Martha Chartreuse: XOXO {{Potluck Style}}

As previously mentioned, my roommate and I hosted a Valentine's Day Potluck for some of our lady friends. While we knew it would be fun, the gathering really exceeded our expectations! The entire event was very easy to host; the prep work was minimal, hosting was a snap, and clean up was a breeze. So easy that I was able to snap dozens of photos. Yes, dozens!!! Not red or long stemmed, but still magical!

The Spread

I followed five simple steps to make sure everything went smoothly, ensured I could be present during the party, and still felt very special!

The Guest List

Think about what you would like your party to "feel" like. Do you want your guests to have deeply philosophical and reflective conversation? Would you prefer everyone have tears rolling down their faces from laughter? Would you like to connect a few people from certain circles?

We knew we wanted to have a group of funny, bright, and light-hearted ladies

Communication

Since it was a smaller group and we pulled this event together very last minute we used the classic invite service: Group Text! We asked everyone to bring two appetizers and one bottle of wine or champagne. In the initial Text-Vitation we asked everyone to please share if they had any dietary restrictions and to let everyone know what they would be bringing. This ensured everyone was able to eat a majority of the options and a variety of options.

Decorations

Knowing I didn't want to put much energy or effort into the decor I turned to my hall closet. I used leftover tissue paper from the dollar store and the remaining X's and O's from my holiday garland to style the table! I added a fresh bouquet of flowers to the table and lit all of my candles.

Voila! Festive and easy!

The Hardware

When hosting a potluck, be certain to provide the hardware: glasses, plates, silverware, service ware, napkins, etc. I like to lay everything out before guests arrive and earmark my service ware for specific dishes. This will allow for easy plating and makes sure your guests always feel comfortable. If you have any uniquely stored pieces that are hard to get to have those set out beforehand.

Timing

It is highly probable that your guests will need to do some last minute assembly or prep once they arrive at your home. Be sure to have all of your cooking, cleaning and prep taken care of before guests arrive. This way the kitchen will not be crowded, things can move smoothly, and, no one will feel stress.

The Bites