Whether you've been slaving over the stove for hours or picked up goods from the store just in the nick of time, how you present your food can make a huge difference in your dinner party appearance! Ditch the packaging of any store-bought foods and display the treats in bowls or on platters. This simple hack immediately elevates your offerings to feel specially prepared for your guests.

This trick can be used for beverages, too. Fill pitchers with the drinks you're serving so guests can help themselves to what they assume is your creation, even though it might have been poured out of a bottle! When it comes to red wine, a decanter adds sophistication while allowing the wine to breathe. Lastly, water carafes are a simple upgrade for the table that offer easy refills without having to visit the refrigerator inside.

BONUS TIP: Save and up-cycle pretty glass bottles to use as water carafes. Gerard Bertrand's Cote de Roses rosé comes in a beautiful 1.5L glass bottle with a rose detail on the bottle. Enjoy the rosé, soak off the labels and you've got yourself a pretty carafe for your next party.

EXTRA BONUS TIP: You can never have enough ice! Since you'll be serving more guests than your household usually accommodates, start stashing ice from your ice machine a few days in advance or stock up on bags from the store. Keep it all in the freezer until your party is just about ready, then toss the packaging and add the ice to the tub or bucket at your beverage station to make a one-stop-shop for your guests to refill their drinks.