The Art of Entertaining

The key to stress-free entertaining is to plan ahead. Entertaining friends, family and/or important clients can be done at home, in a restaurant, or at a club. The food, wine, service and setting are certainly the main ingredients of a successful dinner party, but just as important, if not more so, is how the host and hostess make their guests feel at the dinner party. This class was created to give young hosts and hostesses the knowledge they need to plan and host a polished and successful dinner party.  

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• Planning a Formal Dinner Party

• The Role of the Hostess

• The Guest List

• Telephoning vs. The Formal Dinner Invitation

• Timing of Invitations

• The Reminder Card

• Table Setting Dos and Don’ts

• Greeting Guests

• The Role of the Host

• How to be a Gracious Guest

• Cocktail Hour Dos and Don’ts

• Seating at Dinner

• Place Cards

• The Service

• Conversation at the Table

• Toasting

• Hostess Gifts

• Thank-You Notes