How to Throw a Dinner Party for 20

Nothing beats entertaining at home. What's more civilized (and fun) than throwing a nice big dinner party for twenty of your closest friends. With a little thought and advanced planning, you can be the host/hostess with the mostest and have a successful evening.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Notepad
• Pen
• Cell phone

1. Preferably, a week before your planned dinner party, sit down and make a guest list of those you intend to invite.

2. Once you've compiled the list, you can create website invites like Evites which you can decorate to your specification and send them out to your guests who can reply to the site so you can keep track of all those who are attending.

3. Start thinking about your menu and what you'll be serving your guests keeping the menu as simple and uncomplicated as possible. Concentrate on one main dish with two or three sides at most. Include a basic salad.

4. Go to the market a day or two before the dinner to pick up the groceries. If you don't have time to prepare the main dish, then just prep the side dishes the night before or the day of the dinner and order the main dish from your favorite restaurant and just serve it hot when it arrives.

5. On the night of the dinner, prep the tables with a nice cheese plate, bread and some crudités or veggies and dip to tie the guests over until dinner is served.

6. Serve some wine or decide on a theme cocktail drink and serve that for your guests as an aperitif.

7. If you don't have a long, large table that could comfortably seat twenty people, then consider renting the table(s) and all the table settings. Sometimes, it can be more cost effective and less hassle since the rental company usually drops off and picks up all the rented items - from the dishes to silverware to the table and table cloths themselves - so you don't have to bother about the clean up afterward.

8. Enlist the help of a few friends to help set up the table and any last minute help you may need at the party.

9. If you don't have a long, large table that could comfortably seat twenty people, then consider renting the table(s) and all the table settings. Sometimes, it can be more cost effective and less hassle since the rental company usually drops off and picks up all the rented items - from the dishes to silverware to the table and table cloths themselves - so you don't have to bother about the clean up afterward.