Entertaining Essentials Every Host Should Have

If you love to entertain, you know that great hosting isn’t really about “stuff,” but the thought and care you put into your gatherings.

That said, over the years, I’ve found a few pieces that really elevate the experience and make hosting so much easier (and we definitely shouldn’t underestimate the power of that!).

Today, I’m sharing my favorite entertaining essentials, curated through lots of gatherings and celebrations.

This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. (For more information, read my disclaimer). I only recommend products I truly love and use for hosting.

Let’s take a look!

Decor & Atmosphere

You want to set the stage from the moment people enter your home. Here are my go-to items for creating a warm, inviting atmosphere.

Ambiance & Styling

Creating ambiance is about more than aesthetics — it’s about how a space feels.

Music is one of the easiest ways to set the tone. I recommend having a Bluetooth speaker on hand (if you’re not a playlist person, Spotify’s curated playlists make it easy). We use the Echo Dot, which I love because you can link multiple Alexa devices and play the same music throughout the house.

Lighting a scented candle is another powerful way to contribute to the mood. It’s fun to choose seasonal scents (Target has great options), but my favorite year-round candle is the Anthropologie Capri Blue Volcano. 

Once you’ve covered sound and scent, it’s time to elevate your table.

Table linens, such as a table runner (I love this airy cheesecloth runner from Amazon) or a tablecloth, add texture and polish.

Cloth napkins aren’t always practical for large groups, but they really do elevate a gathering. I use cotton napkins (mine are from Crate & Barrel) because they’re absorbent and durable, paired with simple gold napkin rings (also from Crate & Barrel). Sometimes I swap in seasonal versions just for fun!

To bring life to the table, I always use bud vases with fresh or dried flowers. My vases are from Amazon. They’re inexpensive, versatile, and one of the best hosting investments I’ve made. The exact set I own is unavailable, but this similar set of 24 is nearly identical.

Fresh flowers are always delightful (I love baby’s breath since it’s inexpensive and easy), but I also use dried flowers seasonally. These fall dried stems are favorites, and I use some of them year-round (they last forever!).

Finally, placecards are a simple detail that makes gatherings feel intentional, whether you use them for seating arrangements or labeling food. I swear by these Avery name tents. You can handwrite them or print them at home using their easy templates.

Lighting

Now let’s talk about my favorite hosting topic: lighting!

I’m passionate about ambient lighting, especially for evening gatherings. It creates a cozy atmosphere and immediately softens a space.

Check out my full guide to using ambient lighting in your home if you’d like to learn more.

My rechargeable table lights have become one of my hosting necessities. They add a soft glow to the table and eliminate harsh overhead lighting. They’re USB-C powered, come in multiple finishes, and offer adjustable temperature settings.

I always use the warm setting, although for some reason, they switch to cool after about an hour. It’s a minor quirk, but we love them enough that resetting them is worth it (it’s even become a little ritual in our home that some of our frequent house guests participate in!).

Candles are another must-have. 

I love classic white taper candles (I usually order mine on Amazon) paired with candlesticks in varying heights for a timeless look. Sometimes I swap in seasonal colored candles! I mix taller gold holders with shorter ones to keep things visually interesting.

I also frequently use pillar candles in glass vases, especially for large parties or outdoor gatherings, since they’re a little less hazardous than tapers. We actually saved ours from our wedding, and the quality has been incredible — they’ve lasted for years and still look beautiful.

To make lighting candles easier, I use a rechargeable candle lighter that was a gift from my husband when we were dating. It’s surprisingly useful (just remember to keep it charged).

Battery-operated fairy lights are another one of my lighting hacks. They’re a simple way to add magic to a space, and the battery packs are so small that they’re easy to hide. 

Table & Serving Essentials

Now that we’ve set the stage, let’s talk about what your guests will actually use at the table.

Dinnerware

First, you’ll need a dinnerware set that you love, whether that’s your everyday set or something you pull out for special occasions.

My husband and I had our first wedding registry fight over whether we needed china. We compromised with Corelle for everyday use and a nicer porcelain set for entertaining, and honestly, it’s worked out perfectly. We use the porcelain far more often than we ever would have used traditional china.

I chose the Lenox Blue Bay Collection for its classic yet modern design. Although they’re technically dishwasher-safe, we handwash them to preserve the gold rim. It’s a bit of a hassle, but when you’re hosting, the dishwasher usually fills up anyway.

Chargers are another fun way to dress up your table, and they’re easy to store! I love my classic gold chargers, but you can mix and match different ones if you prefer a more eclectic look.

Hosting Tip: For large events where you don’t have enough dishes to serve everyone, I recommend purchasing a nicer set of disposable dishes as opposed to standard paper plates (there are plenty of elevated disposable options that still feel special).

Flatware

You’ll also want a flatware set you enjoy using for entertaining, whether that’s your everyday set or something a little more special.

My gold flatware set is beautiful but impractical for everyday use (I haven’t tried dishwashing it, but am fairly confident it would strip the gold fairly quickly), so we only pull it out on special occasions. 

It’s easy to handwash, but if you don’t dry it immediately, it can get water spots.

Since we don’t use our gold flatware every day, this utensil container keeps it organized and protected between uses.

Serveware

Between what you serve and what guests bring, having enough serveware is essential.

I use my Lenox Trianna Serving Set that matches my dishes constantly, along with a scalloped platter and bowl from Target. Over the years, I’ve also collected simple white bowls from various places. You can never have too many bowls when hosting!

I prefer classic white with gold accents for serveware, but everything doesn’t have to match perfectly. Sticking to a general color scheme keeps your table cohesive and saves you from repurchasing pieces in different colors for every event.

In addition to serving bowls and platters, you need plenty of serving utensils!

Tongs are highly underrated, since you can use them for salad, pasta, chips, and more! I keep both sizes of gold tongs from Crate & Barrel on hand.

Serving spoons and forks are also incredibly useful. My gold set is from Target. 

Trivets are another hosting must-have, especially if your table is sensitive to heat. My cast-iron trivets have been fantastic — they’re no longer available, but these Amazon trivets are similar.

Lastly, you may want to consider a lazy susan, especially if you’re serving food family-style. Our marble lazy susan is from Target, and it’s both aesthetic and practical.

Glassware

Now, let’s move on to one of the prettiest elements on the table: glassware!

Most importantly, you’ll need some water and/or cocktail glasses. To save on storage, I use Crate & Barrel’s Aspen collection for both water and cocktails — I have the highball and double old-fashioned sizes.

Even if you’re not serving alcohol, I also recommend investing in some wine glasses, champagne flutes, or coupe glasses. You can serve any drink in them, and it just makes your event feel more festive. 

My gold-rimmed coupe glasses are from Amazon, and I use them all the time (they even make sparkling water seem special!).

Finally, it’s important to have some mugs on hand for after-dinner tea or coffee. You can match your dishes or curate an eclectic collection.

Bar & Beverage Setup

Now that the table is set, let’s talk about the bar and beverage entertaining essentials you’ll want on hand.

Beverage Serving Essentials

Elegant glassware is important, but you also need some items to serve your beverages.

First and foremost, I recommend having a large pitcher for water. My pitcher is from Crate & Barrel, and I’ve used it countless times. 

If you’re serving cocktails, mocktails, or some other kind of drink, you’ll also want to have a few carafes on hand. These can be glass or plastic, depending on the occasion (I keep both on hand for flexibility).

Finally, if you’re hosting a large event, consider investing in some large drink dispensers. I have these pretty beverage dispensers from Target. They’re not the highest quality and probably won’t last forever, but they’re inexpensive and have worked well for multiple large gatherings.

Bar Accessories

There are a few bar accessories that make hosting a lot simpler. Here are some of my favorites:

• Ice bucket & tongs
  • It’s important to have enough ice at parties — and for it to be easily accessible. I have two gold ice buckets from World Market that are beautiful and have great insulation.
• Large clear ice molds
  • If you really want to set your drinks apart, try out these large clear ice molds. (See my tutorial on how to make large clear ice cubes at home)
• Cocktail shaker 
  • If you like to make mixed drinks, a cocktail shaker is definitely a necessity! My gold shaker is from my Amazon wedding registry and has served me well over the years.
• Wine glass charms or markers
  • Telling drinks apart at events (large or small) is a big deal! I have a set of 50 gold wine charms (it might seem like a lot, but don’t underestimate the power of having enough unique charms!). My exact set is no longer available, but this Amazon set is similar.
  • For stemless glasses, I love these wine glass markers from Crate & Barrel.
• Coasters
  • Even for small gatherings, you need more coasters than you think (especially if you have a finicky wood table like me). I have several sets of these gold and marble coasters from Amazon. They’re excellent quality and are both functional and pretty.

Coffee & Tea Setup

I also recommend having a simple coffee and tea setup ready for after dinner.

You’ll need a hot water kettle. Ours is a Stagg since my husband is a bit of a coffee snob. It’s beautiful, though the narrow spout can be slightly annoying. Still, it’s supposedly ideal for making the best tea and coffee!

We love using our Aeropress XL for quick, delicious coffee. It doesn’t make large batches, but it’s perfect for small dinner parties.

Lastly, a beautiful teapot and matching cream and sugar containers make your hot beverage presentation feel intentional.

Food Presentation Essentials

We’ve covered the basics, but when it comes to entertaining, presentation is everything.

These are my favorite food presentation essentials for making dishes look beautiful with minimal effort.

Charcuterie Equipment

Charcuterie is the perfect appetizer for entertaining, since it’s classy and easy to scale for any group size.

I recommend having at least a couple of charcuterie boards on hand. My monogrammed serving board and marble platter are two of my go-to boards.

You’ll want more cheese knives than you think. My gold and marble knife set is from Amazon and has served me well over the years. I also have some mini gold utensils that are functional as well as pretty.

Cute mini ramekins are perfect for jams, spreads, and olives. I use a gold set from Amazon along with some ceramic ones.

New to charcuterie? Check out my charcuterie board template post that walks you through making a board step-by-step.

Dessert Stands & Bakeware

I’m firmly convinced that dessert is actually the most important meal of the day, and no gathering is complete without it. Plus, it’s such a fun way to make a presentation moment!

For that, you need some cake stands! 

This was another early engagement debate. Spence thought we only needed one cake stand; I strongly disagreed. (At the time of writing, we now own three.)

My Favorite Cake Stands for Entertaining:

• Mini Gold & White Cake Stand (Currently out of stock, but worth checking back)
• Marble & Wood Cake Stand (Target)
• Ribbed Scalloped Cake Stand (Target)

In addition to cake stands, tiered dessert stands are incredibly useful. I love my Sweejar tiered stand (great for more than just desserts), and my acrylic cupcake stand for large gatherings. 

A classic Bundt cake is the simplest way to make a dessert statement, and for that, you need a Bundt pan! We use the Nordic Ware Proform 12-cup pan. Its size and reliable nonstick finish have made it my go-to for years.

Lastly, for serving individual desserts, these Le Creuset stoneware mini cocottes are adorable. You can use them for custards, soufflés, mini cobblers, or really anything you want!

Kitchen & Prep Must-Haves

Finally, here are my favorite kitchen and prep essentials for entertaining. These are the behind-the-scenes tools your guests may never see, but they make hosting so much easier.

Prep Tools

A high-quality cutting board is surprisingly hard to find. My criteria are simple: it needs to be large enough, have a groove for juices, and be dishwasher safe.

We recently discovered this Kikcoin wood fiber cutting board, and it’s quickly become our favorite. We currently only have the larger size, but we plan to get the smaller one as well. 

I’m a little paranoid about food safety, but I also hate overcooking things, which makes a probe thermometer a necessity. I have an instant-read thermometer that works well, but opening the oven repeatedly isn’t ideal.

After years of wrangling a corded probe meat thermometer (with extreme frustration), we finally upgraded to the MEATER Plus thermometer, which is cordless and syncs to your phone via Bluetooth. My favorite feature is that it provides you with an estimated finish time!

It’s completely changed how I cook when hosting. It’s a little pricey, but it usually goes on sale a few times a year. I only wish I had taken the plunge sooner!

Cooking Essentials

If you don’t already have an Instant Pot, you need one. It may not be the most glamorous hosting tool, but it’s one of the most reliable and practical. Fun fact: the company went through restructuring in 2023: proof that they made a product people rarely need to replace.

We have the Duo Plus 6-Quart Instant Pot and use it to cook a large variety of dishes. It also keeps food warm for hours, which is incredibly helpful when hosting.

I also believe that every host needs a Le Creuset Dutch Oven. It’s practical as well as beautiful, which makes it perfect for both cooking and serving. I love ours in cream with gold accents, but the lighter color does show stains more easily (as you can see, ours does after years of use) — so you may prefer a darker shade if that would bother you.

Storage & Clean-Up

Last but certainly not least, here are a few of my essential items for storage and clean-up.

Classic aluminum foil is so helpful for minimizing mess and keeping food warm until serving.

I love my set of Pyrex bowls with lids, which are perfect for prep, serving, and storing leftovers all in one container.

A few years ago, I realized that large food storage containers are a total game-changer for hosting. I use Safeway’s larger sizes for prep and leftovers (they’re especially great for storing cupcakes!).

Final Entertaining Essentials Checklist

Before we wrap up, here’s a simple entertaining essentials checklist you can reference as you build your own hosting collection.

Decor & Atmosphere

• Echo Dot
• Anthropologie Capri Blue Volcano candle
• Cheesecloth table runner
• Cotton napkins
• Gold napkin rings
• Bud vases set of 24
• Fall dried flowers
• Avery placecards
• Rechargeable table lights 
• White taper candles
• Tall gold candlestick holders
• Short gold candlestick holders
• Rechargeable candle lighter 
• Battery-operated fairy lights

Table & Serving

• Lenox dinnerware set
• Gold chargers
• Gold flatware set
• Utensil organizer
• Lenox serveware set
• Scalloped platter & bowl
• Gold serving tongs
• Gold serving spoons & forks
• Cast-iron trivets
• Lazy susan
• Highball & double-old-fashioned glasses
• Gold-rimmed coupe glasses

Bar & Beverage

• Large water pitcher
• Glass & plastic carafes
• Large drink dispensers
• Ice bucket & tongs
• Large clear ice molds
• Cocktail shaker 
• Wine glass charms
• Wine glass markers
• Coasters
• Stagg hot water kettle
• Aeropress XL
• Teapot
• Cream and sugar containers

Food Presentation

• Monogrammed serving board
• Marble platter 
• Gold and marble cheese knife set
• Mini gold utensils 
• Mini gold ramekins
• Mini gold & white cake stand (Currently out of stock, but worth checking back)
• Marble & wood cake stand
• Ribbed scalloped cake stand
• Sweejar tiered dessert stand
• Acrylic cupcake stand
• Nordic Ware Proform 12-cup Bundt pan
• Le Creuset stoneware mini cocottes

Kitchen & Prep

• Kikcoin wood fiber cutting board
• MEATER Plus thermometer
• Duo Plus 6-Quart Instant Pot
• Le Creuset 5.5 quart dutch oven. 
• Aluminum foil
• Pyrex bowls with lids
• Large & family-size Tupperware

Although “stuff” isn’t what makes a gathering beautiful, these entertaining essentials are a simple way to elevate any event (and make life easier). They’ve brought me so much joy as a host, and I hope they do the same for you.

More Entertaining Inspiration

Looking for more creative ways to host beautiful gatherings? Explore these guides next.