People are always amazed on how I can pull together a “fabulous” impromptu Ramona Singer gathering for 30 people. Honestly, as resourceful as I am, I could never achieve this successfully without the help of my good friends.
This past Saturday, I held a gathering at my home. I invited 22 guests, which is easy for me to handle. But, to my surprise, I had a whopping 32 attendees. That was a bit more difficult. LOL.
Listed below are a few slick tricks, which helped me pull off my impromptu soiree successfully:
Ambiance & Decor
Candles
Always scatter white candles in a votive throughout the entertaining space. Candles are so important as they set the mood and create an ethereal and elegant ambiance. I buy my candles at Pier 1. However, you can find candles anywhere…CVS, the Dollar store, etc.
Flowers
Nothing is more beautiful than fresh cut flowers displayed effortlessly throughout the space. To keep cost down, I purchase my flowers from the local deli, as flower shops tend to be a bit pricey.
Menu
I always provide the main course, cocktails and a buffet layout. And, to make your guests feel important and part of the planning/ party process, ask some of the guests to bring one of their favorite appetizers or desserts. This will assist the “Hostess with the Mostess” with maintaining a reasonable budget and keeping time spent to a minimum. Not to mention, you will have an eclectic array of foods on display.
I used to make all my party meals from scratch. But, I discovered that buying from your local restaurants not only saves you time. But, relieves you from stress. I typically buy a tray of chicken in a sauce of artichokes and capers from the local Italian restaurant. I ask them to slice the chicken breast in half. This feeds more guests and saves you money! I then transfer the chicken into a large heated stainless steel chafing tray and voila.
Although I buy the chicken at the Italian Restaurant, I do prepare on my own fresh pasta with pesto sauce, grilled asparagus and a big tossed salad. These types of dishes are a huge stress reliever and time saver as they can be prepared ahead of time and served at room temperature.
Lastly, we cannot forget the libations! With 32 guests, instead of making each drink individually, I brought in an extra long table, covered it with a crisp white table linen and created a “self serve” bar that included an ice bucket, mixers, spirits and my favorite, Ramona Pinot Grigio.
Enjoy these photos!
Ramona
