Entertaining is one of my favorite things. My husband and I decided early in our marriage that we wanted to open our home to family and friends regularly. Over the last nearly 20 years, we have hosted countless birthday parties, baby showers, wedding showers, dinner parties, and small dinners for the people we love.
Our goal is not to impress, but to make people feel welcome in our home and encourage deeper conversations and a sense of community. I love this part of our lives, and as you can imagine, we’ve built up a supply of entertaining essentials that make it easy to host a gathering—even on short notice.
With spring on the horizon, you may be planning to host a party or have friends over for a simple meal. Here are 10 entertaining essentials you might want to have on hand.
ONE: Serving trays. White serving trays never go out of style. I love this classic set of three and use them to display appetizers, charcuterie boards, and desserts.
TWO: Table cloths. Block printed table cloths are beautiful and hide stains. Sometimes, I fold them to make impromptu table runners.
I also have a pink one similar to this and love these other colors and patterns. They would be perfect for your Easter table.
THREE: Beverage tubs. Someone gave us a beverage tub as a wedding gift, but we traded it for this double-walled version a few years ago. It’s so good because it keeps drinks cool, but doesn’t sweat.
FOUR: Cake stands. In addition to their intended use, I love using cake stands to vary the height of foods on a buffet table or island. This set of three is available in several colors.
FIVE: Simple glassware. We’ve had these glasses for years in both the small and large sizes. They’re restaurant quality, hold up well, and this classic style never gets old.
SIX: Pretty napkins. I’ve collected several sets of cloth napkins over the years, but I also love the ease and variety of paper napkins—especially when we’re hosting a large group. These linen-like dinner napkins feel like cloth and are available in multiple colors.
I also like to keep pretty cocktail napkins on hand, as well as disposable guest towels which I keep in our powder bath in a simple acrylic holder.
SEVEN: Wine coasters. These simple wine coasters are pretty and save your tables, tablecloths, and countertops from stains.
EIGHT: Candles and candleholders. I love a dinner table scattered with unscented white votives and tapers in simple holders.
NINE: Delicious scents. A few years ago, I discovered Pura diffusers. They’re basically electric candles that you control through an app. You can put them on schedules and choose the scent intensity.
I’ve got several in my home and change the scents seasonally. Pura has so many to choose from, including popular brands like Capri Blue, LAFCO New York, Nest, and Studio McGee.
Right now, I’m running my longtime favorite CB Volcano, but will soon switch to Nest Bamboo and Sicilian Tangerine (linked above).
TEN: Vases. It’s no secret that I love fresh flowers. I keep them on my kitchen island every day, and I enjoy making flower arrangements for parties. I’ve collected too many vases over the years, but I’m really loving this long acrylic vase my sister gave me for my birthday.
It makes arranging flowers so easy, and I’ve ordered a second one so I can run a full four feet of flowers on my island.
BONUS: I wish I had this book when I started entertaining decades ago. It’s a guestbook where you can record your memories and guests for each party/dinner you host. I ordered this several months ago for our supper club kickoff dinner and had everyone sign it before they left. Wouldn’t it be such a treasure to have your memories recorded this way?
In May, we are hosting a new event for the first time—a graduation party for our oldest daughter. We cannot wait to celebrate her with our families. She’s the oldest grandchild on both sides, so everyone gets to experience these “firsts” with us. What a special time!
I recently re-opened my Amazon storefront where you can shop many of these products (and several more!) in my Entertaining Essentials list.
SHOP THE POST VIA LTK
