Buzz
I'm someone who thrives on structure. While I may not apply it to my bras, I love having menus, schedules, and responsibility charts. If you hand me a walkie-talkie, I promise I won’t dive into hard drugs. The beauty of rules is that they work. I've organized everything from intimate gatherings for five to massive events for 20,000 in all sorts of crazy locations, but the core principles remain constant.
This Simple Trick Will Elevate Your Food's Insta Appeal
Of course, I want people to enjoy the meals I prepare for them, but in today's world, when someone pulls out their phone to snap a picture, it's an even bigger compliment than a simple 'thank you.' Taking the extra moment to garnish and beautify dishes makes a world of difference, so I'm about to reveal my secret.
It's leaves. Just leaves. Or maybe one lone leaf. Why does this work? I’m not sure. Editing? Conditioning? Leaves add color and give your food that little extra touch. They're also... well, basically free (or close to it). Let me share some of my favorite leaves and ways to use them.
Grape leaves or nasturtium leaves
Surprisingly, both of these are often still available in winter; simply step outside your door and glance into your neighbor’s yard. Use them as a foundation for charcuterie boards or to serve as the base for a cluster of appetizers (like I did with the goat cheese shown at the top of this article).
Chive blades
Plate up your stuffed mushroom caps, cheese-filled cherry tomatoes, or polenta bites, then take two-inch-long chive stems and stick them into the food just enough to make them stand tall. It's astonishingly effective.
A crisped sage leaf or a single parsley or cilantro leaf
Why does this look so sleek, so polished, so refined? I’m not sure. But you can create a high-end aesthetic by adding a deep-fried (or air-fried) sage leaf or a single parsley leaf to any bite-sized appetizer.
This simple trick will guarantee your food gets eaten
All the food you serve should be easy to eat with one hand. This is basic party etiquette, yet almost no one follows this rule. Plates are inefficient—they waste resources and tempt guests into taking more than they can eat, resulting in a crowd gathering in one area. Plus, you end up with dirty plates everywhere. Instead, create food that can be eaten without a plate—something you can grab and munch on with just one hand.
One-bite food can be popped into the mouth whenever, with no waste, letting the other hand hold a drink, a person, or even a phone. People won’t grab too many bites because they simply can’t.
Don’t try to cheat this rule—skewers are a no-go. Where do those skewers and toothpicks end up when people are finished with them? Yep, in your houseplants. I’d also recommend avoiding dips, sauces, or anything that could spill on someone’s outfit. Your guests will appreciate it.
If the lack of plates, skewers, or flatware is stressing you out, don't worry. There are still plenty of options to choose from.
Sushi
Sushi rolls are compact, perfect for a one-handed snack, and versatile enough to suit a wide range of tastes and dietary preferences. Sushi is also colorful, offering a solid carb base for boozy parties. You can buy pre-made rolls from a local shop or make your own if you're feeling adventurous. You can offer a variety, from vegetarian to gluten-free, alongside classic options like California rolls.
Dumplings
Think about all the dumplings you could serve: empanadas, gyoza, wontons, arancini, and, yes, even pizza rolls. If it’s something wrapped inside something else, it counts. Personally, I prefer fried or baked varieties over steamed ones, since you want foods that won’t spill or slide out of your hand onto the floor.
When making dumplings, keep them small. Two-bite dumplings can easily fall apart, spilling their filling onto your blouse or into your cleavage, which is exactly what we're trying to avoid. (Do I seem fixated on the idea of drippy food? It’s an obsession for all event planners.)
Tea sandwiches
Wings are strictly off-limits at my events. They're messy, require both hands, and leave bones that need to be discarded. They're a recipe for disaster. But meat eaters still need to be satisfied, so try offering small tea sandwiches, perfectly cut into squares, filled with things like roast beef or turkey. Even a tiny burger would work wonders. The key is the same: it must be easy to eat with one hand, not require a plate, and have no extra bits to throw away or clean up afterward.
This will ensure your party feels like true adulting.
We’re all overjoyed to reconnect with the friends and family who made it through the past couple of years, even if it means testing every 24 hours. Your gathering could be in a bunker and it would still be a blast (especially compared to the rest of 2021).
Bunker or no, there are some solid principles you can follow to make your guests feel more at ease. It may seem a bit formal, but there’s a reason these tips are effective.
Incorporate varying heights
Keeping everything flat and uniform doesn’t draw people in. Elevation creates depth and sparks moments of interest. For example, on your hors d’oeuvres table, use risers to present food at varying heights. You don’t need to buy fancy risers; just stack books beneath your tablecloth. Use glasses of different heights for vegetable sticks, and cake stands to showcase clusters of appetizers, forming an edible landscape that invites guests to explore and enjoy.
But be cautious where height can create issues—especially at sit-down dinners. Make sure nothing on the table is tall enough to block conversation. (Tall flowers, vases, and towering appetizers are difficult to see over or pass around.)
Extend the use of height beyond the snack table and throughout the event—offer seating on sofas, floor pillows, and bistro tables. This promotes movement, encouraging guests to roam and interact in different areas, rather than crowding around a single sofa.
Incorporate texture and layers
Have you ever tossed a tablecloth onto a table, only to realize the bare table had more appeal? That’s probably because the table itself had texture and character, while the plain tablecloth didn’t. However, layering several tablecloths can create depth, and any fabric you have can serve as a tablecloth.
The same concept applies to your seating. This is not the moment to hide throw blankets—fold them creatively and place them where they add to the space. Think about hanging sheer drapes from light fixtures or the ceiling to introduce even more texture. The same idea works for dishes, silverware, and glassware—don’t hesitate to mix and match.
Consider the texture of your party food as well, offering a variety of mouthfeel experiences—serve creamy cheeses or soups, alongside crunchy vegetables or pretzel sticks, and chewy caramels or savory sliders.
Quit it with the monotone
Monochromatic parties only work when you can fully commit (usually with a significant budget). Instead, embrace a color palette as a guideline rather than a strict rule. Don’t stress over matching plates—create a cohesive theme, like blues, greens, and purples, or mix different china patterns or materials (glass, metal, ceramic) all in varying shades of taupe or pink.
Expand your offerings to include candles, glassware, and linens. Instead of sticking with the usual paper party accessories in matching colors, shades, and tones, try mixing things up. Take inspiration from autumn leaves—think rich oranges, ambers, and browns—or use a color wheel to choose contrasting hues, like cornflower blue paired with butternut yellow. This creates an intentionally curated, yet intelligent look.
Final thoughts
No matter the event, here are the checks I always go through before things get started. These strategies help your guests feel at ease, allowing you to fully enjoy the celebration.
Walk through the space as if you were a guest to evaluate traffic flow. Even in your own home, rearranging a plant or coat rack might improve the overall flow. And don't forget to remove any child or pet gates for the evening.
Consider the bathroom setup. Where might people line up? Is there another bathroom available nearby? Be sure to stock items like extra toilet paper, hand towels, tampons, Tylenol, Band-Aids, and a plunger in easily accessible spots.
Don’t hide your trash under the sink where it won’t be seen. Instead, make trash and recycling bins visible and accessible in every room, and empty them regularly during the event.
Determine where guests will store coats, shoes, and bags, and decide which areas should be off-limits. Clearly communicate this to your guests ahead of time.
Remove any irreplaceable or valuable items from the space, not because your guests might steal them, but because they could accidentally break or stain them.
Set up a charger station. A few guests will inevitably arrive with a charger in hand and a panicked look on their face. Choose an outlet that makes sense, and provide a few chargers for people to use, but keep it away from food and drink stations.
To wrap things up, let me leave you with a memory of an event I often recall. It was the early 2000s, and I was in my twenties, managing a massive Lobster Festival in Scottsdale, Arizona. It was the final night, late on day three, and we needed someone to go on stage and announce the fire sale for the remaining lobsters. There was some debate over who would take on the task. In a moment of inspiration, fueled by my fourth vodka of the night, I grabbed the King Triton crown from the subpar comic hired to emcee, dashed onstage, and grabbed the microphone. Announcing myself as the new Queen of the Undersea, I invited everyone to take home a lobster child for immediate consumption, to resounding applause. Or so I'm told—my memory of the event remains amusingly absent of details.
With the same spirit, my little merfolk, I invite you to ask any and all of your party planning questions below. As a gracious Sea Queen who has overseen everything from intimate gatherings to wild ragers, I am here to help and ensure you have the most unforgettable party—whether it's by the sea or tucked away in a bunker.
