In an effort to entertain more often and keep things simpler I have learned a few things along the way:

1. Give your guests plenty of notice. Forgo the fussy paper invitations and send out a quick evite or email a few weeks ahead. I have learned if you want people to come you need to give them plenty of advanced notice so they can check their schedules and make babysitting arrangements. Also, I have found people systematically do not R.S.V.P to my paper invitations and it just drives me batty! Even for my wedding I found myself calling people to see if they were coming or not. It is one of my biggest pet peeves!

2. Keep the menu straightforward but fun. I have a tendency to try new recipes whenever I have people over. I know I should probably stick with tried and true recipes, but there is something about having people over which entices me to try new things. For my Spring brunch, I had decided I wanted to make baked eggs (which I never had before) and coffee cake so I asked my guests bring fresh fruit, a fancy drink and dessert while I rounded out the menu with roasted asparagus and sautéed brussels sprouts.

3. Your guests are coming for you, not your food, not your decorations and not your home. It has taken me several years to figure out the amount of time I spend on an event has no bearing on how much fun I have at it. It has also taken me years to be okay with the fact I will probably never live in a place which is ideal for entertaining. There will never be enough chairs, a big enough table or enough room for guests to move around. However, in all my years of hosting people I have never heard someone grumble about any of these factors.

4. When the meal is a team effort there is built in comradery amongst guests, especially if they do not know each other well. I wished I was a little more laid back and allowed my guests to help cook the meal, but with having to entertain a toddler on the side this proves to be too much without help. I have often considered hiring a catering to do the food for me on bigger events because I do not want the amount of work required to ever deter me from having people over.

5. Invest in the basics. Pink or gray might be tempting for dinner plates, but I have always been happy with my decision to stick primarily to white dishes. With a colorful napkin or a festive salad plate they are the workhorse of every meal and party I host.

6. Highlight your strengths. If you like to cook wow your guests with your talents, but if you don't have confidence in the kitchen ask for help, hire someone who does or distract them with great conversation and beautiful decor. Whatever your strengths are focus your time and energy on that.

7. Go the extra mile. Calligraphy a name place card, wrap up a homemade treat or make little corsages for each guest. By keeping a party small you are able to focus on personalization and make every guest feel special.

8. Mix things up. If you do something for one event don't feel like you have to do it for every event. Often I do name place cards, but this last time I did not. Instead, this time I gave little air plants to each of my guests. They were interesting, fit the color palette and were low maintenance gifts to give.