| Party Planning
With David Tutera
Entertainment Expert and Author,
"A Passion For Parties"
Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2002; 11 a.m. ET The holidays bring parties and David Tutera has a reputation for planning big ones and small ones. From elaborate extravaganzas to intimate gatherings, Tutera has created events for the Rolling Stones, the White House, Elton John and the British Royal Family as well as smaller functions for families and friends. He knows how to entertain on a budget and how to do it for kids too. Tutera will be online Wednesday, Dec. 18 at 11 a.m. ET, to answer your questions about holiday entertaining and to discuss his book, "A Passion For Parties: Your Guide to Elegant Entertaining," cowritten with Laura Morton. A transcript follows. Editor's Note: Washingtonpost.com moderators retain editorial control over Live Online discussions and choose the most relevant questions for guests and hosts; guests and hosts can decline to answer questions.
Alexandria, Va.: How did you get started in the party giving business? David Tutera: I started in the business 17 years ago which was something that came to me as an accident. I had owned a gift store where a passerby asked if I would decorate a party for them that looked like the window display. I took the job, not even knowing there was an industry out there and 17 years later, here we are.
Arlington, Va.: You've done parties for famous people and and the not-so-famous. Which gives you more satisfaction? David Tutera: It has nothing to do with the celebrity status. It's really watching the host have such a memorable event that they walk away with having created a once in a lifetime memory.
Washington, D.C.: I am hosting an evening champagne party. What kind of food should I serve? What tasty morsels go best with champagne? David Tutera: I believe in keeping the hors d'oeuvres bite-sized. We all know caviar goes wonderful with champagne but it's not always the favorite of everyone, so, the flavors of fruits go wonderful with champagne. Here's a great little champagne bite-sized hors d'oeuvre. Purchase pitted or non-pitted dates. Slice them in half and then stuff with gorgonzola cheese. A wonderful complement to champagne because you get the sweetness of the fruit and the sharpness of the champagne. Which also means cheeses are a great addition to a champagne party.
Washington, D.C.: How do you decide what clients to take on? David Tutera: The ones who are going to pay me.
Washington, D.C.: What were some of the most memorable parties you've given or been to? What made them memorable? Looking for inspiration this festive season.... Thanks! David Tutera: The most memorable parties are the ones where the host of the party is enjoying the party as much if not more than the participating guests. The energy that is given off from the host only develops and creates a festive and wonderful party.
Silver Spring, Md.: What parties do you have coming up? David Tutera: I just returned back from doing the National Symphony Orchestra in Washington and I'm currently working on some large corporate events in New York City. And then I'm producing and designing the 100th anniversary of Toy Fair in New York City, followed by the TOTY (Toy of the Year) Awards, also in NYC, followed by the Grammys in February.
Falls Church, Va.: How can people contact you for party planning? David Tutera: They can refer to my Web site. (www.davidtutera.com) and I appear regularly on numerous TV shows (The View every month, the Food Network this month, Smart Solutions on HGTV this month).
Virginia: If you have a small townhouse, how can you keep 20 people around the dining and living rooms? First, how many dishes should I prepare? Meat and vegetarian dishes? Also, are paper plates a bad idea? David Tutera: Paper plates are never a good idea.
Never keep food and drinks in the same location. You need to spread out these two important elements of your party allowing the traffic flow of your guests to be divided. Provide small plates of food in various locations of the house and never, ever have drink or food in the kitchen. And most importantly, the host should never be in the kitchen preparing last minute needs for food and drink.
You as a host know your crowd the best. Providing a combination of meat and vegetarian is always good to do.
Arlington, Va.: I'm hosting a New Year's party. What appetizers would you recommend serving that are elegant but quick and easy to prepare? Thanks! David Tutera: Create a warm soup shot and have those passed as an hors d'oeuvre. You could do a slice of turkey, a little doplet of cranberry sauce on top of the turkey that sits on piece of small toast. It's a very holiday/New Year's Eve thing. A piece of endive salad with gorgonzola cheese and a little drizzle of balsamic vinegar. Easy to do, simple to eat and not messy hors d'oeuvres.
Martini glass filled with cocktail sauce with the shrimp hung over the sides of the martini glass are wonderful. It's a substitution for an oversized shrimp bar.
Adelphi, Md.: What was it like doing a party for Elton John? Did he have many demands or did he leave the proceedings up to you? David Tutera: The great part about it was he left just about most of it up to me. He basically gave you the concept of what he was looking for but allowed me to explore and expand on his concept as much as possible. Bottom line, it was a most enjoyable process. Demanding he was not. The theme of it was a birthday party that was designed as the cosmetic department of a large department store.
New York, N.Y.: When entertaining, do I have to supply a full bar or do you suggest doing a few cocktails? Do you have any fun drink suggestions? David Tutera: Great question. You never need to feel responsible to have a fully stocked bar. Creating specialty drinks for your party allows your bar to become more creative and festive. I will be on The View on Christmas Eve. I've developed five specialty drinks that have never been done before for the holidays. Another great tip is don't feel you need a bartender. Have the recipes for each drink printed and displayed in a picture frame; therefore, your guests become their own bartender for themselves and others at the party which creates a fun and interactive environment.
Washington, D.C.: What's the secret of having a good holiday party? David Tutera: Don't be stressed. To avoid it, simply be organized. Be creative and most importantly, have fun.
Georgetown, D.C.: What do you think of the Washington, D.C. party scene? How does it differ from other cities? David Tutera: I do a lot of work in Washington, D.C. and the false conception is that Washington, D.C. is a conservative city therefore the party scene tends to be a bit stale. When I'm brought in by many of my clients in the Washington, D.C. area, I bring in a sense of uniqueness and excitement that hasn't been seen. Washington-area clients are eager to break the D.C. mold and become what they feel is unexpected.
Arlington, Va.: Hello and thanks for chatting! I am very interested in the party/event planning field, and was looking into the Event Planning certification program at GWU as a place to start. I'd rather quit my job and jump right in, but with minimal experience and no formal training, I think my pay would be more than halved. Any other advice for the aspiring party planner? Thanks! David Tutera: You've made a great decision to go to GWU. You should see if you can intern or get a part-time job with either a corporate or social party planning company. There are many in the area that I feel you can learn from. Most importantly, decide if you would like to go into the social market or the corporate market.
Washington, D.C.: How do you feel about Theme Parties? Are they contrived and forced, or are there ways to make them fun and memorable? I'm not talking about a holiday theme, more like an '80s party, cinqo de mayo, etc. Thanks. David Tutera: I don't really like to do theme parties. I do find them contrived and expected. I would rather create a style or a mood. An 80's party could work because it would become more about the era and the style which will allow for a more unexpected environment.
Capitol Hill: David, My husband and I would love to throw a smallish new year's eve party, but are reluctant b/c we live slightly off the beaten path (i.e. a mile from a metro and in the city). our friends are mostly suburbanites, who would be inclined to drive to our house, if they came at all. We don't want to put anyone in a position where he/she drinks and drives, and any party we have would likely have a lot of alcohol flowing. do we throw the party anyway, and let revelers take responsibility for themselves? or do we just fahgettaboudit? David Tutera: I always say don't ever lose the opportunity to throw a party. Here's a great tip for you for New Year's Eve: From a transportation company you can rent a minivan or a passenger vehicle to pick up all your guests from one designated point in the suburbs to your party in the city. It takes the responsibility off of you as the host but it guarantees that you will have guests at your New Year's Eve party.
Vienna, Va: Do you advertize or is your business by word of mouth? If so, where do you advertise and have you found it to be effective? Thanks! David Tutera: I have never advertised and it is all word of mouth. For me, I've found advertising only brings shoppers who are looking for a party on a budget.
Virginia: I have a smallish - 1000 sq ft - apartment. I'd like to have a casual open house hors d'oeuvres party in the coming weeks. Given that half of that space is unusable party space (closets, bathroom) how many guests can I accommodate? I have plenty of chairs, but what's a good number. David Tutera: You key word is open house which means that you don't have a start and finish time. You just have a period of time the guests will able to come and go as they please. That then allows you to not feel that you can't have the number of guests you would like to have. Assuming 500 square feet would be your entertainment area, I wouldn't exceed 25 people at any one time. Good luck.
New York, N.Y.: We are considering doing a destination wedding next fall. Is that something that you work with and is it something that you suggest? Any helpful tips would be greatly appreciated. David Tutera: Well, destination weddings are one of the most wedding events that you can have. I do them quite often for clients. It takes a considerable amount of planning; therefore, hiring a party planner like myself is greatly suggested. The most important thing I can offer as advice is to always remember to never have your guests feel as if they are being put out with having to travel to your special day. Some quick Tutera tips would be: provide as much information about the destination wedding weekend in advance with a clever "save the date" mailing followed by the formal invitation a few months later followed by those that RSVP "Yes," a weekend itinerary package. One last tip: Try to avoid doing this on a holiday weekend. Lots of luck.
Vienna, Va.: I'm doing a small New Year's Day brunch but am moving shortly after that and many of my kitchen items are already packed. Any suggestions on easy things to prepare - places to buy brunch - type food? David Tutera: This would be the perfect time -- and I never frown upon it -- to call your local favorite restaurant and have the food delivered. The most important thing when having food brought in by a restaurant is to remove it from its packaging and display it beautifully with your own dishes or platters. Remember you eat with your eyes first and your mouth second, so make it look beautiful.
David Tutera: A great host is a host that answers the door and greets the guests, mingles with everyone throughout the party and is the last person that the guest sees as they exit from the party. It's your responsibility as the host to be a great choreographer and an amazing producer. Remember your party is like a show. Happy Holidays and Happy Entertaining.
David Tutera: For more great Tutera tips, you can always purchase my current book, "A Passion For Parties" and also keep an eye out for my next book, "America Entertains at Home," which comes out next year.
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