The Notorious B.E.V.Y.: Bevy Smith Dishes On Budget Entertaining - Stylehive

When you're a high-powered publishing executive with a discerning eye for style and a Rolodex that reads like front row at a Marc Jacobs show, what do you do for your second act? For the dynamic Bevy Smith, the answer was to pair her talent as a social conduit with her flair for entertaining and create Dinner With Bevy, a luxury social marketing enterprise that brings together the worlds of fashion, art, music, and media in a delectable, custom salon. Smith, a former Rolling Stone Fashion Ad Director and Vibe Fashion Editor-at-Large, hosts her impeccably curated fetes for celebrities, brands, and tastemakers seeking organic creative connections in a pressure-free environment. On any given evening, you might see Solange Knowles giggling with Paper Magazine Editor-in-Chief Mickey Boardman, or singer-songwriter Vanessa Carlton grooving to the sounds of "Late Night" band master and FOB (Friend of Bevy) Questlove with a Vice President from Miu Miu, Giorgio Armani, or Bottega Veneta, all of whom are among the many who have attended Bevy's dinners. "The best part about hosting dinner parties is when my seating chart is a success. To get a call from a guest the next day saying, 'I absolutely LOVED [xxx]!' is the ultimate kudos for me!" Bevy, who is also working on a style show pilot for the Oxygen Network, relies on classic Emily Post, Diana Vreeland's "Why Don't You..." tips, and the swinging gaiety of the 1950s and 60s for style cues. "Whenever I see a movie from that era, or look at a Slim Aarons photograph, I'm instantly inspired by the light-hearted, fun way folks used to entertain! Let's get drunk, smoke, and swap partners--but do so in a chic environment, " she says with a wink and a laugh. "Very 'Breakfast at Tiffany's!'" And who's on Bevy's personal ultimate guest list? "Nelson Mandela, Diana Vreeland, Michael Jackson, Albert Einstein, Truman Capote, and Bono--but even he would have to remove his shades!" Make room, Martha Stewart: Bevy is on a path to be our generation's hostess with the mostest!

Holiday Party Tips From Bevy:

1. When on a budget, look to your home for a theme--perhaps you have a color that is pervasive throughout? Build your dinner around that hue: flowers, napkins, glasses. Everything except food--too Dr. Seuss. Speaking of books: let's say you collect feminist writers. Host a dinner where you leave your favorite books on each guest's place setting to spark immediate conversation.

2. When it comes to food, just like a handbag buy the *absolute* best you can afford. Disregard that The New York Times recently wrote on the resurgence of "chicken fried steak." Instead, splurge and make a chic hangar steak, and instantly transport your guests to a French bistro.

3. If you have limited space, keep in mind that renting a banquet table for 40 in a 300 square foot studio apartment is going to feel claustrophobic. Build your guest list comfortably within your environment and think, too, about having a less formal dinner party. Utilize the floor with fun, festive pillows or create dining vignettes, using small tables with 4 chairs a piece.

4. Potluck is a great way to have a dinner party on a budget, and allows friends to share their space without shouldering the excessive costs of a dinner party. Not only can all the guests pitch in and bring food, you can also have guests work on the decor. The key to a successful potluck is assigning projects, as this avoids four hummus platters but no main course, flowers, plates, etc.

5. Finally, remember that dinner parties are much more intimate than cocktail events or dance parties. Therefore, it's imperative that you actually LIKE the people you' re inviting. If you are having friends over, don't worry about them judging you because your napkin rings came from Kohl's. Simply make them feel welcome as soon as they enter your home, greet them with a glass of wine, and be a gracious and accommodating host! Graciousness trumps grandiose spreads every time when it comes to hosting a successful soiree.

Check out the slideshow for a glimpse at some of Bevy's exclusive dinners. For more about Bevy, visit www.dinnerwithbevy.com!