Some of friends swear by Party Hands: https://www.partyhandsdc.com/

Consider hiring a responsible high school kid from the neighborhood to go around and help with clean up, checking platters, taking coats, etc. I did this all the time when I was in high school and have now hired kids myself.

I am worried about the platters-sounds a bit non-descript. If you are picking up platters, I feel like you should do at least one hot, homemade appetizer. Personally, I don’t care for a sterile kitchen. I think it is better to have really good food than have every stray napkin picked up. Depends on your budget, if your choice is food upgrade or bartender, people can happily pour their own drinks. That said, if finances not a concern, go for catering and a bartender.

If I could afford it I would, but I’m poor and cheap.

Yeah, I’d have a helper. 50 people that’s a lot of cups and ice and spills and trash. If your friends are like mine, they could easily go through 30 bottles of wine.

For more formal holiday parties, we cater food. I've prepped food myself in the past and it is just not worth it (if you can afford it). I also hire a cleaner/helper and pay hourly. I don't need a bartender, as guests can usually manage their own drinks at the bar.

WE have very helpful family and friends so this works for us.

For our summer parties in the backyard, we do it all ourselves with potluck from neighbors/friends. Those are easier because they are outside at the grill. The inside parties are more of a PITA so farm out what you can.

Yes, we hire caterers. Normally they have one bartender and two people dealing with food/cleaning. We generally spend about a half hour putting our house back together after everyone's left, so it's not bad.

You know your friends best - do they get sloppy? do they get drunk? do they help clean up?

Just remember that if you hire people, make sure you have cash on you to tip them at the end of the night before they go.

For those who like to entertain and host parties at home, do you typically hire help for the evening so you can enjoy and not have to focus on prepping/serving/managing/cleaning? Trying to figure out what has the most value add - hiring a bartender to manage and serve drinks, a helper/cleaner to toss used plates/cups and then help clean up at the end of the night?

We are hosting our first holiday party and will have 40-50 people. We aren’t doing elaborate food - just some platters that will be stationed on our dining table. Only going to have wine, beer and a couple bottles of hard alcohol so do I want a bartender or do we just let people serve themselves? Is it worth it to have someone clean up as we go so the house isn’t a disaster at midnight and we have to clean up?

Please share any feedback and lessons learned!