"There's always an excuse for a dinner party - whether that's a birthday, holiday, or an "Only Murders in the Building" finale. While the best part of the gathering are the people invited and the memories you make, both of those things depend greatly on the time of the dinner party itself. After all, the only way to ensure all of the people you want to see and connect with actually make it to the table is by choosing a time that accommodates everyone."
""I try not to start a party too early, but I do start it early enough that people don't have to get home at like one in the morning and feel like it took up half their day," she said in an interview with DuJour. According to Lakshmi, late afternoon to early evening is ideal. For some, this might be 4 p.m., while for others this might be around 6 p.m."
Choose late afternoon to early evening for dinner parties to accommodate guests' schedules, often between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. Start early enough to avoid guests getting home very late but not so early that it consumes their day. Expect guests to arrive 30 minutes to an hour late and communicate the event type—formal sit-down or cocktail—so guests understand punctuality expectations. Welcome children when appropriate and plan timing around school and extracurricular obligations, ensuring the event is late enough for homework yet early enough for family routines. Adjust day of week and start time based on anticipated guests' needs.
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