Hosting an Event at Your Home Is Lovely - Until It Isn’t.

File “Entertaining at home” under “Things that sound like a really good idea until you’re up to your eyeballs in dishes, there’s a red wine stain on your white carpet, the planter is knocked over, and you didn’t actually get to have a conversation with anyone because you were too busy making sure the canapés didn’t run out.”

Even if you have the resources to hire help with catering and/or cleaning up, you’re still subjecting your home to the wear and tear of guests, and you’re still going to be left wondering who tracked in dog poo—and who left with your Limoges gravy boat as a “souvenir.”

We know that it’s entirely possible to host a stress-free, successful event at home. We’re sure it has happened to someone. Somewhere. Let’s just say that this is the exception rather than the rule.

We can’t tell you how many conversations we’ve had with brides, grooms, and their parents who are interested in hosting a reception at home because it’s so “comfortable.” (May we kindly refer you back to the earlier paragraphs.)

Weddings are certainly an extreme example of an event that might be hosted at home, but what about anniversary parties? Wedding showers? Birthday parties? Retirement parties? Graduation parties? Corporate celebrations? Holiday brunches or dinners? We’d like to make a strong case for hosting away from home.

You still get to be the host. You still get credit. You still get to call the shots. But you also get to take advantage of a beautiful venue of your choice that you get to LEAVE at the end of the night and return to your clean, quiet, restful home. For a big event, you might consider a larger hall that can be decorated to your exact tastes. For a more intimate event, why not a restaurant? Either way, you can make sure the food will be delicious, hot, and available; the drinks refreshing (and refilled); the entertainment on point; the amenities suited to your needs.

And no one will ask you to do the dishes.