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How to get your dinner party off to the right start

Maureen Petrosky shares smart, easy and actionable tips for how to set the mood for your dinner party from the moment your guests arrive.
/ Source: TODAY

Have you ever been to a dinner party where you're just B-O-R-E-D out of your mind? Like you'd prefer to be at home combing your cat's hair—and you don't even own a cat!

Group Of Friends Enjoying Outdoor Dinner Party
Group Of Friends Enjoying Outdoor Dinner PartyShutterstock

Chances are that your hosts just didn't know how to get the party started right, so it was doomed to be a flop from the beginning. That wasn't the plan, of course, but there's an art to throwing a super fun shindig and it all starts the moment your guests set foot through the door.

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You'll never (ever!) make a mistake like that because TODAY Food's got you covered.

Here's the thing: it isn't really what you serve to guests that matters. If all you've got time to pull together is a case of beer, a couple of bottles of wine, a block of cheese and a sleeve of crackers, you can still make it a night to remember. It's all about your approach to making everyone feel relaxed and special.

Check out this video from TODAY Food's new series Anatomy of a Dinner Party with entertaining guru Maureen Petrosky sharing smart, easy and actionable tips for how to set the mood for your dinner party from the moment your guests arrive.