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What do you expect when invited to a home ie. appetizers, dinner and dessert not to mention spirits of sorts? Do you offer to bring something? What is the proper ettiquette in your mind?
Usually when you're invited to someone's home, they tell you what to expect. At that point you can ask if you can bring something based on what you are told. When people come to my dinner parties, although I provide all the food, wine, and dessert, they usually bring wine or a token gift, even if I make it clear that they should just come as they are. My liquor cabinet is FULL of wines and spirits brought by guests. When I'm invited, if it's made clear that I'm to bring nothing, then I don't. If it's an informal get-together like a tv-show gathering or just friendly social gathering, I'll bring a platter of cheese and crackers with salami, or deviled eggs, or, I'll bake brownies or something to bring to show my appreciation. I always help wash the dishes and clean up afterward too, though, that's tricky and if you're rebuffed on your first offer and then on your second, leave it alone... I hate having people help me in my own kitchen as they get unwittingly in my way and I'm much better cleaning and organizing on auto-pilot!!!! While I appreciate the offer, I prefer to clean up myself after my own dinner parties. What to bring really depends on how well you know the person who invited you. Good friends whom you know take them at their word. For people who invite you whom you don't know, bring wine or flowers or some token inexpensive thank you acknowledgment. That's my advice.
What do you expect when invited to a home ie. appetizers, dinner and dessert not to mention spirits of sorts? Do you offer to bring something? What is the proper ettiquette in your mind?
I always ask what do you want me to bring. When I have a party I don't like people to being anything. If they ask I say just bring yourself, if they insist then they can bring whatever they want.
I have to say I hate when they try to help me in the kitchen and start cleaning up, it drives me crazy!! Stay out of my kitchen
Most of the time when we entertain, it's pretty informal. We'll do a "buffet" style thing where we provide most of the food (as well as the sodas/non alcoholic drinks), and let people know they can bring something to share if they want to...but no big deal if they don't. Most of the time we just do BYOB since everyone seems to have different tastes with regard to "adult" beverages, but we'll have extra beer on hand just in case. (we're really not sophisticated "wine" people, lol.)
If it's not clear as to what you're expected to bring, it's usually courteous to
ask if there's anything they'd like you to bring. And as MoMark said, if you don't know your hosts that well, a "hostess" gift is a nice touch on your first visit to someone's home (flowers, chocolates, candles or wine are usually good bets...but skip the wine if you're not sure if your hosts drink alcohol.)
Thanks for all your feedbacks...When we are invited to a home, we always bring wine (white & red)...If we are going to have 3 couples, will ask them to bring something to help out but if it is just a couple or two, we do it all...Also, any good receipes for Margarita's???
Grins! NO! And I don't find her style appealing! But, I took more than a year off and have learned to cook, entertain, and build a social life when for most of my adult life all I did was immerse myself in work and time schedules under pressure!
My neighbor's wife insisted on cleaning my kitchen when they were here for dinner and although I asked her twice nicely to stop, she ignored me and kept washing. I didn't like it! So I'll tell her when I'm at her house for dinner next time Best to be honest!
I've been to so many dinner parties this past year since moving here that I've learned a lot, not only about what is expected, but how I handle dinner guests too But, in the meantime, I've become quite a baker, cook, etc.!!!
MoMark you sound like quite the entertainer...We are having 2 couples in and have been accessorizing the home with all the Halloween goodies, just to make it look festive and Fun!...One couple is bringing dessert and the other is bringing a dish...Helps alot when others chip in and they feel happy to oblige, we would also...
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But, in the meantime, I've become quite a baker, cook, etc.!!! 
