For many of us, half the fun of party planning is deciding on a theme. If you’re looking for a sophisticated evening, we suggest that you ask people to dress fancy, rather than encouraging fancy dress. Here's how to plan a black tie dinner party that oozes class.

Send out the party invitations!

First thing’s first: people need to know that you’re hosting a party. They need to know where, when, why and what to wear. We recommend a personalised Black Tie Party Invitation. Make sure you invite people several weeks prior to the event, as they may need time to get their outfits together.

Decorations

A black tie affair calls for candles and floral centrepieces rather than colourful balloons and streamers. That’s not to say that balloons are off the menu – we’ve seen venues decorated beautifully with matt black and white balloons. If you want to keep your table decorations simple yet classy, we suggest glasses of varied heights filled with white and black pebbles, with candles set in the centre.

Music

Choosing music for a black tie event can be difficult – you don’t want to put your guests to sleep, but it may well be that your usual musical tastes would be quite inappropriate. We can’t recommend jazz highly enough, while swing is sure to make you feel as sophisticated as you should at a black tie event.

The menu

Of course, the main event at a dinner party is the meal itself. When your guests RSVP, remember to ask if they have any allergies or intolerances – this will allow you to plan your menu without leaving anyone hungry. If you’re set on serving a particular dish, let’s say boeuf en croute, which includes gluten, a relatively common allergen, you can easily make a separate portion for anyone who cannot eat the pastry.

Drinks

A champagne reception is a great way of starting such an evening, allowing people to mingle before they eat, while a sophisticated cheese board with paired wine can make a perfect finale. Impress designated drivers and other teetotallers with homemade hibiscus and Earl Grey iced tea or herb infused lemonade. Make sure that you have plenty of ice on hand the night before, particularly if you’re making it yourself.