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Hosting a Party Soon? Here Are Martha Stewart’s 7 Tips to Make It a Success
Plus 18 products we think help set the scene.
Spring is here, and you know what that means: It's lifestyle innovator Martha Stewart's time to shine. The entrepreneur, author, cook, gardener, TV show host, you name it, is at it again—collaborating with her friend and business partner Snoop Dogg on a new exclusive experience for fans—if they're lucky.
Stewart and Snoop have partnered with BIC to promote the new BIC EZ Reach Lighter, the perfect handheld lighter for sparking up candles, stoves, and yes, joints. To celebrate the launch, the pair have curated a special dinner menu for the BIC EZ Reach Supper Club with SWED, a small ticketed event on Thursday, April 17 in West Hollywood, California, where guests will enjoy delicious food inspired by Stewart and Snoop's unique personalities, drink cannabis-infused mocktails, and of course, peep the new lighters—which have designs for both Stewart (wood, marble, and stone-looking handles) and Snoop (handles that look like him!).
In honor of the event, we spoke with the party-hosting queen herself. Keep reading for Stewart's top tips for throwing the perfect spring and summer bash—plus our favorite products that will be a perfect fit for the occasion
Martha Stewart's 7 party-hosting tips to keep in mind this season
When Stewart's not joining efforts with Snoop (like on their TV show Martha and Snoop's Potluck Potluck Party Challenge, at the Olympics, or on other brand partnerships), she's returning to her iconic party-planning, cooking, and lifestyle-influencing roots.
Here are some of her strategies for hosting a successful party in spring and summertime, and products we think go perfectly with her light and airy theme.
1. Take it outside if you can
As the weather starts to warm up and get sunnier, Stewart loves to host her gathering outdoors. "Right now, I'm planning my Easter lunch," she says. "The weather has been so crazy, and it could be an indoor lunch, but I want people to be outside enjoying the flowers that are starting to bloom and the grass that's turning green." She adds that California is having what she calls "pre-spring," aka the perfect opportunity to get outside.
If you don't already have flowers in bloom, consider this your chance to take up gardening and plant some. Even if you don't have a green thumb, you can purchase plants already in bloom at your local plant or hardware store, and enlist the help of a quality toolkit and Martha Stewart's Gardening Handbook ($8). Set the scene with some new outdoor furniture and you're ready for a party. Here's what you'll need:
2. Stick with seasonal foods
This time of year usually calls for light and vibrant-flavored meals filled with seasonal produce. For this reason, Stewart plans to make "gorgeous springtime food" at her Easter gathering, including freshly sauteéd asparagus and artichokes, premium cuts of lamb and ham, and a generous helping of potatoes, which you can prepare in so many ways. She'll top it off with "pretty desserts in the shape of rabbits, chickens, and hens, and that's about it!" (Sounds delish, if you ask me.)
And while not an admitted chocoholic, Stewart loves to spoil her guests by ordering unique fine chocolates, from places like Jacques Torres Chocolate and Mast Market Organic Chocolate in New York City. She also enjoys baking with Guittard Bittersweet Baking Chocolate ($7).
For the perfect meal, try making a roast in a sturdy Dutch oven, baking treats with spring-themed cookie cutters—like these Chick Cookie Cutters from Sur La Table ($3)—and displaying your creations on a dessert stand and platter. Consider these options:
3. Make it fun for everyone
As a mother and grandmother, Stewart takes family gatherings seriously. While not every event will be for the whole family, or kids specifically, it's important to include a variety of activities and options at your gathering that make it fun for everyone. "I like to have an Easter egg hunt, although my grandchildren tell me that they're too old; they're 13 and 14," says Stewart. "But I say you're never too old to have an Easter egg hunt ever. Maybe they'll hide the eggs for me."
If you're doing an Easter or springtime party, a classic egg or scavenger hunt is in order. But there are also outdoor games like corn hole that everyone—kid or adult—can enjoy. Check out some of these options:
4. Curate your guest list—and know who's exactly at the table
One of Stewart's no. 1 hosting rules? "Know your guests if you possibly can, and arrange your tables so that people who go well together [sit] together," she says and jokingly adds, "Don't put known enemies together, or even invite known enemies to your party, either."
To ensure your guests hit it off, try putting customized place cards at each table setting, like these Wildflower Place Card Templates on Etsy ($4), and perch them on a place card holder. Then watch the conversation flow. Here's another option that's perfect for Easter:
5. Stick to a theme
To make gathering decorations for your party a little easier, stick with a common theme. This could be a set of colors, designs, events, or pop-culture moments—it's totally up to you. "I have a library for every holiday, so I can borrow decor for the tables" and around the house, Stewart says. But if you can't stow away an entire library of decorations, keeping a few timeless, durable pieces on hand is still helpful—next time you're given hosting responsibilities.
For spring, Stewart recommends picking out linens and plates from the Martha Stewart Home Collection, which come in all sorts of bright, pastel, and even floral patterns. Also, her series of placemats in collaboration with the brand Chilewich. "I love using these outdoors on the beautiful tables on my terrace," she adds. Here are more of our favorite Martha Stewart pieces:
6. Prepare and be organized
"I think the most important thing is to be organized," says Stewart. This is true for most things in life, but it's especially important for throwing a party. Preparation is key: for example, you'll want to know when and how to place your decorations, whether to send out RSVPs to guests, and "to have enough food without being wasteful," says Stewart.
To help yourself stay on task, get a weekly or monthly planner with a calendar and space to write to-do lists. That way, all your event details are laid out in one spot. You can even keep order confirmation numbers, receipts, and guest lists tucked away in it, too. We like this one:
7. Keep yourself in mind, too
To be on top of your party-hosting game, it's important to keep your own wellness and self-care in mind. For Stewart, that means exercising, eating a balanced diet, and keeping busy. And the most important thing in her book: "Be interested in what you're doing," she says. "Passion is very important for keeping going."
Now go forth, and let that Martha Stewart hosting magic be with you!
To purchase tickets for the BIC EZ Light Supper Club with SWED event, RSVP here by Thursday, April 10. Tickets are available on a first-come, first-serve basis. The event itself will take place on Thursday, April 17 at 7715 Santa Monica Blvd 2nd Floor West Hollywood, CA 90046.
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