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1 KEEP IT SIMPLE
The more décor and food you need to arrange for your get-together, the more cost is likely to be involved, while keeping things simple can look (and is!) effortless and chic.
This photo from a YOU celebration shoot shows just how elegant keeping food and décor to a minimum can be when you’re hosting family or friends at home.
Make full use of any lovely views or pretty areas in your home by placing the dining table close to them. This can be on a stoep, close to a big window, near the pool or in the garden.
When it comes to setting the table, a colourful, patt-erned table cloth can be all you need to make it look great. This way, you can keep your dinnerware and table décor plain.
If your table cloth is plain, add just a few pops of colour and texture in your table décor, using colourful glass-es, a vase with flowers or herbs from your garden, or bright napkins for impact.
A large roast and a simple side dish are perfect for a meal when entertaining smaller groups.
Expecting a larger group? Potluck is the way to go – guests are almost always happy to help and show off a new recipe or two of their own.
2 USE AFFORDABLECUTS OF MEAT
When entertaining, preparing one or two large meats to take centre stage at a table is ideal but it can be pricey. So consider cheaper cuts that melt in the mouth when cooked low and slow.
Think pork or lamb shoulder, pork belly or beef brisket.
Whole chicken is still one of the most affordable kinds of meat and is hugely popular so make a few whole chickens with different flavours and you’ll be able to feed more mouths for less.
Large cuts of meat can also be spread even further by breaking up meat for wraps or platter bites with more affordable and delicious sides and a “wow” dessert.
3 BEAT IT TO THE PUNCH
Alcohol is something that can cause entertaining costs to skyrocket. Guests will probably have varying preferences that you’d like to take into consideration but seeing to everyone’s taste will definitely cause some damage to your budget. So consider an affordable party classic – punch.
You can have two or three large punch bowls – some alcoholic, some not. You’ll need to only buy a few bottles of liquor and some ingredients – compared with buying wine, hard liquor, beers and non-alcoholic drinks.
Pretty up a drinks table for no cost at all by adding herbs or edible flowers to your ice cubes to make an eye-catching ice bucket.
4 GIFTS & GIFT WRAPPING
If the occasion calls for the exchange of gifts, small DIY projects such as making your own gift wrap can all add up to reduce how much you spend.
We love this clever word search wrapping using old magazine word search or crossword puzzles.
You can do the same with newspaper, striking magazine pages or even by printing your own image on paper.
- Use paint and a homemade stencil or stamp to add a personal touch to plain paper.
- Simply add a ribbon or a string and an ornament to complete the look.
5 FOR GIFTS, THINK DIY AND DIGITAL
Grow, create or curate gifts for guests. Here are some creative ideas:
- Grow herbs in pretty pots and add a special message or recipe including that particular herb.
- Donate money to a charity of their choice.
- Make jam, infused oils or cookies and include the recipe.
- Offer them a subscription to their favourite magazine or website.
6 MAKING MEMORIES
Put lots of effort into the areas of your party that don’t cost a lot of money.
For example, if you’re having a few friends from university over, put together a playlist of music from those years.
You can also plan fun outdoor games that don’t require close contact, as well as boardgames, charades or karaoke for indoor fun.
To entertain the kids, create a movie “theatre” for them, complete with a popcorn-and-sweets stand.
Use lighting to help create atmosphere. Lamps, lanterns, candles and string lights can greatly enhance the vibe of a party. And remember to maintain physical distance in social settings.
7 USE WHAT YOU HAVE
Get creative with decor, using things you have in your home such as fruit and vegetables.
Consider using branches and leaves from your garden too to decorate the table.
You could also use foods that double up as décor, such as bowls of fresh cherries, oranges, mangoes, lemons or pots of herbs.
Foliage – which is usually easier to come by than flowers – is another option.
8 FOCUS ON DIY
Let your creativity shine during special holidays.
We love the above Christmas tree idea – it will make for a good talking point and cost next to nothing to create!
Here’s how Layer books from biggest to smallest, then put the tree on your dining room server and finish it off with a chalk star on the wall above it.
Voilà!
This is an edited extract from YOU LET’S CELEBRATE. R55 at youstore.co.za
