Stress-Free Holiday Party Planning Tips

If there is one thing you remember this holiday season it is that YOU are the party planner and your guests will never know what final decisions you make about appetizers, design elements and decor. To make your party planning simple, stress-free and economical this holiday season, adhear to tips by Dallas' finest event retailers who can supply you with all your party essentials.

When are light hors d'ourves appropriate?

If your party allows guests to eat dinner before or after (6-8pm, 8-10pm) light hors d'oeuvres are appropriate. This can include bit sized options like canapés or stuffed cherry tomatoes or platters like fruit, cheese or crudite. Assume 2-3 pieces per person per hour.

When are heavy hors d'oeuvres appropriate?

If your party extends through dinner time, you are feeding people a meal whether you mean to or not! heavy hors d'oeuvres are appropriate...items like mini tenderloin sandwiches, cocktail shrimp, chicken satays, mni crabcakes, etc. Assume 4-5 pieces per person per hour.

Ideas to "dress up" standard appetizers for parties:

• Use shot glasses and martini glasses. Serve a shrimp with cocktail sauce in the bottom of a shot glass. Or cut vegetables and put in a shot glass with ranch on the bottom. Martini glasses are great for mashed potatoes, green salads, ceviche, chicken salad, etc.
• Let people customize with a "bar." Purchase unfrosted cupcakes, a few frostings, sprinkles, and crush up a few candy bars for a "build your own cupcake bar". Purchase blocks of 4 kinds of chocolate and let people chisel off their own chunks for a chocolate bar. Bars are a fun way to feed people AND keep them entertained.

With Thanksgiving in mind, Crush Wines Dallas provides expert tips by Sommeliers from around the country that will pair well with game such as turkey and all the holiday trimmings and side dishes.

For red wine selections, the best wine choice for your menu is a high acid, low-tannin Pinot Noir, with bright cherry and cranberry flavors over rich spices, which will do right by almost all the exuberant side dishes a turkey requires. Beyond Pinot Noir, a Grenache / Syrah blend can be a good choice for a red wine. If you would like to serve a Cabernet, be cautious since this wine is generally too tart and high in tannins which will not match well with turkey. A lower alcohol Zinfandel would be a better choice than a Cabernet or lighter red wine.

For white wine selections, Chardonnay might be the last wine you might pick for Thanksgiving dinner. Normally you could defend the "I'll drink what I like no matter what's on the table" approach on principle; you're sure to enjoy at least part of the experience that way. But the trouble with applying it to Thanksgiving is that there's just so much on the table - herb infused gravy, tangy cranberry sauce, savory dressing, and sweet potatoes are sweet even without marshmallows. All of these side dishes will kill an oaky Chardonnay, even if it could stand tall with bare turkey. White wines with a little residual sugar may be your best friend friend this Thanksgiving such as a Riesling. But whether adding a white wine or red wine to your holiday wine list, it must be fruity to pair well with Thanksgiving well known protein of choice - Turkey.

Finally, sparklers are the most versatile pour of all, with bubbles carrying acidity and underlying fruit. It can be served as a starter and throughout the holiday meal.

Sommeliers generally agree that above all, for your family at Thanksgiving, the wines shouldn't be intimidating. This isn't the time to pull out an esoteric bottle calculated to impress. Better to bring out something familiar, yummy, and whimsical enough that your dotty Aunt Kathy will appreciate it, but thoughtful enough that anyone who really loves wine will be satisfied. It is always best to consult your local wine shop consultant or Sommelier to answer all your questions about a specific wine and how it would pair with your holiday menu.

Some "value priced" wines for entertaining this holiday season:

• Gruet Brut Sparkling Wine
• Clean Slate Riesling
• Le Grand Pinot Noir
• Razor's Edge Grenache / Syrah

• Purchase many elegant and contemporary pieces to create your floral designs from places like Michaels and Hobby Lobby
• Lily bowls are a quick, easy way to create a beautiful centerpiece--simply float flowers and candles for a simple but elegant table centerpiece
• Adding submersible LED lights to a holiday arrangement is a great way to get that "WOW" factor for floral arrangements
• Pave'--low evenly placed flowers--are a very elegant and contemporary look that is popular in floral design. Use your imagination to create wonderful designs using this style
• Embellish floral arrangements with ribbons and accesories to give a holiday "gift box" look to floral designs

Did you know that renting your holiday essentials is more economic than buying and using once! You don't need to plan a large tent party to use rentals. This holiday season use tips for rentals that will transform your home for the holidays:

• Redecorate your home with the addition of a theme: colored linens, candles, napkins and bath soap can change the feel of your home for any party
• Don't be stuck on red & green for the holidays. The colors of the holidays are bright and festive: royalty purple, emerald green, and azure blue will make your designs "POP" and "WOW"
• Have your event planner schedule your rental items. Make rentals simple by planning your rentals with your caterer in order to coordinate your menu with design concepts

Do you have time this holiday season to clean house, arrange furniture, design your focal areas all at the same time of planning your holiday party? Make your life easier and stress-free by hosting your party at an event venue such as a fine art gallery or classy restaurants.

What to look for when selecting your event venue:

• Proximity to the origination and destination of your party guests - Don't plan your party 45 min or more from event guests' homes as they do need to go home after the party
• Know the number of invited guests vs. exptected guests - You don't want to select a venue too large for your crowd or too small that you cannot handle the number of RSVPs
• Event rental services - Some event rentals offer the ability to schedule all your party needs from catering and florals to valet and security services. Note that working with one person can save you time and hassel which saves your sanity and sometimes event cost