How to throw a dinner party

à la Claudeata

Oh what a night we had on Saturday. I celebrated my 23rd birthday by hosting a dinner party in my parents’ backyard. And it was so much fun! Planning this party became like a hobby of mine for three weeks, so now I either need to plan the next one or find a new activity to occupy my free time.

Claudeata’s foolproof party planning

Step 1: Pick a theme.

This was easy for me — birthday. I knew I wanted to have pasta, so I built the menu and atmosphere around my idea of a perfect backyard Italian restaurant. The invite was brightly colored, I set crayons out so guests could doodle on the table coverings, and we made centerpieces out of flowers and candles.

Step 2: Invite your friends!

All I wanted for my birthday was to eat and spend time with the people who mean the most to me, so I invited everyone who was going to be in the area in late August. I used Paperless Post to keep track of the guest count and also asked them to message me any allergies or dietary restrictions — no one goes unfed!

Step 3: Start prepping.

Menus, schedules, decor, playlist, seating — get all of your ducks in a row.

Step 4: Assemble a team.

Depending on the size of your party, you’re going to need an extra pair (or three) of hands. My parents graciously stepped in to figure out grocery shopping and furniture needs a few weeks out, but on the day of my party, my boyfriend, best friend, and sister were in the kitchen with me.

Step 5: Enjoy your company!

Your team has your back — especially if you yourself are the guest of honor. Step out of the kitchen for a few minutes and greet your guests. No matter the size of your soirée, the bulk of the cooking should be finished by the time the first guests arrive. Communicate your needs with your team back in the kitchen, and if you don’t have one, recruit a guest to toss the salad or slice bread.

The details of my backyard bday party

I designed a menu on Canva and had my friends sign a copy to keep as a souvenir of the night.

The sips table was stacked with one of my favorite cocktails — anything with gin, really, but gin & lavender lemonade was the perfect refresher on a hot summer night — and drinks that were in line with the evening’s theme — wine and aperol spritzes.

I made a playlist based off of the ones I like to listen to when I’m cooking.

Covered the tables in butcher paper so people could draw or play hangman with their seat mates. Unfortunately I didn’t take a picture of the final result.

I can’t think of something I love more than food, so to be able to share that with such a big group of my favorite people is a memory I’ll cherish forever. And this was just the first! Coming up with a concept for the evening and testing recipes on my family in the weeks leading up to the big night was fulfilling. The idea of turning your home into a little restaurant for the night might cause some people a headache, but to me it’s the perfect way to spend an evening.

Thank you to my team of helpers — Matt, Bridget, Maura, my parents — and to everyone who celebrated with me! Means more than you’ll ever know!