Hosting parties is, as my friend Molly says, my bliss. I really love it! It must be a heredity thing because I grew up with a mom who was the same. She is infamous for her parties. People still talk about when we see them. They were absolutely fabulous and her guest knew they were always in for a really fun night. The two things she taught me about hosting a great party: create a beautiful table and always put your guest first.

My mom has created some of the most gorgeous tablescapes I have ever seen. She has a real eye for it. Everything from the china, to the silver, to the candles and flowers is all perfectly placed. When I decided to host a holiday party for a small group of our friends I decided to make the tables decor minimal. I had seen this live garland at Trader Joes and knew it would be perfect on the center of the table. Since there were 19 of us fitting into my home I knew the table needed to feel open and minimal so the guest didn’t feel squished. The garland ended up being the perfect touch. I added a few ornaments from Target and some glitter branches from West Elm to add the finishing “festive” touches.

To ensure the guest enjoyed their evening we tried to think of everything. We found a bartender (thank you Ashley) who was the perfect touch! He made amazing holiday drinks and really added to the overall vibe of party. If you can find a local bartender for your party I really recommend it. They ease your stress of making drinks and pouring wine during dinner and really set the tone for the party! Since we wanted our guest to feel taken care of we had him pass out dessert drinks in small shooter glasses the guest could sip on while opening their White Elephant gifts. And to end the night with no hangovers we handed out bottled water with Aspergic (a swiss remedy) attached to the top. These small details really let your guest know you were thinking about them. Putting them first when you are planning your event is so important for the flow, atmosphere, and overall success of the party. It is all about the little details!! Lesson numero uno!

While I still think I have a lot of lessons to learn from my mom (and mother-in-law who also throws the best of the best parties) I consider the evening a success! We all had a lot of laughs and memories were made! Until next time…