COOKING UP A STORM: FIONA MANINI

Tips from the Star of the Kitchen for a stellar party

Party planner extraordinaire, Fiona Manini, has been whipping up fabulous parties in the luxury world of fashion for over 20 years. Today, she heads her family run trattoria - CASA MANINI known for its hearty beef lasagne, fresh squid ink carpaccio and silky-smooth gnocchi with gorgonzola and prosciutto.

Here are the 6 tips from the pro on how to prepare a stellar party for the holiday season.

Featured style on Fiona: 9381-S1 Almond Laser Cut-Out Slingback Heels

TIPS FOR A TOP-NOTCH PARTY

Tip 1: Emotions are the life of the party

• Create the right atmosphere to bring in the right mood for your guests. 

• Ensure you have catered sufficient space for the number of guests on your RSVP to mingle.

Tip 2: Send out invites two weeks in advance

• Send out your RSVPs at least two weeks ahead to give everyone ample time to respond.

• Make a courtesy call to give a heads-up on your party plan.

Tip 3: Personalise the experience

 
• Pay attention to the little details and take note of special dietary requests of your guests.

• Personalise the dishes when required. Your guests will be singing your praises. 

• Take note of what they would like to drink – sparkling wine, red wine or craft beers and cater for those.

Tip 4: Mix and match the guest list

• Know the characteristics of your invited guests. A good guest list includes a mix of talkers, listeners, and people with similar and different interests.

• Ensure a good mix to bring the party to life – the dress queens, those who can create conversations and break the ice, those that are natural party animals and those cool cats that need a bit more coaxing to loosen up.

• Recognise your guests’ traits and pair people who can gel.

Tip 5: Be spontaneous with the menu

When it comes to a home party, we’re not talking about a Michelin star experience. We’re talking about a menu for family and friends.

• Make it extra special – Fiona once whipped up a mean seafood quinoa paella that went down very well—it was wiped out! So, the next time her friends came, she made sure that dish was there. They will only get to eat it at Fiona’s house and that makes it special. 

Tip 6: Embrace flower power

• Always use fresh flowers to create a DIY large centrepiece on the dining table. Arrange your own flowers for a personal touch.

• Even when moved, it livens up the whole space

Tip 7: Use handcrafted details to jazz up the table

• Use handcrafted objects to enhance the table setting but make sure the table traffic is clear for guests to conveniently reach out for the dishes.

• Show a bit of personality by adding unusual handcraft details on the table.

• Consider styling your own drinks for the guests.

Tip 8: Gifts are best shared

• Sharing gifts make guests feel like party of the family.

• Encourage guests to openly share their gifts that add variety to the party. When gifted a nice bottle of wine or unusual beer, open it for everyone to have a chance to taste.

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