How to Host a NYE Dinner Party | The Everyday Hostess

As featured in IBB At Home Winter 2016 Edition

Just because you’re done with turkey dinners and gift wrapping, the holiday season isn’t over! The fanciest of them all is circled on my calendar for December 31st! New Year’s Eve is often one of the most lavish nights of the year filled with glamorous parties, glitzy dresses, and festive dinners. Revelers have high expectations for the evening, so I’ve put together these tips and tricks to help ensure your NYE dinner party goes off with a bang!

1. Guest List and Invitations – A well-designed invitation gives your guests a glimpse of just how glamorous your NYE party will be. It’s the first chance to sweep them off their feet, so make sure your invitations help portray the elegance and experience you want to create.

2. Location – New Year’s Eve calls for opulence and grandeur. The best way to set your NYE party apart is through a swanky location. I love the idea of a rooftop dinner party with a show-stopping skyline view to really wow your guests, but if that’s not in the cards for you, think of these non-negotiables: extra space for mingling, a TV screen for the NYE broadcast, and a visible clock for the countdown!

3. Decor – Decorations set the ambience and formality for the entire evening, and it’s impossible to go over the top on New Year’s Eve. It’s a night that calls for all things glittered, sparkly and metallic. The most popular color palettes seen in NYE decor is black, gold, silver and white. If you want to go somewhere in between, I love champagne and pewter tones, or if you want a pop of color, emerald is the perfect hue to pull in!

4. Menu – By the time NYE rolls around, many of us have already been cooking and hosting so many holiday dinners, that it’s nice to keep the menu simple! For this reason, I love serving a variety of cheese, meat, and chocolate fondues. It’s a great, interactive way to involve your guests and minimize the prep work on your end, plus it also provides hours of entertainment for your guests! If you want to add an extra special touch, create personal menus for each guest that correlates with the invitation you sent out!

5. Champagne Bar – NYE is not complete without some bubbly, so be sure to stock up on extra champagne for your soirée! Design a “Pop Fizz Clink” bar to display a signature cocktail as well as a selection of champagnes for your guests!

6. Countdown Plan – The countdown to midnight is often what guests look forward to the most! What is better than ringing in the new year with your special someone and enjoying a midnight kiss? Create something memorable for the moment and make sure to announce the countdown with a microphone. Pass out party hats, horns, confetti, sparklers, or even arrange or a big balloon drop!

Finally, relax and celebrate with your guests! This is your last big gathering of 2016. Grab yourself a glass of champagne, enjoy that extra strawberry dipped in chocolate fondue, and reminisce about all that 2016 had to offer.

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