So you’re past the point where you want every party to be a loose rave involving all your furniture getting trashed and at least four people you don’t know residing in your lounge room at 10am the next day.
Or maybe you still love those, but all your mates just got back from European gap-years and you wanna catch up in a more chilled-out, can-actually-chat kind of way.
Welcome to the grown-up soiree. They can be anything from adult slumber parties (not that kind) to intimate dinners.
We chatted to Insta-star Sammy Robinson about how she preps her own grown-up hangs so they’re always 10/10 with zero awkwardness.
GET YOUR PREP SORTED
Image: Pinterest
The worst thing you can do is not be ready for guests to arrive. Stressing out about things in the oven, un-chilled drinks or half-done hair means you’ll be flitting from the lounge room to the kitchen/bathroom and leaving your early guests sitting alone staring at the wall. Not cool.
Be zsjooshed already, and have your food ready to go – or at least have preliminary snacks out and some initial drinks on tap. Then sneak out to fix up the rest once the party is in full swing.
“Also, offering people a drink when they arrive and showing them the food always helps. People love food!” says Sammy.
SET THE MOOD
Image: Pinterest
On-point interiors and music that creates the vibe you want for your ~bash~ is always important. Going for an adult girls-only sleepover? Playing Ibiza chill-out sessions is probably not the way to go. On the flip-side, if you’re hosting a start-of-summer thing, All Saints entire back catalogue is not a winner. Oh who are we kidding – it’s always a winner.
Basically, consider what atmosphere you want to create and plan accordingly – don’t leave it last minute and just rely on your daily Spotify playlist. Music immediately sets the mood for your guests and indicate where the party is headed.
“Silence makes people uncomfortable, so I always love to play some classics initially,” says Sammy.
Ditto for your decor. You don’t have to go mad, but having a style set for the night will help guests settle in and know where things are headed.
“For a girls night, I like to make things look as crisp and chic as possible, using lots of whites and greys, fluffy blankets and big cushions,” says Sammy.
GIVE PEOPLE STUFF TO DO
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Having coffee table books within easy reach means guests have something to flick through if you do end up in the predicament of curling your hair after your party’s started. They’re also a great means for conversation between people who don’t know each other – people come together over travel yarns, fashion loves… pretty much anything, even Kim K‘s selfies in her Selfish coffee table book.
Once the party is in full swing, you can make everyone forced-bond with activities. Not little-kid games like pass the parcel, think more working out your Myers-Briggs personality types.
“I love face masks, movies, and champagne for bringing the girls together,” says Sammy.
MAKE FOOD SHAREABLE
Image: Instagram
The easiest way to ensure you’re present with your guests and not racing from kitchen to lounge room all night is to make food shareable and easy to get out on the table. Think charcuterie and cheese boards over anything that needs to go in the oven.
“Platters also always look awesome. I love a sushi platter for an initial party snack, for example,” suggests Sammy.
Alternatively – get everyone in the kitchen to make dinner. DIY gourmet pizzas, with all the ingredients out and ready to go, or tacos are a way to make sure the whole party gravitates from lounge to kitchen and avoids prepping awkwardness. This, of course, is if your kitchen can fit all your guests.
Dessert-wise, go for something easy that still feels grown-up, like Magnum‘s new ice-cream pints. Everyone loves ice-cream, and choosing an “adult” kind that’s a bit more gourmet keeps things chic.
Social Images: @elsas_wholesomelife + @gypsea_lust
