Carrying Out the Formal Dinner Plans

• 1). Plan out the details of the dinner with those providing the event. Make sure that the meal, the decorations, the schedule of events and any other fine details are planned and organized.
  
  
• 2). Make sure that there is someone there to carry out each element of the event. It can be a chaotic evening if there are not enough servers or if not all of the needed food items have been purchased. Depending on the size of the dinner, you may need an individual in charge of each aspect of the evening, such as catering, decorations and guest lists.
  
  
• 3). Make sure you are ready and present at the established venue before the other servers arrive. Be prompt and organized. Otherwise, the servers you are managing will not be properly coordinated.
  
  
• 4). See to it that all the aspects of the dinner are attended to. Your role is to make sure that everyone is ready when the guests arrive. Ask yourself, "Is the dinner room ready? Are the dishes to be served on schedule? Is every detail of the event being handled properly?" Even if it is a small formal dinner at home, forgetting the flowers you were supposed to pick up on the way home from work can add stress to the evening.
  
  

Greeting the Guests

• 1). Promptly greet the guests as they arrive. A successful host will make the guests feel welcome and expected. If you are still running around when the guests arrive, they will feel awkward. If there is a valet service for the guests, be at the front door to make sure they are escorted into the dining hall.
  
  
• 2). Have someone to take their coats. This can be yourself or an attendant. If it is a small formal dinner at home, place the guests' coats either in a front closet or on a bed. It is very unsightly to pile them all up on a chair or counter at the entrance.
  
  
• 3). Guide the guests all the way to their intended destination and introduce them to the other guests as well as any important individuals serving the dinner. This keeps your guests from feeling lost, gives them a chance to ask any questions (such as, "Where is the restroom?") and shows the guests that they are an important part of the evening.
  
  

Leading the Formal Dinner

• 1). Signal to the guests when it is time to eat. Make sure the servers and the cooks are ready, too. Tell the guests where they are supposed to go if they have an assigned seat and announce when they can begin eating. Traditionally, formal dinners at home start when the hostess of the evening begins eating.
  
  
• 2). Begin a topic of conversation at the start of the evening. Your leadership in directing conversation can greatly enhance the evening. It may take some planning to know what to speak about. Depending on the event, you may even have assigned speakers for the evening.
  
  
• 3). Make sure that any entertainment is properly carried out. For some events, it may be a live band. During a formal dinner at home you may want to have the remote control for the stereo next to you the entire evening.
  
  
• 4). Ensure that each guest has something to drink, in addition to water if they want it. Often, this duty is performed by the host at small private dinners. And, make sure that the guest's drinks are attended to throughout the entire evening.
  
  
• 5). Compliment the dishes served when it is appropriate. This is a great way to lead the other guests at thanking those providing the event for all of their hard work.
  
  

Attending to Exiting Guests

• 1). Rise from the table and escort the guests to the door at the end of the evening. This gives them a sense of appreciation for coming to your dinner.
  
  
• 2). Make sure they have their belongings, including any coats, purses or umbrellas.
  
  
• 3). See them to the door or to their car and thank them for coming. If appropriate, tell them that you would love to have them come again sometime in the future.
  
  

Attending to the Service Crew at the End of the Event

• 1). Make sure that all of the areas of the dining hall and kitchen are properly cleaned and returned to their former state. Your direction and special care for the facility may prompt those providing the formal dinner (even your family) to do it again.
  
  
• 2). Thank all of those who served at the event for their hard work.
  
  
• 3). Be the last individual to leave the event. Your responsibility as the host ends when everything is finished.