stop there. The placement of each person around the table is something that should not be thrown together at the last minute.

5 Tips on
E ntertaining
w ith Young
C hildren

I love entertaining friends and family in my home, especially during the holidays. But I must admit, it can be a bit overwhelming hosting a dinner party in the stage of life with little ones running around. The cooperation I receive from my toddlers is a significant factor in how efficient I am on a daily basis. Add in hosting a party, and it can be overwhelming. If you find yourself wanting to gather friends for a festive evening, here are my tried-and-true tips for entertaining with young children:

M y Party N eeds a
R ehearsal?

Planning a party can be fun, but do you know the best way to ensure everything runs smoothly? Have a rehearsal for your party. Yes, you heard correctly. You have spent a great deal of time planning your theme, creating your guestlist, and delivering your invitations. Now is the time to do a mock rehearsal which will allow you to create an action list of outstanding items around your home that might need attention. It also helps solidify any last-minute details.

1 3 Dinner
P arty Skills
Y ou Should
K now

These thirteen tips will get your through any dinner party. Here is a quick refresher.

1. Leave The Cocktail Glass Behind:

If you are attending a dinner party, there may be cocktails offered before the meal begins. When the hostess signals it is time to head to the dining room, leave your drink behind. Why? The dining table has been pre-set with the glasses you will need and adding another to your place setting will only clutter the minimal real estate in front of you. Your palate is another reason to leave the cocktail behind. Many hostesses go to great lengths to pare wine with the food being served. Once seated at the table it is time to switch to wine or water.

Attire: What Do I Wear to
the Party?

You just received an invitation to a party, and the attire says: Shabby Chic; Razzle Dazzle; Cowboy Couture. What??? Word to hostesses: when listing the attire on the invitation for a party, make it clear. We do not want our guests to solve a riddle to understand what is expected of them. There is a phrase I like to quote, “To be unclear is to be unkind.”

H ow Do I Do an i ntroduction?

Table manners are the area in which I receive the most questions, but it is introductions that have people the most baffled. After I explain the correct way to conduct an introduction, I often get that starry-eyed stare that tells me, “I really don’t understand what you just said.” To help all of us, I have broken down the process into a simple format. Before I proceed, let me say this. Do not let a lack of confidence in managing an introduction keep you from DOING an introduction. Even if you are unsure, most people do not care.

H ow to Be the
P erfect Dinner
G uest

M aking an E ntrance with C onfidence

Have you ever seen someone walk into a party looking scared, so unsure of themselves, and then watched them slink off to an obscure corner? Their body language screamed, “I wish I was anywhere but here!”

6 Important
P oints for the
R SVP

You are invited!!! There is something special we feel when we receive an invitation. It is the anticipation of a celebration, the excitement of choosing what to wear, but more importantly, it is the affirmation that tells us, “I was chosen!” We know a hostess has responsibilities to ensure her party is a success, but did you know there are expectations of the guests? And your first job begins when you receive an invitation that says RSVP. Follow the six steps below and the hostess will be singing your praises!

Lisa Lou
- Nov 24, 2020
- 5 min read

7 Tips to Be the Perfect Guest

Updated: May 3, 2021

Navigate A Party Checklist

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When attending a party, there are certain expectations we have of our hostess. We appreciate everything she has done, but we do assume there will be food, drinks, a clean bathroom, and a home that does not smell like the local pet store. What some people forget is there are also expectations of the guest. When a hostess plans a party, a great deal of time is spent deciding who she will invite. What group of friends go well together? Do the different generations get along? What personality types will enjoy interacting? When an invitation is extended it is expected those invited will elevate the atmosphere and be joyful participants in the celebration. When a guest shows up late or stands in a corner and does not mingle, this causes undo stress for the host. Listed below are a few obligations every guest should fulfill.

RSVP

Within 24-48 hours of receiving the invitation, RSVP (French phrase for “please respond”) to your hostess and either accept or decline her invitation. Do not wait for the “respond by” deadline. This is printed only as a last resort. The hostess needs your answer as soon as possible.

Bring A Gift

Arrive with a hostess gift in hand.

Be On Time

If the party invitation says 7p.m., do not show up at 7:30p.m. The acceptable time to arrive is from the exact start of the party to approximately 15 minutes after the time stated on the invitation. Why does this matter? Your hostess has invited you to be a part of the atmosphere she has created. She is counting on your presence to help make the evening a success. If it is a sit-down dinner, and you are late, then she must hold the meal not only for you, but for everyone else. This can cause the food to become cold and guests to become “hangry.”

The one exception on arrival time is if you are attending an Open House. The hostess has clearly stated on the invitation that this is a come-and-go party. You may arrive at any time during the parameters stated by your hostess. Keep in mind it is polite to stay, at minimum, an hour. So, if the invitation says Open House from 7-10 p.m., arrive no later than 9p.m. One other important point…never be early! Most hostesses are putting the final touches on their event up to the very last minute. If you show up even 5 minutes early, it will likely catch her off-guard. If you are more comfortable arriving early to ensure you are on time, then park around the corner and wait in the car. Bottom line, just be on time.

Offer A Helping Hand

If you see your hostess excuse herself to work in the kitchen, offer to help. Tell her you would love to butter the rolls and put them in the oven. Or offer to pour beverages into the glasses. After the meal, help your hostess clear the table. If she refuses your aid, do not ask again. She may have a routine she likes carried out a certain way, and although your intentions are good, your assistance may cause more chaos. Offer your assistance, but if you receive a “no” then sit down and enjoy the party. What she may want most from you is peace of mind knowing you are helping entertain her other guests.

Socialize

A hostess has expectations of her guests. They were invited to her home because she wanted to shower them with hospitality, but they were also hand-picked because she knew they would mingle well with those in attendance. As a guest we have the obligation to help “carry” the party. This is not a time to be shy. Walk up to different groups and introduce yourself. When I attend a party, I like to find the person in a room that is standing by themselves. I usually make them the first person I approach. One, I know they appreciate it, and two, I know this helps my hostess. If you are attending a sit-down dinner, the evening will usually begin with cocktails that last 30-45 minutes. If small talk is an area where you struggle, click the link for a great blog on conversation starters.

Do Not Overindulge On Hors d’oeuvres:

You want to enjoy the dinner, so do not fill up before the meal. You also want to make sure the other guests enjoy the delicacies. A good rule of thumb for the party goer is to take one of each type of hors d’oeuvre that is passed. The server will be back again soon, and you may help yourself to more at that time. If the food is on a buffet table take no more than two of each as you pass through the line. You may go back for seconds once everyone has had an opportunity to fill their plate. Most hostesses plan for 5 individual hors d’oeuvres for each guest, so if you take more than this, you are depleting her supply and keeping other guests from partaking.

Fun tidbit: Hors d’oeuvre is a French word meaning “outside the meal.” It is generally small enough to consume in one bite and is served from a stationary table or passed by the catering staff. It is served during cocktails before a dinner party. Appetizers are different from hors d’oeuvres. Appetizers are what is served before the main entrée while seated at a dinner table.

Participate!

You were invited to be a lively part of the evening. Do not hide in a corner or exclude yourself from participating in the evening’s activities, even if it is not your favorite thing to do. If, after dinner, a game of charades takes place, participate. If the host wants to show you the car he is working on in the garage, show interest. Be a good sport and “go along” (within reason 😊).

Just as we have certain expectations when we attend a party, we also have an obligation when we are a guest. I have hosted several Murder Mystery dinner parties over the years, and those I invited have always gone above and beyond to dress in costume.

It is great fun when we can all laugh together as we move into our character roles throughout the evening. One time, though, I had a couple ignore the request for costumes and show up in street clothes. They were the last to arrive and it dampened the mood for everyone else. I did not know this couple well and their comment to me was, “We just don’t really get into dressing up.” As I have stated in other blogs, there is nothing wrong with declining an invitation to an event you just do not wish to attend. The hostess has gone to a great deal of effort to put together a wonderful evening, and if you are not prepared to fully participate, it is better for you and the hostess if you stay home. When we are a guest, we have a responsibility to be a welcome addition to the party. This is the best way to show your love and gratitude for a wonderful evening!

Together with you,

Lisa Lou