Entertaining on a Budget: 5 Elegant Ideas that Don’t Break the Bank
Dreaming of hosting lovely dinner parties and social gatherings, but feeling the constraints of a budget? You aren’t alone!
Thankfully, there are several ways to cut costs, while still keeping your event feeling elegant and enjoyable.
Today we’ll explore five ideas for elegant entertaining on a budget.
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1. Make a Food Sign-Up to Help Save on Costs
Sometimes we think that hosting a dinner party means we have to contribute everything for the evening. Not true!
Of course, it is wonderful to sometimes provide an entire meal and give people an opportunity to come and totally relax.
However, I’ve also found that people also appreciate being a part of the preparation, and that helping contribute some of the food makes them feel at ease.
Several years ago, I hosted a Titanic-themed dinner party for about twenty people. We didn’t require anyone to bring food, but a few of my closer friends offered to bring part of the meal, and not only did it ease my burden, but it also gave room for there to be way more creativity put into each dish, as each person only had to focus on a one or two things.
Being the hostess, I provided the meat entree and the appetizer soup. One of my friends made beautiful eclairs for dessert and delicious mocktails! Another friend brought a vegetable side dish. With each one’s help, we had an amazing and fancy dinner party that didn’t break the bank!
Use a tool like Sign-Up Genius, or create a group text to share what dishes will be needed, as well as your vision for the evening.
2. Use Real Dishes (or China for extra points!)
Using real dishes is something that instantly elevates your dinner, and can really help when entertaining on a budget.
Whether it is a simple set of everyday dishes, or your grandma’s family China, using real dishes is something that can set the mood and save you lots on disposable dinnerware!
If you don’t have enough matching settings of a certain kind of dishes in order to host, I’d recommend checking out second-hand options. I’ve seen lots of lovely sets of dishes at thrift shops for a bargain price!
Another good idea is to look for a set (or a few) of all white dishes. This is a little more of an investment than the second-hand option, but you can use white dishes for any season, event, or theme, making them a great addition to your hospitality tools!
If you are looking to invest in a set of white dishes, this dinnerware set is reasonably priced and features a lovely, braided detail around the edge.
If you don’t want to spend anything, consider who you might know who would be happy to lend you a set of dinnerware! For the Titanic-themed party I hosted, I used a set of China dishes my grandma owned, and she was honestly so thrilled to see her pretty things being put to use.
It brought her joy, and provided me with elegant dinnerware for the evening. Win-win!
3. Create Your Own Floral Arrangement
Real flowers are something that adds so much class to a dinner party, and really makes your guests feel special knowing you decorated for them to come!
Purchasing an arrangement from a floral shop may not be in your budget, so try your hand at creating one of your own!
You can find bouquets of mixed flowers at Trader Joe’s or Costco for a reasonable price, and with a little time and thought, you can have a beautiful arrangement for your centerpiece.
Another idea is to use a small bouquet and separate the flowers into bud vases for a fun look and bigger impact than you’d have with the small bouquet itself. Or perhaps you have a green thumb and have flowers you’ve grown yourself.
You can even look for greenery in your own backyard or nearby surroundings, and create a lush centerpiece entirely of greenery.
Just use a little creativity, and you can create an arrangement that adds elegance to your evening without breaking the bank!
(If you want inspiration, this video or this video share some tips for creating your own arrangements!)
If you are enjoying this article, check out my post on stress-free hosting with a signature hospitality routine!
4. Use Cloth Napkins for Elegant Entertaining
Like using real dishes, using cloth napkins instantly feels special, and also saves you consuming disposable ones.
I remember having dinner at my aunt’s one evening, and even though it was a simple weeknight affair, her setting the table and using cloth napkins made me feel she had put extra effort into the evening.
If you are wanting to keep your costs low, consider checking out thrift shops for second hand treasures. Or, if you are the type of person that prefers to shop from home, check out these beautiful, blue Indian block ones that are very reasonably priced (I’m currently eyeing these for myself!).
5. Pick One Thing for your Focal Point
If you are entertaining on a budget, consider putting most of your effort into one part of the meal, instead of trying to stretch your funds over everything and getting mediocre results for all of your dishes.
For example, consider serving a yummy but simple pasta dish for your entree (this Instant Pot Creamy Tuscan Chicken looks delicious!), but then taking the time to bake a layer cake and decorate it with seasonal fruit for a dessert that wows!
Or put more of your resources into your entree, and keep it low-key with your side dishes and drink. You get the picture.
Choosing one area to invest your time and resources gives that feeling of elegant entertaining, without breaking the bank!
And there you have it! Five ways for entertaining on a budget, without breaking the bank! I hope these inspired you to schedule a dinner party and make some enjoyable memories, no matter what your budget is. Talk soon!!
