I’m really happy to switch gears a little bit today. One of the focuses of this blog is to talk more about entertaining. I love hosting, but have heard so many people say they don’t think they’re good at it or they could “never do it.” And I just don’t believe that’s true. I think anyone who wants to can create meaningful events at home and that it’s a huge part of loving your home. If you can make your home work for you when it comes to entertaining you have so many more options. So, my goal is to provide tips, hosting ideas, inspiration, and everything else you need to throw successful “parties.” Okay, “parties” isn’t really the right word. I mean, sometimes it is. There are totally times you’ll throw parties and it will be the perfect way to describe it. But other times, like this, you’re bringing your friends together to spend time with them. An every day kind of entertaining. I’ll get really dorky on you for a minute and tell you that one of my primary love languages is quality time. I think that’s one of the reasons I love hosting so much, because it’s a way to connect with other people. And doing it at home is generally quieter, more comfortable, and easier than being at a restaurant or other venue. So, many of the times I’m hosting it’s not what I would call a party (though I do love throwing a good party!), but more of an opportunity to spend time with the people I love. And I have a lot of catching up to do on that front!

For this, I had my college bff and roommate for many years (who lives in Asheville and it’s the most amazing thing ever) and her husband over for brunch on Saturday. I wanted to keep it really simple. We hadn’t seen them in a week or so and it was just an opportunity to spend some time together and connect. I left the table really simple with a few candles and minimal place settings. Instead, I let the food shine. We had build your own breakfast sandwiches and I made a board of all the ingredients which turned out to be really pretty and that was what served as the centerpiece.

How to be a Good Hostess when Entertaining: One Tip

My number one tip when it comes to entertaining is to take it seriously. A good host is someone who makes the whole thing look effortless. That’s probably why it seems counterintuitive to put a lot of planning and forethought into it. But, it’s really important if you want things to come together like all those beautiful pictures on Pinterest. It’s nothing hard and really anyone can do it, it just requires a little preparation. One of the best ways to do this is plan what you’re going to eat and ask everyone attending if they have any allergies or dietary restricts. This is actually two-fold. It prepares you to have the right food on hand and makes your guests infinitely more comfortable knowing there will be something there they can eat. When you’re planning simple get togethers it can feel like overkill to do this, but trust me it’s so important. In this instance we had someone who’s staying away from gluten and dairy. Build your own breakfast sandwiches were the perfect solution to not making it feel like we were missing anything because they could easily be eaten without bread. We mixed and matched everything, which was not only fun but also ensured that anyone with restrictions could avoid what they needed to. I also made an herb and shallot aioli because mayo is dairy free, but gives some that creamy saltiness like cheese and offered sprouted bread because often people who prefer not to eat gluten are okay with sprouted wheat. By having both of those elements even the person with the food restrictions felt completely included in the experience. Plus, it sends the message that you care a lot about if that person has a good time.

Simply by preparing for your get together you're well on your way to becoming an EVEN better hostess when entertaining! 

Don't forget to pin this and save it for your next get together!