Dinner party etiquette from the 15-Minute Party Planner

Gearing up for a fancy dinner party?  Make it easy on yourself by paying attention to these few simple rules of etiquette.

For starters, setting the table according to the diagram below.  (Just click the image to see the full-size diagram.)  Then, remember to "work your way in" with the utensils.  Start with the outermost forks and spoons for the first courses and work your way in to the utensils closest to your dinner plate as the meal progresses.

Need an easy way to remember which bread plate and drinking glass goes with which place setting?  Just stick your index fingers up while making circles with your other fingers (see right).  Your left hand—which looks like a "b"—matches up with the bread plate; bread plates are kept to the left of the dinner plate.  Your right hand—which looks like a "d"—should remind you that your drinking glass is kept to the right of your dinner plate.

Make your guests feel comfortable.  This is obvious, of course, but how do you do it?  By anticipating guests' needs.  In addition to the date, time, and location of your party, make note of the dress code so that guests know the expectations up front.  And while you don't have to create individual dishes for each guest,consider asking if anyone has any dietary restrictions or allergies; then, make sure you serve something everyone can eat.


You may also enjoy...

• A-tisket a-tasket: a well-planned bathroom basket
• A guide to choosing seating for special events
• 5 easy DIY place card ideas

Centerpieces in 60 seconds

Centerpieces are probably the easiest part of party planning, since you can make them as simple or as lavish as you'd like. We here at the 15-Minute Party Planner are, of course, fans of simplicity. Here are a dozen centerpieces you can create in just a minute.

Candles
Head to your local dollar store or simply root through your cupboards to find some candles. Then, try one of these simple centerpiece ideas.

• Three is a magic number; anything in a set of three is easily arranged and easy to make look good. Set three identical pillar candles on a tray or piece of wood for a simple centerpiece. You can decorate the tray (if you wish) with items that coordinate with your theme, such as polished rocks, seashells, buttons... even walnuts (in their shells) or fresh cranberries.
  
  
• Arrange a dozen or so candles of varying heights (in a single color scheme) on a round platter or tray for a cozy centerpiece.
  
  
• Set tea lights afloat in a glass bowl for a shimmery centerpiece. (Be sure to use tea lights that are meant for water; regular tea lights won't work.)
  

Flowers
Whether you're using fresh flowers or good-quality faux flowers, decorating with blooms brightens up any table.

• One simple standby? A dozen or more flowers artfully arranged in a beautiful vase. (If you don't feel like you can arrange them yourself, simply order a bouquet from a local florist — problem solved!)
  
  
• Mimic the floating tea light centerpiece (above) with the heads of flowers floating in shallow bowls and vessels. Wide, sturdy flowers work best in this case.
  
  
• Buy large-blossom, long-stem flowers (like gerbera daisies) and set a single stem in each of several long-necked vases; then, place the vases in a line down the center of your table.
  

Food
Mother nature is a whiz in the color department; fruit and vegetables showcase vibrant colors to make a table pop.

• Fill a large glass bowl with bright citrus fruits (lemons, limes, or oranges) or colorful peppers (the shinier the better).
  
  
• Candy adds a beautiful pop of color to any table. Use jellybeans in place of pebbles on a tray of candles or fill glass containers with bright gumballs, candy sticks, or gumdrops for a sweet dash of color.
  
  
• Make dessert do double-duty. Arrange cupcakes, pastries, or other treats on a multi-tiered dessert stand for a centerpiece good enough to eat.
  

How to spice up a boxed cake mix for a quick and easy dessert

The 15-minute party planners among us like to prep for parties without breaking a sweat. To make a simple boxed cake mix a little fancier, try these easy suggestions:

• Add a box of dry instant pudding mix to your cake batter. Try adding pistachio pudding mix to chocolate cake batter or instant lemon pudding to a white cake mix.
• Chop up candy bars or add chocolate chips for a more interesting cake.
• Blend fresh fruit like strawberries or applesauce into your cake batter in place of one of the liquid elements.
  
• Squeeze caramel or chocolate ice cream syrup into batter or frosting for an interesting twist.
  
• When pouring chocolate cake batter into a pan, use half the batter to cover the bottom of the pan, then add a layer of Peppermint Patties or Andes Mints. Cover the mints with the remaining cake batter.
• Add a dollop of peanut butter to a chocolate or vanilla cake mix for a nutty taste.
• Consider baking two small cakes. When you're ready to frost the cakes, spread a layer of jam or marmalade on top of the first cake, put the second cake on top and then frost both cakes as one.
  
• Top a frosted cake with sprinkles, chopped nuts, or M&Ms for easy decorating.
• Dust frosting with cocoa powder or confectioners sugar.
• Top a frosted cake with sliced fruit for a fresher take on boxed cake.
  
• Cupcakes are instantly-cute desserts and don't require much more time than making one large cake. Buy cute liners and add from-a-box cake batter to make instantly-adorable desserts.

How to make overnight guests feel welcome

If you're hosting overnight guests this holiday season, there are a few simple touches that go a long way in making guests feel welcome. You don't need a fancy guest room to be a good hostess; you just need to make sure that your guests feel comfortable and taken care of.

Sleeping arrangements
Whether your guests are sleeping in the guest room, on an airbed, or on the sofa make them feel comfortable with easy access to the basic necessities:

• Leave your guests a nightstand or other surface on which to gather their jewelry, books, etc. (If guests are sleeping on a mattress or airbed on the floor, consider leaving a large tray next to the bed, instead of a table.)
  
  
• Make sure guests have easy-access to an outlet so that they can charge cell phones and other electronic devices without hunting for a plug.
  
  
• Ideally, guests should be able to turn off the lights without getting out of bed. If your guests are staying in the living room or other shared space, be sure to provide them with lighting that is close by, and consider using nightlights in the hallways and bathrooms so that guests don't stumble in the dark.
  
  
• Tell guests where they can find extra blankets and pillows, and keep the extras nearby.
  
  
• Providing an alarm clock is also nice for guests. A combination radio or iPod alarm clock also gives guests the ability to listen to music during their stay.
  

The bathroom
Organizing supplies before your guests arrive will ensure that everyone has the towels and toiletries they need.

• Leaving a set of towels and washcloths on a guest's bed gives them the freedom to bathe in the morning or evening without having to ask for linens.
  
  
• Consider creating a bathroom basket with travel-sized toiletries and items guests may have forgotten, such as toothbrushes, combs, and hairspray. You may also want to create a small basket for the guest room with things like cough drops, earplugs, an inexpensive eye mask, and other things that will help your guests feel at home.
  
  
• All homes have quirks. If the knobs in your shower are backwards or you have to jiggle the toilet handle for a proper flush, be sure to warn your guests in advance to prevent embarrassing situations. It's also helpful to point out where to find extra toilet paper or a plunger, should anyone need them.

Living spaces
Providing a comfortable place for visitors to read, watch television, or hang out is a necessity, as is showing guests where they can find food or drinks when they need them.

• Leave a basket in a common area with games, magazines, and other forms of entertainment and encourage your guests to help themselves.
  
  
• Orient guests to the kitchen and show them where to find snacks, water, coffee, dishes, etc. (This is especially important if your guests are early risers and you like to sleep in!)
  
  
• Provide guests with a channel guide for the television, instructions to work the remote controls, and maps or local guidebooks if your guests will be doing any exploring without you.

In addition, it's nice to have a space set aside for your guests' belongings while they visit. If you're lucky enough to have a guest room, you're all set, but even if guests will be sleeping in the living room, try to make sure that they have access to some privacy and a place for their things. Consider cornering off a section of living space with a small privacy screen and a luggage rack for guests, or clearing out a closet for guests belongings. A little effort goes a long way!

A-tisket a-tasket: a well-planned bathroom basket

Whether you're hosting a party at home or in a banquet hall, try to anticipate the needs of your guests. Visitors may find themselves in need of supplies like band-aids, breath mints, and tissues, but might not have them on hand. You'll prove to be something of a clairvoyant hostess if you arrange to have the necessary items waiting in bathroom baskets.

Bathroom baskets provide your guests with thoughtful necessities. You'll find many of the necessary supplies at home and can pick up the rest at a dollar store. Simply find baskets large enough to hold your supplies (but not large enough to be in the way), and fill with them with incidentals your guests would appreciate. If you're hosting a party at home, one basket should do it; if you're out at a banquet hall, however, consider putting a basket in each bathroom and customizing baskets for the men's and women's rooms.

Recommended supplies for bathroom baskets include:

• Antacid (such as Rolaids or Tums)
  
• Band-aids
• Breath mints
• Combs (you can get a dozen plastic combs for $1 at the Dollar Tree)
  
• Cough drops
• Dental floss
  
• Earring backs (especially helpful at formal parties)
• Eyeglasses repair kit
  
• Hairspray (and extra bobby pins or hair elastics)
• Lint brushes
• Lotion
  
• Nail files (and clear nail polish for stocking runs)
• Pain relievers (try to have a variety of options, so that people who can't take one kind of pain reliever can have other choices)
• Q-tips
  
• Sewing kit (or at the very least, safety pins)
• Spray deodorant
  
• Stain remover (such as Shout Wipes or Tide to Go Sticks)
• Static cling spray (or dryer sheets!)
• Tampons or pads
• Tissues
• Toothpicks

Feel free to customize your bathroom baskets based on the needs of your guests and type of event by leaving some items out and adding in others. Depending on the venue, you may want to add bug spray, for instance, or hand sanitizer. You could even throw in a few AA batteries for those whose cameras have died.

Can you get everything together in about 15 minutes? Chances are yes. Raid your closets for travel-size lotions, tissues, and hairspray. Check out the pantry for gum, breath mints, or toothpicks, and find dryer sheets and static cling spray in your laundry room. You can track down the other necessary items by hitting the travel and toiletry aisles at a local dollar store; by limiting yourself to two aisles, you're likely to get in and out of the store in mere minutes.