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Guests
Sometimes a bit of formality is necessary. A formal style of entertaining requires more planning, especially regarding the guests. The most important aspect to a party should be the people. Letty Cottin Pogrebin (co-founder of Ms Mag.—party thrower extraordinaire) suggests planning a party around one key guest. By starting with them she means giving them a few dates to choose from and then inviting people who would interact well with them. The people you invite would be those whose personalities your key guest would enjoy or who might be of professional help to him or her.
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 Fill the remaining seats with family and friends you like to spend time with. Family celebrations can also be an opportunity for designating a special guest. My friend Jan has four sons. Now that they are all teenagers and older, their preferences for celebrating special events has changed. When it comes to birthdays, they prefer small family-only dinners. They want mom to cook their favorite meal and serve it in the dining room to make it special. It has become a time of intimacy and bonding for them. In our busy, grab-what-you-can-for-dinner lifestyle, a home-cooked meal with family is truly special.
Another friend, Judy, loves to entertain. She can always find a reason for a celebration. She never ceases to amaze me at what she can do with a few balloons, crepe paper, and banners. She uses her artistic style to create unique decorations that fill the room with fun! And she always uses the dining room. For her the dining room is synonymous with celebration. Her home is casual, yet with a quirky elegance that is reflected in her entertaining style.
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