Maybe I’m speaking for myself but my pinterest board is full of a good mix of fashion inspo, delicious recipes and lots of aesthetic dinner parties. Of course, these dinner parties are elaborate and if I followed the inspo to a tee, I would be more broke than I already am.
I absolutely love hosting so this fact pains me. So, to fix that minor problem with my majorly low bank account, I came up with a way to host an elaborate dinner party on a college-friendly budget.
For starters, let’s discuss the table. Now, this may seem like common sense but when it comes to chairs, it’s okay to have them mismatched. If you aren’t a fan of the rustic chair style, you can always use your coffee table as the table and sit on the floor. You can use pillows as cushions or just the floor. This is a great way to utilize your space also if you have a smaller apartment or location.
For the food, I would recommend potluck if you’re on a tight budget. This also saves some time for you and you can put your energy in the decorations or other aspects. If you want to cook the food yourself, choose easy to make dishes and recipes that don’t require a lot of ingredients. For example, an Italian dinner of just noodles and a sauce with a side of frozen breadsticks.
Now for the main reason we are here – the decorations. If you don’t budget accordingly, this part could be the most expensive part of the dinner party. Here are a few tips on how to cut the cost of this aspect tremendously.
The Dollar Store generally has some good finds if you need some basic items. Getting wine glasses and/or china for a dollar each can help ensure your dinner party has a uniform appearance. I always get my candles from the Dollar Store. Candles are a great way to really elevate a dinner party and make it more aesthetically pleasing and romantic. Aside from these times, you can get fake flowers, vases, cutlery or basic party decor like banners and balloons.
Personally, my preferred method of saving money is thrifting. This can take some more time to accumulate a “collection” but in the long run, it’s better for your wallet and the environment. I am a huge fan of second-hand shopping and always will be. Through thrifting your decor, you can find pieces that will last a lot longer than those found at the Dollar Store or other cheap stores and you can find some beautiful pieces. I’ve found candlestick holders, tea-cup sets, mismatched wine glasses, serving platters and so much more.
These are only a few ways you can make that over-the-top dinner party affordable but whatever you do, just have a good time! Hosting doesn’t have to be this “big” thing. If you are welcoming others into your home, they are going to be grateful no matter what you do.