Saturday in Bham

Jenna Saturday is the CEO and Creative Director for Saturday Gourmet.

$10 and your closest friends = a great time and memories

There is much to be thankful for in spite of our economic climate.  A great way to help you on your way to the fine vibe resembling slight euphoria is to invite others to do the same.  Studies show that relationships bonded via fellowship have a nurturing and cathartic affect.  But fellowshipping this day in age doesn’t tend to come on a budget… not a recession-friendly budget, anyway.  For those of you like me – desiring to make positive financial decisions and not be a hermit – here’s what I have discovered: you can have a swanky soiree with friends, only spend around $10 and do it in style.

Case in point:  I wanted to host a glamorous get together with a few good friends without breaking the bank.  Read my tips below to see that all you have to do is round up a few fabulous friends and ten dollars each for recession proof entertaining of your own.

Determine your guest list – I like to start a guest list with a core of 5 or so of my closest friends with common interests to ensure the party would not become stale, branching from there to include all the people I wanted to connect and re-connect with.

Design your menu – For my budget friendly bash I asked everyone to take part by bringing an item from a menu I designed.  I chose cuisine that suited all of us… Indian was the winner this round.  Each item costs ten dollars or less to create.

Choose a low cost location - As host, I kept it easy and voted for our place. Enlist a friend to co-host.  Mine was my husband, Chef Aaron.  Be sure to be mindful of your day and time even when hosting an event in your home.  Wednesday or Thursday around 6:30pm tends to be the best day for a gathering.

Send an eco-invite – I designed an invitation and send it via email to my guests.  I spent zilch on paper, ink or postage, saved time and the recipients received the invitation within minutes of sending.  Free email invitation templates abound via Mac.mail, Evite, etc… (*Although I’m usually a stickler for etiquette rules a la etiquette master Emily Post, my guest list comprised of close friends allowed me to forego the typically required formality of a traditional invitation.)

Prepare your space – Our house wouldn’t survive the white glove test.  It’s a crazy, busy world.  If you find yourself agreeing, consider what I did in preparation for my guests – make sure the areas guests will most likely gather is very clean and the lighting is inviting.  There’s no need to stress over areas such as bedrooms and kid corners if those areas have doors that can be closed or are out of sight from common areas.  Ambient lighting in lower voltage coming from several plains or surfaces and none coming directly from the ceiling is very comfortable and inviting.  Try to highlight your focal points such as art or a sculpture, the food and a gathering nook for added interest.

Pamper your guests – 30 minutes before guests arrived, Chef Aaron and I plated the food and serving pieces and viola: there was enough time to pour a fabulous red with minutes to spare.  Make sure you aren’t still preparing when your guests arrive.  This is key as the host sets the tone and should be relaxed and ready to welcome guests and make them feel comfortable.  When guests arrived, we took their entrees and coats in exchange for their preferred beverage.

Enjoy, experiment and send comments and questions to Jenna @ jennasaturday@thesaturdaygourmet.com – they are always welcome!