Hostess With The Mostest : How To Host a Luncheon

Did someone say “Party”?

I wonder what comes to your mind. Okay, let me make it easier. Just name 3 things that come to your mind when I say “party”. Food, drinks, music. Isn’t it? I must warn you, the most important thing is still missing. The decor. The setup. Or else, how will you get the vibe that keeps you grooving?

Organizing a party isn't 2 minutes of work. If you say it is, the event must be a casual gathering. Deciding a theme alone takes 5 confused heads and a whole day. It becomes as smooth as butter with the helping hand of a seasoned hostess, or as we call them “The Hostess With The Mostest”.

One of life's best moments is hosting a soiree for family and friends. It offers an occasion to chill and share a special meal with loved ones. But having food on the table alone does not constitute a soiree, as any seasoned hostess can confirm.

As the festive season is just about to start, getting your heads filled with party ideas is a must! Especially the in-house parties. The families will be gathering around, friends will meet after a long time- the celebration needs to be grand and memorable. It becomes timeless when they arrive, saying “We will stay for an hour” but even after hours, you see them dancing and enjoying earnestly. Well, it’s a job well done by only a hostess with the mostest.

When organizing a party, the most challenging task can be finding a venue. And, here, you might get some ease because it’s your home sweet home. There’s no greater arcadia as heavenly as your humble abode. With that ticked off in your list, the next important subject is to decide the theme. A party without a theme is wearing joggers in a voguish event. Yes, it’s that odd! 

The theme doesn’t necessarily have to be something that reflects on the guests (such as the fancy dress competition I mentioned). A theme can bring an exuberant aura to the atmosphere and jazz up the guests effortlessly. A perfectly put-together theme reflects the decor of the party. A "Royal Tea" theme would call for slightly fancier attire or more constrained menu choices, whereas a "Sunday In The House" theme might call for DIY decorations or a more relaxed dress code. As of now, let’s take a look at a Sunday afternoon jamboree or a luncheon.

If you wish to host a daytime soirée, you should prepare exactly as you would for a dinner party, with an appropriate meal, proper décor, and perhaps even a theme. Otherwise, your luncheon will just be lunch. 

Now when you have got your theme, it's time to follow the map; map to your mind-blowing party! A luncheon can be a formal affair or a casual fete. And, your theme will reflect the choice you have made. Do you predict your guests being seated the entire luncheon or will there be significant mingling time? In the first case, there needs to be enough room for people to walk about without running into tables, chairs, or other people. 

Next comes the menu. All great events start with a joyful “Cheers!”, friends and family coming together and celebrating the occasion, or maybe just the togetherness. And since this is a luncheon, cocktails are the queen of the menu. You can proudly flaunt your bartending skills by preparing exotic cocktails, it’s safe to keep a few pre-filled glasses so your guests won’t have to wait. You can also make your own signature cocktails to hear “Please get a YouTube channel, we want a tutorial”. For non-alcoholic buddies, the glass can always be filled with orange juice, iced tea, or lemonade.

Fancy, colorful, and beautifully patterned stirrers are the ideal match for cocktail glasses. And to adorn the cocktail glasses to a greater extent, you can add wooden skewers with freshly sliced fruit cubes on the brim of each glass. This would enhance the look of the cocktail (since the color of the fruits is vibrant) and will surely be the star of all the Instagram-worthy pictures. 

If you get exhausted by the duty of a bartender, or you might not be able to enjoy the soiree as much as others, the glass drink dispenser will come to your help. Fill the glass drink dispenser with the cocktail that won the popularity award, and let the guests swarm off to the drink dispenser corner for refills, re-refills, and re-re-refills.

As an element of a pleasant surprise, you can keep a box of chocolates beside every plate if it’s a seating arrangement, by using DIY paper gift boxes. Okay okay, foodies, we have heard you. Now we are jumping on to the part you have been eagerly waiting for.

Keep a display of desserts like cupcakes or muffins right in the middle of the table on a cake plate with a cloche. Decorate the cloche with DIY butterfly stickers for a 3D effect. The color combination of the plates and glasses needs to be aligned- not too bright, not too bland. No, no! No need to brainstorm, just close your eyes, pick one and give it a shot!

Charting the menu is pretty simple. Appetizer, main dish, sides, dessert- that’s the mantra. But the difficult task is the next step. While you're arranging for croissants and light sandwiches for luncheons, it's essential to take into consideration your guests' dietary requirements.

Luncheon cuisine appears to be lighter and scruffier. It shouldn't be expected that there won't be vegetarian and gluten-free options just because the cuisine won't be as formal as it would be on other occasions. And, when you keep a note of your guests’ choices, they feel a little warmer, and your chances of making the luncheon memorable increase.

Now that the cuisine is arranged, we must warn you that your following task is challenging: just breathe. The most important thing is for you to be at ease and enjoy yourself, whether you dress up or keep it casual, have a sit-down lunch or a buffet, or have a theme or not. Ultimately, the host sets the mood. Your luncheon will go well enough for you if you prepare yourself a platter with some preplanning and the right number of people.