How do you entertain without stress? For most of us, entertaining and stress go hand-in-hand. We put pressure on ourselves to create the ‘perfect’ experience for our guests often leaving you, the host, stressed. After spending more than a decade as a wedding and event planner, I can tell you that your guests are not going to look back and fondly remember how clean your house was or what your centerpieces looked like. What they are going to remember are the laughs shared around the table, the funny stories shared between friends and the late night dance party that broke out after the last bottle of wine was opened.

Yes, the house being neat and the food being good do hold some level of importance. But a clean house and the best meal ever will not make for stress-free entertaining. If you are wondering how to entertain like a pro and make entertaining easier, here are the top tips I have learned from years of hosting.

#1 - Keep it simple

Simplicity is key to effortless entertaining. One of the biggest mistakes we can make is trying to do too much. Your menu doesn’t have to be as big as a restaurant or your decor as intricate as a wedding. For decor, I usually opt for fresh flowers in the center of the table and candles in the winter months. My go-to simple option is a vase full of white hydrangeas -no greenery or filler, just hydrangeas. Its beautiful and quick. As for the menu, I encourage you to pair it down. I always think of menu in terms of what I would make if it were just my family and I. If we’re having people over to grill out, I’ll throw veggies on the grill and potatoes in the oven with a pre-made appetizer out when guests arrive. If we’re making pizzas, I’ll skip the salad and apps and have the pizza oven fired up before they arrive. Remember that simplicity is key!

#2 - Do what you can in advance

Before having guests over, make a list of what needs to get done. Start tackling those tasks earlier in the week. Spend five minutes a day picking up clutter and save surface cleaning for party day. Pick up anything you need from the grocery store earlier in the week. Chances are, most of the tasks on your list can be accomplished in advance saving you time and stress the day you are having guests over.

#3 - Buy pre-made

The grocery store is full of delicious items that you don’t have to cook. Similarly, local restaurants are happy for you to pick up dishes. Buying pre-made items is one of the easiest ways to cut down on stress (and dishes) when entertaining. Some of my go-to pre-made items for entertaining are burrata cheese (serve with arugula and ciabatta), hummus, and Trader Joe’s pesto. I also love picking up the makings for a taco bar from a local Mexican restaurant. No one is going to care if you made the sauce from scratch or picked it up from the store and they’re less likely to know the difference unless you tell them!

#4 - Always turn on music

Music is a great way to fill lulls in conversation and sets a great background. Plus, it’s awkward to walk into a silent home. Certain songs can also evoke memories for guests sparking story time and continued conversation. Play what you like and let guests take turns picking songs to play next.

#5 - Make it interactive

This is one of my go-to entertaining tricks. An interactive menu takes the pressure off having to time dinner and keeps you out of the kitchen while guests are there. When entertaining for almost any occasion, we will opt for a partial or fully interactive menu. Some of our go-to’s including putting something on the grill (or smoker), making homemade pizzas and having an oyster roast.

#6 - Start with an empty dishwasher

Always start a party with an empty dishwasher. Clean-up will be a much more enjoyable process if you can throw everything into the dishwasher after dinner and hit start.

#7 - Remember it’s all about your attitude

One of the biggest keys to stress-free entertaining is remember that it’s all about your attitude. If you have the mindset going in that you’re going to be stressed, then you will be. Remind yourself that no one will remember what your centerpieces looked like (or if you even had any) or if you made the most epic dinner from scratch. But what they will remember is how you made them feel. They will remember how present and engaging you were. If you go in with the attitude that this will be fun, then it will be.