About Dinners
Dinner parties present a fun way to bring friends and family together to share great food alongside wonderful conversations. As a business owner or mid-level manager, hosting a business dinner party for clients and colleagues is one of the ways to foster work relationships and also pursue ambitions of moving up in the corporate world.
The food aspect of any evening gathering works in your favor, particularly if it's a themed event that sets out to offer your guests a unique experience. Celebratory dinners favor myriad occasions from job promotions, graduations, retirement parties, rehearsal dinners, and galas. To sum it up, dinner events are all about gathering people at a suitable venue to share food, drinks, and overall, to enjoy each other’s company
The planning process begins with locking down an impressive dinner space, and this guide extends a helping hand in that regard.
The Best Dinner Venues
Maybe you are gunning for a job promotion or just landed the position you've worked hard for. Perhaps the love of your life got down on one knee and popped the big question or you are reconnecting with family and friends. Either scenario is a good enough excuse to host a celebratory gathering, and here are a couple of unique dinner venue options to explore.
- Restaurants and Cafes
It's natural that most folks will choose a restaurant or cafe setting to host a meal-based gathering. They are great dinner venues because a majority include movable furniture allowing you to change things up to suit your particular event. There's also the added plus of access to an in-house kitchen and waitstaff, audio/visual setups, and on-site parking.
- Commercial Kitchens
The heat is always in the kitchen, and you can turn things a notch higher by hosting a gathering at a commercial kitchen space. Dinner guests will appreciate the experience of watching a professional chef whip up their meals or even join in the process of cooking some of the menu items.
- Wineries and Breweries
Food goes down well accompanied by a good brew to wash it down. Elevate your guests’ experience by making the occasion a wine-tasting or beer sampling event. There are selections of wineries and breweries that also double up as perfect dinner sites for various occasions. Why not lock down a venue like a vintage industrial brewery for your upcoming dinner party?
- Vans and Motorhomes
Many folks are embracing the van-life and motorhome movement, even if it's only for an evening. There are selections of eclectic and cozy motorhomes that are also rented out as event spaces. They are perfect for hosting intimate gatherings or a truly unique dinner party for a small group of people.
What to Look for in Dinner Spaces
Whether yours is a social or corporate dinner party; you'll want to provide your guests with a memorable and enjoyable experience. It goes past the process of narrowing down an impressive dinner location, and several factors collectively contribute to the success of the event.
- Catering
Perhaps food is the major aspect that needs sorting out off the bat when hosting a dinner party. The catering arrangement is dependent on the specific dinner venue, and some might offer in-house services while others allow you to source for it externally. A few locations have terms outlining food and beverage minimums to qualify for hosting your event within their premises.
- Layout
While just about every dinner site will come with tables and chairs alongside other basic furnishings, the layout varies. Venues that allow you to move things around are particularly helpful if you are hosting a large number of guests and need to create a specific layout for the evening.
- Ambiance
Setting the tone for your dinner party helps in the entire process of providing an experience. The majority of dinner sites provide themed decoration and table arrangement services as part of the package deal. It's especially helpful when working with outdoor spaces which typically require more dressing up.
- Parking
A dinner party is a truly special occasion and if you swing for a fancy venue then it goes without saying that other elements tied to the event should follow suit. Offering valet parking will undoubtedly impress your guests alongside transportation to the dinner location if need be.
- Entertainment
When people gather, they are also expecting to have a great time and that's where entertainment comes in. Several dinner locations provide selections of in-house entertainment choices including DJs, comedians, MCs, and live bands.
Dinner Inspiration
Dinner gatherings have the unique element of unfolding in the evening which is in itself an added advantage. Most folks are often free to attend and you'll still want to make it worth their while by exceeding their expectations. Here are a few dinner site inspirations that should give you ideas.
- A Rehearsal Dinner at a Rooftop, Patio, or Outdoor Space
There's something about the night-time atmosphere combined with outdoor spaces that creates pure magic. Guests will enjoy the breath of fresh air that comes with an outdoor venue for a dinner event because it often includes plenty of ambient lighting creating a romantic feel. That's why rooftops, patios, and other outdoor spaces are ideal dinner sites for occasions like rehearsal dinners, wedding showers, and anniversary dinners.
- Reunion Dinner at a Restaurant
Restaurants are classic choices for various celebratory events including reunions. They are primed to host guests with the basics like food, drinks, and furnishings taken care of in-house. Most also provide different rental packages to suit their clients' budgets and needs.
- A Product Launch at a Commercial Kitchen
Could be that your food-based business is celebrating its first successful year or years in the market. With a new product ready to hit the shelves, you can host a demo launch at a commercial kitchen to mark the milestone. It gives guests the first taste of your latest addition which also doubles as a treat.
- Stag Parties at Breweries
What better way to give a groom a worthy send-off into married life than by treating him to a night out at a brewery? Such locations provide selections of beer to sample and provide in-house catering services to boot. Even better, some provide the choice of hosting your event in an outdoor or indoor setting.
- An Engagement Party at a Motorhome
After popping the big question, the only thing that can top it up is hosting an engagement party at a unique venue. Motorhomes provide simple yet charming spaces that favor diverse intimate gatherings. The majority also double as accommodation which allows you and your guests to spend the night.