When you have at least one dinner party a week, you notice some trends of what you need, what your guests need, what works, and what really doesn’t. And I want to share them with you.

In the past many months, I have been honing the aspects of planning, preparation, and actual dinner partying that are most necessary for a successful soirée. I compiled what I learned from my own dinner parties in the Dinner Party Planning Guide. It walks you through:

Defining your parameters
What do you have in mind? Is this fancy or casual? How many and what type of guests?

Inviting People
Who will your guests be? How will you invite them? Will they mesh well?

Planning Your Menu
What will you cook? Does everything work together? Where will you find the recipes?

Planning Your Shopping
Are there items you already have? What do you have to buy in advance?

Planning Your Cooking Timeline
Have you read the recipes? Where should you start?

Getting Your Party On
Who will greet guests? What music will you play? Will you set the table in advance?

Also stay tuned for party-planning worksheets complete with suggested menus and resources to fit any timeline:

• half hour/hour before
• morning before
• week/weekend before
• several weeks before (special event or party)