Hi, friends, Catherine here. Today I am so happy to bring you a guest post by my friend Thallen Brassel of Etichat.com! Thallen is half of a Nashville-based lawyer/entrepreneur power couple that I had the pleasure of meeting in law school. And by that I don’t mean that one of them is a lawyer and the other is an entrepreneur. I mean they are both lawyers, business owners, and most importantly, parents to two little Southern gentlemen. I was so excited when I heard that Thallen had started a modern etiquette blog and company, because I can’t imagine anyone more qualified to give advice on the subject! Thallen is always on point, which just makes her a delight to be around. While I don’t know how she does it all, I’m sure glad she’s sharing her secrets with the rest of us. Without further ado, here are her best tips for being a perfect party guest!
Hi there! I’m Thallen, and I’m so happy to collaborate with Catherine by writing a guest post on Classic Catherine today. I’m sure if you’re reading this, you’re as big a fan of Catherine as I am. We met through my husband when they were in law school together, and we’ve been friends for several years now. I’ve had the absolute good fortune to attend a few of Catherine’s parties over the years, and boy does she know how to throw a memorable event! She has flawless taste and impeccable attention to detail. Her events are, dare I say, perfect! And quite frankly, being invited to a perfect party made me step up my game to become a perfect party guest.
In this post, I share my etiquette tips to help you become a more desirable party guest. It’s taken many years of party-going to curate this list, so I’m certain that these tips will move you to the very top of everyone’s guest list!
Follow Instructions
From the RSVP to the dress code, the hostess may give you specific instructions to follow. It is imperative for the perfect party guest to follow instructions to a tee to minimize headaches for the hostess. It may not seem like a big deal to text an RSVP, but if your hostess asked you email instead, then it is best to correspond with her in the manner suggested.
Offer to Help
A genuine offer to help is always appreciated. Make a quick call to the hostess a few days before the event to express your excitement to attend, and couple your sentiments with an offer to help. For instance, you may suggest that you help with last minute errands or that you arrive early to help set up. Although most good hostesses will politely decline your offer, they will appreciate knowing that you are available and willing to help.
Bring a Gift
A small token of your appreciation for the hostess is always appropriate when attending a party. Many make the faux pas of bringing an item of food or drink for other guests to share. I would caution against this because you never want to overstep the hostess’ menu. Instead, bring something that the hostess can enjoy on her own after the guests leave. A few good examples are a nice box of chocolates, a scented candle or custom stationery.
Don’t Be Shy
The biggest concern of a hostess is always that her guests are having fun. The conundrum is that, unfortunately, this cannot be her only concern. Why? Because there are always a million fires to put out behind the scenes. This is your chance to shine as the perfect party guest. While the hostess is busy replenishing the cheese and crackers, take the opportunity to put on a smile and mingle with the other guests. Your hostess will be more than pleased to see that her guests are engaged and having a delightful time.
Say “Thank You”
Saying thank you to the hostess garners lots of credit in the “perfect guest” department. While most guests will offer a cursory thank you at the end of the event, the perfect guest will go a step beyond to also offer a handwritten or telephoned thank you the following day. This personalized thank you not only shows your gratitude, but also demonstrates your willingness to sacrifice a bit of your own time to acknowledge the time and effort of your hostess.
With these tips, you are now well-equipped to showcase your skills as the perfect party guest. Happy partying!
Many thanks to Catherine for having me here today! Head over to my blog to read her guest post on Hosting at Home. Also, check out these party-related posts on my blog:
How to Properly RSVP to a Party
How to Throw the Perfect Party
Quick and Easy Etiquette to Choose the Proper Silverware
Be sure to check out my guest post on Thallen’s blog today! Also, keep up with Thallen by following her on Instagram here, liking her Facebook page here, and following along with Etichat.com!
