Entertaining guests at home with Etsy 

We moved into our new family home just under a year ago so we have pretty much had contractors in for the majority of the year but we are almost there (just the bathrooms and Pantry room to do- but currently waiting for marble samples!). So it was nice to be able to cook for all my family this year! I always remember a quote from Living in Style by Rachel Zoe where she explains that when it comes to entertaining guests “a table is a runway!”. She’s absolutely right, since then I like to ensure that when we entertain guests it’s a table they won’t forget!

Dane and I love to host parties and have made it an annual family tradition to always host New Years Eve at ours for a festive get together! The key to a great party is to ensure a balance of come-and-go attitude with glamorous details!

If you caught my instastories over Christmas you would have seen the table setting I created and I received over 50 emails asking to do an interior blog post on my table setting and any tips I could give to hosting a delightful evening at home- so here it is!

The Invitations & Menu

No matter who we have coming round I always like to hand out invitations! Over the years I have found the best invitations on Etsy and always stick to a theme so that people know when they see the invite, straight away know it’s me. I always stick to a blush watercolour theme, gold writing in Australian calligraphy. I have selected below the guys we always use to make our invitations. I also always like to provide a menu when we host parties and here is the one we used for Christmas, which everyone seemed to really like.

The serve-ware

All my serve-ware are white (here)as it always looks chic and completely lightens the room. You can mix and match your serving dishes (for example black and white) it doesn’t have to always match but just needs to work together! I bought the perfect place-mats by Christiane Lemieux in gold metal brass (here), bringing a 70’s vibe to my table! I always use my Ralph Lauren (here) linen napkins for my guests. They are a gorgeous white geometric print and look fantastic on any table (you can grab them in the sale now!).

The music

I always like to play a dining playlist with a mix of old and new songs. During dinner I like to listen to Moby, Coldplay, Kings of Leon (You get my drift!).

The Lighting

I adore candles on a table, they set the mood for the evening with guests. A budget friendly way to ensure your table looks great is to line your table with tea light candles around a flower arrangement as your centrepiece!

The Flowers

If you know me you know how much I love white flowers in the house, either hydrangeas, peonies or roses (being my favourite)! Naturally all my centre pieces for the table are white flowers, they open the room and ensure an elegant table set for your guests! My first and important  rule to entertaining guests are the flowers!

The attire 

As the hostess I will always gravitate towards wearing black. I will be hands on,  cooking, entertaining, chasing kids and black (thankfully!) always hides any unwanted marks! And of course at Christmas like this year, it has to have a sequin or two!

What are your tips for entertaining your guests?