I hope you enjoyed today's video! Visit Cameron at The Busy Gardener here ➡️ ua-cam.com/users/TheBusyGardener and tell him Ben and Jennifer said hello :) I would love to know your tips for hosting dinner parties. How do you handle it when you're in a busy stage of life? Let us know and your comment could be chosen as comment of the week on the blog. Thank you for watching! Love, Jennifer
I really love the concept of bringing back hosting. It seems as if the world had forgotten how to give. Anyhow, I love TJs for fresh-cut flowers. So affordable and they last a really long time.
You are so right about saying that the whole point of having a "gathering" is to gather together. It doesn't mean that you have to spend days cooking and stressing. It's about being together, sitting around a table, sharing conversation and a laugh. What a lovely reminder to not miss out on these special moments with friends and family because of a misguided idea of what a dinner party is "supposed " to look like.
I prefer to eat in someone's home than a restaurant as you can linger at the table without feeling rushed and I have trouble hearing conversation when background noise is high (like in cafes, restaurants, food courts, etc). Great idea to get takeaway food and make it posh 😉
I’ve worked for a florist for many years and your arrangements look lovely. I would suggest you strip all the foliage that’s beneath the water line. It helps the water from becoming murky and your flowers will last longer! My most favorite part of hosting a dinner party is setting the table! I so enjoy your videos.
This past weekend my adult son's girlfriend's family from a different state came to town to meet our family. I copied a country club breakfast buffet, and it was delicious and economical. We gathered at my adult daughter's home which is larger than my downsized home, but I provided all the food and did the prep. I decided to do a waffle bar which was delicious and easy. 27 children and adults came. I borrowed 2 waffle irons, bought all the ingredients at Walmart supermarket, and so it was low cost, but delicious and bountiful. I made 3 packages of bacon, waffles, bowls of toppings like chocolate chips, strawberries, walnuts, butter, syrup, and cans of whipped topping. We had coffee, OJ, Mimosas, Bloody Marys, and water. I brought napkins, and my daughter had plastic cups and forks. Neither of us remembered to buy paper plates, so we used her fine china! It was relaxed, and informal and yet formal with lovely decor and china. A couple of waffles burned and i overcooked some of the bacon, and I think that helped relax all the guests to just laugh and enjoy!
Jennifer, I love to entertain the no fuss way. You are absolutely correct that it is not so much about the fuss but about the gathering with friends and family. We have a monthly dinner party with three other couples and rotate the home every month. The hostess develops the menu and makes or buys the entree. The others make or provide the appetizer, salad, and dessert and everyone brings their favorite wine or beverage. These are friends that were originally neighbors when we were raising our children 40 years ago! We are all retired now and still have much in common. Love to know that you are encouraging connection with friends for future generations even in a busy world!
Lunch/Dinner parties are such part of French tradition and culture. My Mum could cook for up to 16 or 20 people when hosting family reunions, many times a year. The little children had their own table nearby, everything was so delicious and well presented, the tables were beautifully decorated with Limoges china, crystal glasses and sterling silver cutlery, flower compositions from the garden, gorgeous table linen. My Dad participated a lot, and so did we. She continued doing this until her late eighties when she was a great-grand-mother, and of course everybody would help and we were so happy! My parents did not just make wonderful dinner parties but also countless happy memories for five generations. And taught us the art of hosting and making everyone feel so welcome! I miss them so much and this video brought back so many wonderful memories, especially with the blue and white china very similar to the one which we used daily, and my daughter now has and loves using.
My husband and I hosted a friendsgiving dinner for neighborhood friends and their children over the weekend. It was wonderful to throw an actual sit-down dinner party again.
Fantastic video. I love watching people sit around a festive table, eating, drinking, and visiting. Having people over is my favorite way of spending an evening.
Good morning Jennifer, it’s true the most important thing is to be together, I always used to worry about the food, the drinks, will the guests like it, it was very stressful, I’m starting to just be more relaxed about it, thank you for sharing.
Hi from England. I love dinner parties, the whole day, getting the house ready, preparing the food and setting the table and best of all being with friends. I missed these so much during Covid lockdowns but we are almost back to normal. Thanks for doing these videos.
Simple and elegant -- what a wonderful way to gather! I also loved seeing your editor -- he's doing a great job -- and another potential UA-cam channel to watch.
Thank you Sharon! That is so nice of you to say, I truly appreciate the complement! I'm trying my best, I'm grateful for all the positive feedback I've received since joining :)
Dinner Parties became our live saver during the pandemic. We were lucky here in the Netherlands we were still allowed (a very limited number of) people in the house and we made the very best of it... during the curfew times we started earlier in the afternoon and everyone was home and in bed by 9 :-) Planning of course is key.... and keep it simple. The main goal is to enjoy your time together. It's amazing how different conversations are with people in your home rather than in a restaurant... One of the best nights we had was a traditional Dutch Sinterklaas (= the Dutch equivalent to Santa Claus, it takes place on 5th December) Party (note that the hosts were a German and a Scot with 4 Dutch people as guests... so no pressure to us) - we did 'Gourmet' (also known as Raclette Party) - which is a great idea as basically your guests cook their own dinner... (also great fun for kids) and played the traditional Sinterklaas Dice game (a version of secret santa) - this will definetely be repeated this year
Thank you Jennifer! Another inspiring video. I love hosting dinner parties, especially murder mystery ones.... last Christmas we had a Dickens Christmas murder mystery party. It was so much fun!
My question is, does everyone go thru a buffet line, or do you serve them at the table? Do you use name cards or tell folks where to sit? Or it’s a free for all? The details are what keeps me from entertaining. Do you get up and refresh beverages or allow/encourage guests to get their own?
For a smaller dinner like this we just let people sit where they like. I refreshed the water and wine and Ben did the after dinner tea. Yes, they went to the buffet line in the butler's pantry. It's easier that way.
Agree with Jennifer, we find as a guest and host it always feels more comfortable with it being casual. Choose your own seat, bot being fussed over offered drinks etc all the time. Just making sure these things are on the table or in ice near by for guests to help themselves. Same with food, have it set out as a buffet or all out on the table and everyone helps themselves. The simpler the better.
The replies are hidden from my view. I feel similar to you. Maybe Jennifer can do another video on the details such also where to source food from. Do we use a restaurant? Do they come in and set up the food? What about music?
Outsourcing the food seems like a great idea when starting out with dinner parties. I’m always so intimidated I’ll make something someone won’t like, is allergic to, etc. Thanks for the inspiration!
Dear Jennifer.. What a spectacular video of your dinner party. What I loved was the simplicity and beauty of it. I love to host and bake but it does wear me out. Your meal and table were beautiful! Thank you 🎁 nancy
I LOVED this video And enjoyed it with my tea this morning. I literally laughed out loud when you mentioned one of my favorite fictional characters Hyacinth. I always think of her candlelight suppers when I’m entertaining lol
What a joy to watch your preparations for a beautiful dinner party. I am glad you introduced us to the gardener (will go to his channel next!) and Evan! I have noticed how your editing is seamless. Good job, Evan👌🏻
This was an absolute delight to witness, Jennifer. The setting was lovely, the food looked succulent (where did you buy it?), and the guests looked as if they were having a joyful experience. It was fun to meet your editor. My favorite part of having guests for a meal is setting a pretty table. A friend, who loves to cook, and I who love to set a pretty table joined together to host a crowd for another friend's birthday. I was able to hand paint the place cards and decorate the tables while my friend prepared the food and brought it to my house. It was a win, win! Thank you for sharing this event with us.
Thank you for your content. I didn't grow in this kind of sweet and lovely manner. So thanks for bringing it into my life. I now k ow it's not just in the movies. So, thanks again.🙋♀️
Beautiful 😍 Do you have any videos about hosting guests overnight or for an extended (week long) stay? I'd love your tips on how to be a wonderful host in this situation
I would love to see that too from her and many others UA-camrs. I have never watched someone addressing this subject. I’m from Brazil. I live in New Jersey 🇺🇸 and when I host most of the time people will stay for at least 5 days. Frequently, I’m hosting for 40 days to 2-3 months and my routine is always adjusting which is challenging.
I loved the video. Your dinner party looked delightful. My mom hosted a lot of dinner parties when I was a girl at home and continues to do so even though she’s 65. I learned a lot from her. I set the table early and make as much food ahead of time as possible. While I want everything to be perfect, I’ve learned that what my guests will remember most is the love they feel and how hospitable I am.
Sometimes we order in and use the fine china and all the accessories. My hubby is from Europe and a dinner party lasts several hours. I love to create a beautiful table.
Good Morning Jennifer. Inspiring and lovely video. It looks like you all had a laughter filled evening with your guests. I hold dinner parties all the time and also love setting the dining table!!
Hyacinth Bucket (sorry, it's Bouquet!) and her candlelight suppers! Hahaha! I'm sure everyone was looking forward to YOUR dinner party with the utmost GENUINE anticipation. :)
Cameron is the real deal! Check out his channel for the best tips and guides for all things related to orchards and gardens :) Thanks for the complement as well!
I also love planning a dinner party. Planning the food, laying the table and then just enjoying the evening with friends. I haven't hosted one for quite a while now, maybe it's time I did again. Hyacinth Bucket....😂 I love watching that show, always so entertaining. I often wonder what her candle light suppers were actually like, as although they were often talked about I don't recall ever actually seeing one in the show.
Dear Jennifer, I love the way you set up the whole dinnerparty. I am now confident I will have a lovely dinner party too! We will be gathering friends for our first fall dinner, even thought ,if we live in a very hot climate all year around. Thank you & Cheers! *(loving your channel,your way of doing things, it reminds me of my way, I subscribed)
Wonderful video!!! Thanks for the inspiration to have a nice fun dinner party. Also, it’s nice to know that I’m not alone with outsourcing my editing 😁 at least for a little while in my case 🥲
I was so happy to hear your reference to Hyacinth's candlelight suppers! Really fun! I love the permission to order the food too. The 2 guests you introduced are lovely, and yes, the editing is great!!
Setting the table is my greatest delight too! Candles and fresh, seasonal flowers are a must along with a curated list of classic jazz/ambient music. I never thought of out- sourcing the food though - that is a GREAT idea! I just threw a small dinner party and I prepared a dish I've cooked many times (poulet chasseur) but it was such a higher stress level cooking it for five extra people. Great tips!
What a pleasure it was to glimpse your elegant evening. It looks like it was absolutely delightful. :) Thank you for sharing with us - it IS motivating me to consider planning a dinner party. Also, your chafing dishes are beautiful!
We grandparents are hosting Thanksgiving again as always. Eleven adults, 5 children. They live in the area, so we do the 16 often. Everyone brings something. We are 72 and not sure how long we can do this, but we love it.
Our church (about 150 people) has Fellowship Dinners. Six adults and how ever many children are attached. We meet once a month for two months. I have hosted several times. Perhaps it is a little more intimidating hosting strangers, but it doesn’t take long around a pretty table with delicious food for friendships to form. The second month people are more comfortable and the conversations go deeper. Then the next month new groups are formed. We are getting to know people in our new church in this way. So dinner parties are alive and well in northern Wisconsin. Thanks, dear Jennifer.
I love to host dinners and we serve buffet style most of the time. Unless there is 4-6 people total. In that case we pass the platters around the table. It doesn’t make me nervous because I enjoy everyone’s company so much. I love beautiful dishes and have a few different sets but that’s not what’s important. The fellowship, love and laughter is such a blessing.
A most charming video. However, I have some questions concerning children. Did they have a different menu? Children can be fussy eaters. Should one employ a babysitter/helper to assist the children? I’ve attended and given dinners with adult and children…not as all a calm time. Any tips? Thank you.
In Europe children eat what adults eat. If they don’t like something, there is usually something else they can choose. One night of not eating much won’t hurt them! 😊
Hi Jennifer! What a refreshing, inspiring and lovely video!! Your attitude is delightful as always, and it all looked so cozy and pretty!! I hope you have a wonderful week! Thank you for all of your hard work, it is so appreciated!! :)
I love to entertain! We don’t have a lot of money for fine dishwater (one day!!) so it’s always been very humble, but a few years ago I switched over our melamine plates for some pure white, Amazon basics stoneware dishes. Enough for 12 people! I felt like the greatest hostess ☺️ Now I am to the point where I have a tablecloth, a centerpiece, and candles. I also like dinner music. While we have not truly entertained since Covid, I do make dinner as formal as possible for our 4 small children, and I pick themed dinner music (Italian dinner music, South of the border if we are having Mexican, or my favorite, “Mozart by Candlelight”.) and a few nights ago we lit candles and dimmed the lights. Practicing with my family has grown my experience considerably so that we are comfortable with making dinner a formal, family-oriented affair. I have my eye on beautifying our dishes when it becomes possible, like the Blue Willow from the Vermont Country Store, or the beautiful “butterfly meadows” dish set from Lennox. 🥰 You have inspired me so much, Jennifer! I grew up in a household where beautiful things were not appreciated, or treated as frivolous. But it brings me so much joy to surround myself with beauty. Plain white dishes are so stark. But when my husband’s parents come over for dinner, they always seem amazed that I serve dinner on real plates for them, and not just paper plates! 😅
"Can't find the candle snuffer" made me chuckle. That would be me, if I owned a candle snuffer. Had a wonderful dinner party with family last night for my daughter's birthday...it really is the best to have everyone around one table, glasses of wine, candles lit, and fresh flowers. And it isn't a dinner party without dessert!
Everything looked so beautiful Jennifer! Catering the meal gives you much more time with guests without having to stress. Loved your laugh at the end, you seem so lighthearted, thats something I need to work on. Thanks for the beautiful video ❤
Jennifer, thank you for inspiring me for the dinner party I will be hosting soon. It is wonderful to have people in your home and to connect with them. Thank you for making homemaking so beautiful and elegant.
What a fantastic idea for the menu! We love Mediterranean food, but I had never considered it for a dinner party. Flavorful, unique, and easy. Thank you for sharing!
Lovely video!!! The table, the flowers, everything was very nice and classy!!! Absolutely loved the chafing dishes!!!! Elegant, beautiful and super practical at the same time. Great idea!!!
Jennifer, you have inspired me to start entertaining more! We have this wonderful group of neighbor friends-five families including ours. While we often all get together informally, I’ve started to invite one of these families over for dinner every month to polish my dinner party hosting and get to spend more quality time with each of these families. It has been so lovely! Thanks (as always) for the inspiration. Also, those chafing dishes are so elegant! What nice items to have.
This is strange and beautiful to me. I’ve never been a homemaker, I don’t own beautiful dishes. I’m now retired… Maybe it’s time to throw a dinner party. Thank you for the inspiration.
A teenager could be employed to tend to the children. Video to watch (child approved and trending, after they are done eating) can keep all the kiddos busy while the adults enjoy their time together. Looks like you all enjoyed your beautiful dinner. 🌹
Oh how I wish the tradition of dinner parties would return. I try to throw them, but find people are uncomfortable using nice dinnerware instead of disposable, and by me doing all the cooking (which I prefer to keep things symbiotic) and want a potluck. One time, I even tried to do an "old-fashioned" seating arrangement where I dispersed guest where they were not sitting next to their spouse and had an absolute mutiny on my hands. Also, dinners are never reciprocated since people feel as though they cannot "live up to" my hosting style. I don't care what they serve or how they serve it. It is the company I enjoy, as well as a meal I don't have to prepare. I have already decided that, in the new year, I am going to resume the invitations as I enjoy playing hostess. It is a shame that people no longer know how to entertain, be a guest, or eat off "real" plates at a dining table.
Dinner parties can be fun! Keep doing them! However, I understand some people feeling like they want to help out by doing potluck style. If the host insists on making everything herself, I just bring flowers or wine as a gift instead. Your comment about seating made me laugh! Unless I was familiar with the entire group, sitting by someone besides my husband would make me feel uncomfortable too!
Always hate named places. Sometimes people cant relax when sitting beside people with whom they dont have common interests or backgrounds, happens at weddings in Ireland all the time.
Ild love to attend one of your parties! Im a sanguine though and love meeting people. I have the same issue with friends, trying to have a formal friends giving dinner and everyone shows up super casual....
Loved your white and yellow flowers,yes we don't have to meet to eat just having loved ones over is amazing. Mrs J I have similar plates which I bought on a sale in Malaysia (Minus the side plates) Your so feminine.... Loved your background music 🎶 too
Amazing. Did you clean up that same night or the next day.... Cleaning up is always hard for me after family gatherings(alot of kids running around). when it comes to pots and pans and storing leftovers. Dishes, food. What's your game plan
Where did the children eat? I am assuming you hired sitters for 11 children? Where did they sleep as you visited late? I recall lovely dinner parties that my parents and their friends exchanged. We children attended and were tucked on top of a bed, or sofa, when we got sleepy!
I hope you enjoyed today's video! Visit Cameron at The Busy Gardener here ➡️ ua-cam.com/users/TheBusyGardener and tell him Ben and Jennifer said hello :) I would love to know your tips for hosting dinner parties. How do you handle it when you're in a busy stage of life? Let us know and your comment could be chosen as comment of the week on the blog. Thank you for watching! Love, Jennifer
It was so nice to see the guests in your video enjoying themselves. Your take out food looked scrumptious!
What a fun surprise to see the Busy Gardener at your table! I already follow him! :-)
I really love the concept of bringing back hosting. It seems as if the world had forgotten how to give. Anyhow, I love TJs for fresh-cut flowers. So affordable and they last a really long time.
Hyacinth Bucket, "Bouquet", would be so proud of your candlelight supper!!!
A high compliment! haha Thank you
I love that show!
Hyacinth, with all her calamity, was all I wanted to be as a child. Still do as an adult.
You are so right about saying that the whole point of having a "gathering" is to gather together. It doesn't mean that you have to spend days cooking and stressing. It's about being together, sitting around a table, sharing conversation and a laugh. What a lovely reminder to not miss out on these special moments with friends and family because of a misguided idea of what a dinner party is "supposed " to look like.
I prefer to eat in someone's home than a restaurant as you can linger at the table without feeling rushed and I have trouble hearing conversation when background noise is high (like in cafes, restaurants, food courts, etc). Great idea to get takeaway food and make it posh 😉
I’ve worked for a florist for many years and your arrangements look lovely. I would suggest you strip all the foliage that’s beneath the water line. It helps the water from becoming murky and your flowers will last longer! My most favorite part of hosting a dinner party is setting the table! I so enjoy your videos.
I came down to leave just the same tip!
This past weekend my adult son's girlfriend's family from a different state came to town to meet our family. I copied a country club breakfast buffet, and it was delicious and economical. We gathered at my adult daughter's home which is larger than my downsized home, but I provided all the food and did the prep. I decided to do a waffle bar which was delicious and easy. 27 children and adults came. I borrowed 2 waffle irons, bought all the ingredients at Walmart supermarket, and so it was low cost, but delicious and bountiful. I made 3 packages of bacon, waffles, bowls of toppings like chocolate chips, strawberries, walnuts, butter, syrup, and cans of whipped topping. We had coffee, OJ, Mimosas, Bloody Marys, and water. I brought napkins, and my daughter had plastic cups and forks. Neither of us remembered to buy paper plates, so we used her fine china! It was relaxed, and informal and yet formal with lovely decor and china. A couple of waffles burned and i overcooked some of the bacon, and I think that helped relax all the guests to just laugh and enjoy!
That sounds amazing!
Jennifer, I love to entertain the no fuss way. You are absolutely correct that it is not so much about the fuss but about the gathering with friends and family. We have a monthly dinner party with three other couples and rotate the home every month. The hostess develops the menu and makes or buys the entree. The others make or provide the appetizer, salad, and dessert and everyone brings their favorite wine or beverage. These are friends that were originally neighbors when we were raising our children 40 years ago! We are all retired now and still have much in common. Love to know that you are encouraging connection with friends for future generations even in a busy world!
I've never seen how your rooms connect until now. what a lovely and cozy home :)
Lunch/Dinner parties are such part of French tradition and culture. My Mum could cook for up to 16 or 20 people when hosting family reunions, many times a year. The little children had their own table nearby, everything was so delicious and well presented, the tables were beautifully decorated with Limoges china, crystal glasses and sterling silver cutlery, flower compositions from the garden, gorgeous table linen. My Dad participated a lot, and so did we. She continued doing this until her late eighties when she was a great-grand-mother, and of course everybody would help and we were so happy! My parents did not just make wonderful dinner parties but also countless happy memories for five generations. And taught us the art of hosting and making everyone feel so welcome! I miss them so much and this video brought back so many wonderful memories, especially with the blue and white china very similar to the one which we used daily, and my daughter now has and loves using.
Oh the Bucket woman lol We need to find you some Royal Doulton with the hand painted periwinkle 😆 what a beautiful job Jennifer.
It is all call Love! You are the master of living, I enjoy your films so much!
Fall in love with the process of leveling yourself up.
My husband and I hosted a friendsgiving dinner for neighborhood friends and their children over the weekend. It was wonderful to throw an actual sit-down dinner party again.
"keeping up appearances" love, love that show.
Lovely dinner, Lovely People ....what a beautiful and classy example for everyone.
Thank you, Marilyn! They are all lovely people ♥️
Evan! You are killing it with Jennifer's videos! Keep it up, you are amazing 👌👏
Thank you so much Tanya!! That is super nice of you to say :D I try my best!
Fantastic video. I love watching people sit around a festive table, eating, drinking, and visiting. Having people over is my favorite way of spending an evening.
Good morning Jennifer, it’s true the most important thing is to be together, I always used to worry about the food, the drinks, will the guests like it, it was very stressful, I’m starting to just be more relaxed about it, thank you for sharing.
Hi from England. I love dinner parties, the whole day, getting the house ready, preparing the food and setting the table and best of all being with friends. I missed these so much during Covid lockdowns but we are almost back to normal. Thanks for doing these videos.
Simple and elegant -- what a wonderful way to gather! I also loved seeing your editor -- he's doing a great job -- and another potential UA-cam channel to watch.
Thank you Sharon! That is so nice of you to say, I truly appreciate the complement! I'm trying my best, I'm grateful for all the positive feedback I've received since joining :)
Dinner Parties became our live saver during the pandemic. We were lucky here in the Netherlands we were still allowed (a very limited number of) people in the house and we made the very best of it... during the curfew times we started earlier in the afternoon and everyone was home and in bed by 9 :-)
Planning of course is key.... and keep it simple. The main goal is to enjoy your time together. It's amazing how different conversations are with people in your home rather than in a restaurant...
One of the best nights we had was a traditional Dutch Sinterklaas (= the Dutch equivalent to Santa Claus, it takes place on 5th December) Party (note that the hosts were a German and a Scot with 4 Dutch people as guests... so no pressure to us) - we did 'Gourmet' (also known as Raclette Party) - which is a great idea as basically your guests cook their own dinner... (also great fun for kids) and played the traditional Sinterklaas Dice game (a version of secret santa) - this will definetely be repeated this year
That was such a delightful evening! We loved gathering over tasty food, with great people.
It was so great to see you all again! I need to watch your latest video! 🤩
Thank you Jennifer! Another inspiring video. I love hosting dinner parties, especially murder mystery ones.... last Christmas we had a Dickens Christmas murder mystery party. It was so much fun!
Evan is fantastic 🙌🏻 thx for introducing him
Aww thank you! :)
What a delightful video! Thank you, Jennifer!
My question is, does everyone go thru a buffet line, or do you serve them at the table? Do you use name cards or tell folks where to sit? Or it’s a free for all? The details are what keeps me from entertaining. Do you get up and refresh beverages or allow/encourage guests to get their own?
For a smaller dinner like this we just let people sit where they like. I refreshed the water and wine and Ben did the after dinner tea. Yes, they went to the buffet line in the butler's pantry. It's easier that way.
@@TheDailyConnoisseur I agree the buffet line is always easier.
Agree with Jennifer, we find as a guest and host it always feels more comfortable with it being casual. Choose your own seat, bot being fussed over offered drinks etc all the time. Just making sure these things are on the table or in ice near by for guests to help themselves. Same with food, have it set out as a buffet or all out on the table and everyone helps themselves. The simpler the better.
The replies are hidden from my view. I feel similar to you. Maybe Jennifer can do another video on the details such also where to source food from. Do we use a restaurant? Do they come in and set up the food? What about music?
Outsourcing the food seems like a great idea when starting out with dinner parties. I’m always so intimidated I’ll make something someone won’t like, is allergic to, etc. Thanks for the inspiration!
I love to do “dressed up dinners”. Those chafing dishes are beautiful!
That bright flower arrangement was so lovely Jennifer!!
Dear Jennifer..
What a spectacular video of your dinner party. What I loved was the simplicity and beauty of it.
I love to host and bake but it does wear me out. Your meal and table were beautiful! Thank you 🎁 nancy
I LOVED this video And enjoyed it with my tea this morning. I literally laughed out loud when you mentioned one of my favorite fictional characters Hyacinth. I always think of her candlelight suppers when I’m entertaining lol
The bessst :)
What a joy to watch your preparations for a beautiful dinner party. I am glad you introduced us to the gardener (will go to his channel next!) and Evan! I have noticed how your editing is seamless. Good job, Evan👌🏻
Thank you so much for your kind words Give! I appreciate them and I'm happy to hear the editing is seamless :)
This was an absolute delight to witness, Jennifer. The setting was lovely, the food looked succulent (where did you buy it?), and the guests looked as if they were having a joyful experience. It was fun to meet your editor. My favorite part of having guests for a meal is setting a pretty table. A friend, who loves to cook, and I who love to set a pretty table joined together to host a crowd for another friend's birthday. I was able to hand paint the place cards and decorate the tables while my friend prepared the food and brought it to my house. It was a win, win!
Thank you for sharing this event with us.
Always a class act! What a fabulous dinner party! 💕
So lovely, Jennifer. I liked to see a little of the dinner and your guests.
A wonderful soirée Jennifer, well done! Great inspiration for entertaining. Have a great week x
How lovely! Thank you for sharing Jennifer. I grew up watching Keeping Up Appearances with my mother. Such good memories :)
The best :)
Same here!
Thank you for your content. I didn't grow in this kind of sweet and lovely manner. So thanks for bringing it into my life. I now k ow it's not just in the movies. So, thanks again.🙋♀️
You look so gorgeous Jennifer. Thank you for these beautiful videos.
As we prayerfully end this covid season, it's so wonderful to see family and friends gather around the table again. We need this! Beautiful!
Wonderful video. Thanks for sharing this dinner party idea! Love ya, Cindy 🌻💗
Brilliant, to gather is what is important!
Beautiful 😍 Do you have any videos about hosting guests overnight or for an extended (week long) stay? I'd love your tips on how to be a wonderful host in this situation
I would love to see that too from her and many others UA-camrs. I have never watched someone addressing this subject. I’m from Brazil. I live in New Jersey 🇺🇸 and when I host most of the time people will stay for at least 5 days. Frequently, I’m hosting for 40 days to 2-3 months and my routine is always adjusting which is challenging.
What a lovely video, Jennifer! Your table setting was beautiful. Looks like you had a wonderful time!
How did your candles melt so much without dripping??😊
I loved the video. Your dinner party looked delightful. My mom hosted a lot of dinner parties when I was a girl at home and continues to do so even though she’s 65. I learned a lot from her. I set the table early and make as much food ahead of time as possible. While I want everything to be perfect, I’ve learned that what my guests will remember most is the love they feel and how hospitable I am.
Lovely video!
Wow- thanks for sharing. We had a table of 11 after church yesterday. It was so fun! Thanks for the intros of the 2 men at the end!
Beautiful! It makes me want to have a dinner party! 😊🍴
That's what I was going for with this video!
Sometimes we order in and use the fine china and all the accessories. My hubby is from Europe and a dinner party lasts several hours. I love to create a beautiful table.
Love it 🌹💞
Good Morning Jennifer. Inspiring and lovely video. It looks like you all had a laughter filled evening with your guests. I hold dinner parties all the time and also love setting the dining table!!
Hyacinth Bucket (sorry, it's Bouquet!) and her candlelight suppers! Hahaha! I'm sure everyone was looking forward to YOUR dinner party with the utmost GENUINE anticipation. :)
I love setting the table too, & Will sometimes plan my menu so I can use certain serving dishes!
What an adorable video editor! I'm going to check out that gardening channel for sure.
Cameron is the real deal! Check out his channel for the best tips and guides for all things related to orchards and gardens :) Thanks for the complement as well!
Lovely party! I appreciated the Hyacinth Bucket reference 😄❤️ You should do a “tea and light refreshments” version next.
I also love planning a dinner party. Planning the food, laying the table and then just enjoying the evening with friends. I haven't hosted one for quite a while now, maybe it's time I did again.
Hyacinth Bucket....😂 I love watching that show, always so entertaining. I often wonder what her candle light suppers were actually like, as although they were often talked about I don't recall ever actually seeing one in the show.
I know... they never actually showed a candlelight supper!
Lovely table ! I will be hosting Thanksgiving and planning for the event. Thank you for the inspiration 👏👏💕💕
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Dear Jennifer, I love the way you set up the whole dinnerparty.
I am now confident I will have a lovely dinner party too!
We will be gathering friends for our first fall dinner, even thought ,if we live in a very hot climate all year around. Thank you & Cheers!
*(loving your channel,your way of doing things, it reminds me of my way, I subscribed)
Wonderful video!!! Thanks for the inspiration to have a nice fun dinner party. Also, it’s nice to know that I’m not alone with outsourcing my editing 😁 at least for a little while in my case 🥲
Lovely! Simple, chic, fun, just wonderful!
I was so happy to hear your reference to Hyacinth's candlelight suppers! Really fun! I love the permission to order the food too. The 2 guests you introduced are lovely, and yes, the editing is great!!
I love this! Thank you for sharing! I will be hosting 2 out of the three Thanksgiving dinners this year, so this really helps! Happy Holidays!
Wonderful!
Setting the table is my greatest delight too! Candles and fresh, seasonal flowers are a must along with a curated list of classic jazz/ambient music. I never thought of out- sourcing the food though - that is a GREAT idea! I just threw a small dinner party and I prepared a dish I've cooked many times (poulet chasseur) but it was such a higher stress level cooking it for five extra people. Great tips!
Such a treat watching you organise the flowers Jennifer! It felt like meditation.
Lovely and elegant! Life is busy and hard but oh so good as well. It's the little things that give this life a lift from the everyday!
I love this video, it looked so much fun.
What a pleasure it was to glimpse your elegant evening. It looks like it was absolutely delightful. :) Thank you for sharing with us - it IS motivating me to consider planning a dinner party. Also, your chafing dishes are beautiful!
We grandparents are hosting Thanksgiving again as always. Eleven adults, 5 children. They live in the area, so we do the 16 often. Everyone brings something. We are 72 and not sure how long we can do this, but we love it.
Our church (about 150 people) has Fellowship Dinners. Six adults and how ever many children are attached. We meet once a month for two months. I have hosted several times. Perhaps it is a little more intimidating hosting strangers, but it doesn’t take long around a pretty table with delicious food for friendships to form. The second month people are more comfortable and the conversations go deeper. Then the next month new groups are formed. We are getting to know people in our new church in this way. So dinner parties are alive and well in northern Wisconsin. Thanks, dear Jennifer.
I love to host dinners and we serve buffet style most of the time. Unless there is 4-6 people total. In that case we pass the platters around the table. It doesn’t make me nervous because I enjoy everyone’s company so much. I love beautiful dishes and have a few different sets but that’s not what’s important. The fellowship, love and laughter is such a blessing.
A most charming video.
However, I have some questions concerning children. Did they have a different menu? Children can be fussy eaters. Should one employ a babysitter/helper to assist the children? I’ve attended and given dinners with adult and children…not as all a calm time.
Any tips? Thank you.
The children had the same menu and there was one vegetarian guest so I also offered cheese pizza. They ate a mix of everything. Thank you!
In Europe children eat what adults eat. If they don’t like something, there is usually something else they can choose. One night of not eating much won’t hurt them! 😊
Hi Jennifer! What a refreshing, inspiring and lovely video!! Your attitude is delightful as always, and it all looked so cozy and pretty!! I hope you have a wonderful week! Thank you for all of your hard work, it is so appreciated!! :)
Thank you, Kellie
I love to entertain! We don’t have a lot of money for fine dishwater (one day!!) so it’s always been very humble, but a few years ago I switched over our melamine plates for some pure white, Amazon basics stoneware dishes. Enough for 12 people! I felt like the greatest hostess ☺️ Now I am to the point where I have a tablecloth, a centerpiece, and candles. I also like dinner music. While we have not truly entertained since Covid, I do make dinner as formal as possible for our 4 small children, and I pick themed dinner music (Italian dinner music, South of the border if we are having Mexican, or my favorite, “Mozart by Candlelight”.) and a few nights ago we lit candles and dimmed the lights.
Practicing with my family has grown my experience considerably so that we are comfortable with making dinner a formal, family-oriented affair.
I have my eye on beautifying our dishes when it becomes possible, like the Blue Willow from the Vermont Country Store, or the beautiful “butterfly meadows” dish set from Lennox. 🥰 You have inspired me so much, Jennifer! I grew up in a household where beautiful things were not appreciated, or treated as frivolous. But it brings me so much joy to surround myself with beauty. Plain white dishes are so stark. But when my husband’s parents come over for dinner, they always seem amazed that I serve dinner on real plates for them, and not just paper plates! 😅
"Can't find the candle snuffer" made me chuckle. That would be me, if I owned a candle snuffer. Had a wonderful dinner party with family last night for my daughter's birthday...it really is the best to have everyone around one table, glasses of wine, candles lit, and fresh flowers. And it isn't a dinner party without dessert!
Everything looked so beautiful Jennifer! Catering the meal gives you much more time with guests without having to stress. Loved your laugh at the end, you seem so lighthearted, thats something I need to work on. Thanks for the beautiful video ❤
I would love to attend a dinner party like that. So elegant!
Jennifer, thank you for inspiring me for the dinner party I will be hosting soon. It is wonderful to have people in your home and to connect with them. Thank you for making homemaking so beautiful and elegant.
What a fantastic idea for the menu! We love Mediterranean food, but I had never considered it for a dinner party. Flavorful, unique, and easy. Thank you for sharing!
Thank you! Yes, it was great!
Lovely video!!! The table, the flowers, everything was very nice and classy!!! Absolutely loved the chafing dishes!!!! Elegant, beautiful and super practical at the same time. Great idea!!!
Thank you, Carolina!
Jennifer, you have inspired me to start entertaining more! We have this wonderful group of neighbor friends-five families including ours. While we often all get together informally, I’ve started to invite one of these families over for dinner every month to polish my dinner party hosting and get to spend more quality time with each of these families. It has been so lovely! Thanks (as always) for the inspiration.
Also, those chafing dishes are so elegant! What nice items to have.
I agree. I love hosting dinner parties
Setting the table is my favorite! It lwtse be super creative.
Lovely! Would have loved to see the children’s table!
Thank you so much your words, ideas and joy of life! It's so inspiring!...
I see you still didn't find your candle snuffer 😂. Beautiful video, I may get inspired for my next dinner party, so easy and yet so presentable 👍😍
Thank you for giving us all permission to outsource the food! Brilliant ❤️I loved the tidbit about Hyacinth by the way.
This is strange and beautiful to me. I’ve never been a homemaker, I don’t own beautiful dishes. I’m now retired… Maybe it’s time to throw a dinner party. Thank you for the inspiration.
That was so relaxing and enchanting and makes me want to entertain again.. 😊
Just lovely! Although your style is a little different than my own I still enjoy seeing what you put together. Very inspiring 😃 Thank you for sharing!
A teenager could be employed to tend to the children. Video to watch (child approved and trending, after they are done eating) can keep all the kiddos busy while the adults enjoy their time together.
Looks like you all enjoyed your beautiful dinner. 🌹
Loved this! Your home is so beautiful and your family and friends are lovely!
Such a delightful video! Thanks for the video inspiration & helpful tips x
Oh, I enjoyed this so much. One of my favorite things to do is entertain and I gleaned some wonderful ideas from your video. Thank you, Jennifer!
oh i loved this video so much!
Oh how I wish the tradition of dinner parties would return. I try to throw them, but find people are uncomfortable using nice dinnerware instead of disposable, and by me doing all the cooking (which I prefer to keep things symbiotic) and want a potluck. One time, I even tried to do an "old-fashioned" seating arrangement where I dispersed guest where they were not sitting next to their spouse and had an absolute mutiny on my hands. Also, dinners are never reciprocated since people feel as though they cannot "live up to" my hosting style. I don't care what they serve or how they serve it. It is the company I enjoy, as well as a meal I don't have to prepare. I have already decided that, in the new year, I am going to resume the invitations as I enjoy playing hostess. It is a shame that people no longer know how to entertain, be a guest, or eat off "real" plates at a dining table.
Dinner parties can be fun! Keep doing them! However, I understand some people feeling like they want to help out by doing potluck style. If the host insists on making everything herself, I just bring flowers or wine as a gift instead. Your comment about seating made me laugh! Unless I was familiar with the entire group, sitting by someone besides my husband would make me feel uncomfortable too!
Always hate named places. Sometimes people cant relax when sitting beside people with whom they dont have common interests or backgrounds, happens at weddings in Ireland all the time.
Ild love to attend one of your parties! Im a sanguine though and love meeting people. I have the same issue with friends, trying to have a formal friends giving dinner and everyone shows up super casual....
You summarize my thoughts exactly!
Everyone knew each other and were very close friends...practically family. That's why I didn't understand the trauma it caused...lol
This was so enjoyable to watch!
Thank you, Erica!
Loved your white and yellow flowers,yes we don't have to meet to eat just having loved ones over is amazing. Mrs J I have similar plates which I bought on a sale in Malaysia
(Minus the side plates)
Your so feminine....
Loved your background music 🎶 too
Amazing. Did you clean up that same night or the next day.... Cleaning up is always hard for me after family gatherings(alot of kids running around). when it comes to pots and pans and storing leftovers. Dishes, food. What's your game plan
Where did the children eat? I am assuming you hired sitters for 11 children? Where did they sleep as you visited late? I recall lovely dinner parties that my parents and their friends exchanged. We children attended and were tucked on top of a bed, or sofa, when we got sleepy!