When you
move to Paris, you'll realize that hosting soirées is common. You may think that it's just something they do in movies set in Paris, but not. Parisians love inviting people over and hosting them in their own homes. You might want to do it yourself! And if you do, learn the proper etiquette for soirées first. Set the tone right away with your invitation. Know what food to put out and drinks to serve. Check on even the most minute details to ensure that everyone has a great time. These and more are great tips to follow when hosting a soirée in Paris.
The Invites Set The Tone
Although soirées are typically fancy parties held in a private home, it's a bit more complex than that. A well-planned and extravagant cocktail party is as much a soirée as a chill hang-out with snacks and drinks. It doesn't always have to be fancy, but since you're in
Paris, it helps that you are. Nevertheless, your guests will know the tone and vibe of the soirée with your invitation. Handing out actual invites denotes a more sophisticated gathering. Making an event on Facebook, for example, keeps it in the middle. And if you simply send a text to your guests, that'll tell them that the soirée will be more chill and relaxed.
Expect to Meet New People
Remember that you're in Paris, home to millions of residents. If you host a soirée in this diverse metropolis, expect to have more guests than you initially planned for. Though this would usually be regarded as rude, it's quite common in the French capital. People will bring others that they know and use the soirée as a chance to introduce them to you. Who knows? That person might just end up as your new best friend! Perhaps even your new significant other. In any case, instead of berating your guest for bringing someone you don't know, consider following the
French social custom of welcoming them anyway with a kiss on each cheek.
Prepare Your Home
Even if you have the perfect
Paris luxury apartment for soirées, it pays to spruce it up for the occasion. Clean the space, put up some decorations, and bring out the fine china! The difference, no matter how small, goes a long way. Not only will you impress your guests with a chic residence, but they'll also appreciate the effort you exerted for the event. Many Parisians tend to get lazy in this aspect since many
luxury apartments in Paris are already beautiful to begin with. Going the extra mile—which really isn't that extra!—matters a lot!
Dress to Impress
As you dress up your apartment for your soirée in Paris, don't forget to dress up yourself! Again, don't think that because you'll host the soirée in your own space, you can just wear whatever you want. If you thought Parisians were judgmental with people's homes, they're even more so with people's outfits. The world doesn't regard Paris as the fashion capital of the world for nothing. Your guests aren't exactly expecting you to wear
haute couture, but don't just wear athleisure or your pajamas. Even if it's a chill soirée, a smart casual outfit will do wonders.
Serve Finger Food
Soirées aren't galas or formal dinners. Some soirées are as elegant as a ball, but in essence, soirées are gatherings usually held in a person's home. So in terms of food, you don't always have to go all out. Finger food is enough to feed your guests without wasting too much food. A charcuterie board with all sorts of
French cheeses, crackers, berries, and cold cuts is more than enough. Finger sandwiches and tapas will work well too. And of course, don't forget the desserts! Parisians are notorious for their sweet tooths. There are many places where you can get the tastiest pastries, cakes, cookies, and
macarons in Paris. Start there!
Don't Forget The Wine!
If there's one thing your soirée truly should have, it's wine! The French love wine! They probably like drinking it more than water. So if you're gonna host a soirée in Paris, make sure to have enough wine. At times, it's even better to have more wine than food. Soirées are typically cocktail parties and most guests attend them for the drinks, not the food. Also, it's fairly common for guests to bring bottles and when they do, don't be afraid to pop open some if the drinks run out.
Keep The Music Low
Soirées are house parties in Paris. And what does a house party usually have? Music! Set the vibe and enhance the ambiance by playing music during your soirée. Just make sure it's low. Set it as loud enough for people to hear it but low enough so that your guests can still hear each other when they chat away. Don't forget that most Paris apartments are housed in tight complexes or Haussmann buildings. Playing loud music will disturb your neighbors and possibly get you in trouble. If you want to play EDM to get lit, then host your soirée in a club instead!
Plan Some Fun
Parisians have this reputation as snooty and stuck-up people who only want to go to sophisticated soirées and that's not entirely fair. Maybe a lot of locals are like that, but not all of them. It pays to add some fun to your soirées to make it extra memorable. If you know that your guests will enjoy them, why not plan some games? Bring out the board games or go online and see what party games you can include in your soirée. You'd be surprised at how game Parisians are with these sorts of things!
Planning to host a soirée in Paris? Then follow these helpful tips! By dressing to impress and adding a bit of fun to your party, you're sure to put on an exciting event that your guests will remember for a long time!
