When a friend of ours first brought up the idea of starting a Supper Club, I was cautiously optimistic. Something about agreeing to a monthly gathering, and hosting a large-ish group of people seemed a bit daunting. What would we make? Would getting our house ready to host that many people be overwhelming? Would it be just one more commitment on an already overloaded schedule? But digging in deeper with sweet friends, breaking bread, and enjoying time with each other sounded too good to pass up, so we agreed. And boy, oh boy, am I ever grateful that we did.
Each month, we meet up with the same group to enjoy a meal, catch up on life and make new memories together. For us, it’s a fail-safe because we know that no matter how hectic the weeks get between work and school activities, we can always count on this recurring event to keep us connected to our friends in a meaningful way.
Starting a Supper Club of your own is a great way to go deeper in your relationships with family, friends and neighbors. Although it might seem daunting, it doesn't need to be. We've pulled together five tips for starting a Supper Club:
- Create your guest list. Start by thinking of people you'd like to spend more time with. You might consider inviting long time friends that you'd love to gather with more often, or people you would like to get to know better.
- Decide how often you'll gather. A Supper Club is a great way to be intentional about cultivating strong relationships because you'll get together on a regular basis (typically every other week, or once a month). Think about how often you'd like to break bread together, and what would work best for others in your group.
- Set a date. Select a day that works well and offers time for everyone to relax and unwind. You may find that meeting on a Friday, Saturday or Sunday offers a more laid back vibe for your group.
- Take turns. Our Supper Club consists of six couples and we break bread together once a month. It's something we all look forward to, but to avoid the potential for burnout we take turns hosting. Alternately, you could also host at one person’s house, and have each guest come with a different dish, potluck style.
- Keep it consistent. As much as possible, try to keep the plan consistent - gather on the same day, at the same time and with the same guests. This will help ensure your Supper Club stays on track, and enable you to strengthen relationships while you create valuable memories in the process.
Supper Clubs are a lot of fun, and a great way to create a strong sense of community in your life. They're a perfect excuse to bring people together, share a table, enjoy food, drinks, and each other's company. If you're like me, you may find that doing something different, even if it falls just a bit outside of your comfort zone, ends up being one of your very favorite things.
We've pulled together all the basic essentials you'll need to get started in the Supper Club Gathering Box, available in our store. Get yours today and start building community tomorrow.
Photo by Kate Nelle Photography for Cloth and Flame
