Top tips on hosting a successful dinner party

Planning a dinner party can be a liberating and exciting social activity, and by keeping a clear focus every step of the way, hosts can avoid feeling stressed and be able to relax and enjoy themselves in great company when the evening arrives.

Although the term 'dinner party' has associations of style and sophistication, that doesn't mean it has to be an expensive undertaking. A useful first step is deciding who exactly you want to invite, which should give you a fair indication of how the evening should be themed - whether you're entertaining your boss and fellow employees, or long-time friends for a relaxed evening of food, drink and favourite films. This even extends to setting a dress code, whether you think formal wear is appropriate for the occasion.

Although you might feel like inviting everyone you know, or even be worried about excluding close friends, it's a good idea to keep visitor numbers relatively low, usually around six to eight diners. Not only will this mean everyone in attendance has a chance to speak and get to know each other across the dinner table, but there's also the practical issue of making sure you have enough plates and cutlery to cater for everyone.

When it comes to choosing your dinner sets, it helps to have matching sets, or at least plates and bowls of the same colour for everyone to avoid your table looking a mess. Dragging out your best family china isn't always the best idea, especially if you fear it being damaged at what is supposed to be a relaxed event, and investing in appropriate wine glasses can be considered a must if all you have in your cupboard is novelty glasses and mugs with broken handles.

With all the planning over preparation of the table, it's vital not to forget about the food itself until it's too late. If you're stuck for recipes, you can always check the internet, TV cookery shows or trusted cookery books, and your local wine seller can even advise you on which food and drink combinations work best together. Buy your ingredients ahead of time if possible, to help you get an early start on food preparation, meaning you have more free time on the big day, and be sure to keep meat and vegetables separate if you're storing them for a period of time.

Don't forget, if everything goes according to plan but no one turns up to the event, it might mean you were so caught up in preparation that you forgot to send out the invitations. Whether you feel a hand-delivered letter or Facebook invite is best suited to your dinner party, your winning event is sure to be the talk of the town.