Everyday flatware can still make a good impression. Your next dinner party can wow your guests, it is all a matter of perspective and a little planning. Rather than going out and renting new dinner sets, or pulling out grandma’s antique silver, spruce up the rest of the dining room and your everyday flatware will not look so everyday. Think of it like the illusion technique known as slight of hand. If you distract them with the fancy flourish of the dinner party, your guests will not notice the rest of the process.
As mentioned before, you do not need to buy all new dining room china cabinets, filled with new dishes. While still using your discount dinnerware, discount dining room sets, and everyday flatware, you can pull off the party. First things first, pick a theme. And make sure that your current dining sets can fit into that theme. The mind is less likely to notice the quality of a plate or fork if everything is based around a specific subject. It can be as simple as an Autumn theme, or an Anniversary of the Titanic theme. As long as everything fits together, it will prove successful.
Another trick is to make sure that the guests do not have reason to focus on those features about which you are concerned. Dim or throw a nice gauzy scarf over the dining room ceiling lights. A tinted or diffused light can do wonders to ease the eye’s attention to detail. Do not put out plates and silverware until food is being served, or simply serve the individual plates with food already upon them, restaurant style. With the plates and food coming out at the same time, no one is going to notice what the food came out on.
Offering finger-food fare is another great option. It allows people to mingle and eat at their own pace, you never need to have everyone sit down and all be served at the same time. And you do not even need plates. You can simply purchase a pack of fancy dinner napkins, and those can be used throughout the evening.
Make your dinner party impressive with what you have on hand. If you are concerned about appearances, then plan around it. With a little preparation, and a little slight of hand, no one will know that you were worried about your silverware not living up to Edna’s down the street.