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" While my columns here have been about entertaining at home, sometimes a special occasion, for whatever reason, requires the ambiance and help of a restaurant. But elegant entertaining in a space that you don&amp;#039;t have complete control over can present challenges of a different sort than the familiar frenzy of hosting in your own dining room. Here, I&amp;#039;m writing about smaller parties (under 50 guests), not galas, with the agenda being: how to imbue a party with some of your personal fabulousness when you neither have the time nor inclination to actually be in the salt mines. Choosing a Space You must visit the venue choices in person. There is just no other way to know if the space will comfortably hold your guests and be up to your style standards. Restaurant banquet folks (and I know because I was one in a past life) are working to book their rooms, so while they might tell you it can hold 50 for a sit-down meal\u2014they don&amp;#039;t know the comfort needs or demographic of your group. For example, if your guests&amp;#039; list is one-third children you may be better suited with a smaller room. Table Configurations Ask the event coordinator about possible table configurations. Just because they usually do a large &amp;quot;U&amp;quot; in the space, doesn&amp;#039;t mean that&amp;#039;s the only possibility. Ask about rounds, one grand long table or a combination of shapes and ask if they will kindly sketch you a floor plan. Don&amp;#039;t forget to incorporate the bar area in these layouts. Even if you are not thinking of a full cocktail and hors d&amp;#039;oeuvre scenario at the beginning, it&amp;#039;s important to have a place where guests can &amp;quot;mill&amp;quot; after they arrive. It&amp;#039;s very uncomfortable to have to take one&amp;#039;s seat immediately, particularly if you are the lone early arriver. Working with the D\u00E9cor Lighting Look at the lighting and ask if it&amp;#039;s adjustable. Candles are a must so check to see that the restaurant will provide them and ask if you can bring your own for added flair. While I admit to being pretty sick of classic votive candles, there are lots of other options that can help give even an austere setting a celebratory glow. Tablecloths What sort of cloths does the restaurant generally use? While I&amp;#039;ve been trained to wince at the sight of table legs, full-length cloths are expensive and usually good for just one use, so keep your options open. Often, a runner, overlay, or even glitzy place mats will do the trick over a typical restaurant cloth. I&amp;#039;ve found some gorgeous, frilly and ornate lace runners on eBay and Kim Seybert&amp;#039;s table designs have been my go-to for years.  Flower Arrangements If you are using floral pieces, if it is at all possible send the florist vessels that you own to arrange the flowers in. A prized silver urn or a hand-painted ceramic vase from one of your travels works to enhance the flowers as well as to subtly make any restaurant space feel more at home. Invitations and Place Cards I favor pretty, &amp;quot;write-in&amp;quot; invitations for smaller events. If your handwriting is good, fill them in personally. If not, either use a calligrapher or ask a friend to oblige\u2014it&amp;#039;s not a major project. Seating requires forethought, commitment AND place cards. Ones that are chosen specifically for this occasion\u2014and are colorful or have a whimsical icon\u2014will help to give your table design a finished elegance.  Menu Work with a limited menu if you want people to actually get fed. If there are too many options on a menu, it&amp;#039;s usually very difficult for a kitchen that is also serving a la carte diners to get food to the private room. When selecting the dishes, find out the restaurant&amp;#039;s specialties and if they don&amp;#039;t sound incredibly enticing, see how they can spice them up. Enjoy! Finally, remember that one of the nicest parts about entertaining in a restaurant is that you are not doing all the work. Make thoughtful choices about your event and then try to enjoy yourself. At the very least, you won&amp;#039;t have to do the dishes!  Marcy Blum, Celebrity Eventiste MarcyBlum.com "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
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