1. Hello! My name is. Take this opportunity to make sure that all of your friends and family have been personally introduced to one another.

2. Drinks are on me. Schedule an extra-long cocktail hour prior to dinner to allow for late arrivals and extra time to mingle.

3. Get cozy. Smaller tables provide for better conversation and conviviality.

4. MC Hammered. If you’re having toasts, pick an MC to keep the evening moving along. Also, use him as a foil to “screen” toasts ahead of time to make sure there’s nothing too inappropriate lurking in crazy, and almost certainly drunk, Uncle John’s remarks.