Love

Ten Tips For Entertaining Couples

Ten Tips for Entertaining Couples

When you're ready to get the party started with your love, a classy yet simple get-together at your place might be the perfect fix.

Here are our top ten pointers on how to make it the event of the season:

1. Keep it intimate: Remember that the population of your dinner party should reflect the size of your home. Smaller groups also mean better conversation and fewer distractions.

2. Seat Strategically: Set a small table so people can converse without yelling. The best way to encourage conversation is to sit guests boy, girl, boy, girl...but don't seat guests next to their dates or mates!

3. Rotate, don't speed-date: Rather than spending 30 seconds per guest, relax, engage in conversation, and separate from your significant other.

4. Pick a theme: Don't let it be just another dinner party. Agree on a theme that's incorporated into the cuisine and music and signature cocktail (like Baileys Affogato) It will make you, and the event, more memorable for guests.

5. Don't Be a Hero: Rather than slaving over a hot stove, prepare one signature main dish that's a sure-fire hit. Then dispatch him to the prepared foods section at Whole Foods for the rest of the fixings. Your mantra: A non-frazzled hostess is the one with the mostest… smiles.

6. DJ Duet: Why not benefit from two musical minds rather than shouldering the mood tunes all on your own? Create a playlist together so you can enliven your collection with some of his favorites and you’re sure to spin the grooves that will satisfy everyone.

7. Party like a boy scout: You're motto... be prepared. Handle the tough stuff early so you pay attention to details – and each other – during the party.

8. Have a high sign: Create a word or gesture you can use if one of you needs to be rescued from a bad conversation—or is needed for triage in the kitchen stat!

9. Start Early: Finish everything up about an hour before the guests arrive and enjoy a glass of wine together so you relax. Oh and, don't forget to eat!

10. Agree on clean-up: Will you do the dishes before going to bed, or crash and deal with the aftermath in the morning? Deciding beforehand will prevent wine-fueled fights the night of.

(See Tango's Carrie Sloan on ABC explaining how to be the hosts with the most.)