Hi, I’m Emily

I’m Emily, the person behind Let’s Host More. I live in West Michigan with my husband, our two kids, and our dog, Toby.

I started this site because I really do love having people over, planning parties, and finding little ways to make ordinary get-togethers feel more fun. But I also know how easy it is to overcomplicate hosting.

I’m not interested in spending an entire day cooking before people come over or buying a bunch of things I’ll never use again. Most of the time, I want ideas that are cute, easy to pull together, and realistic for a regular house and a regular schedule.

That’s really what Let’s Host More is about.

Why I Started Let’s Host More

For years, I’ve been the person planning birthday parties, holidays, school events, family get-togethers, game nights, and all the little celebrations that come with having kids.

I love the planning part. I’ll happily spend way too much time figuring out the best food to serve, how to set everything up, or what little detail will make a party more fun.

At the same time, I’ve learned that the best gatherings usually aren’t the most elaborate ones. People are there to eat, talk, laugh, and spend time together. The food still needs to be good and I still want things to look nice, but I don’t think hosting should be so much work that you’re exhausted before anyone arrives.

I created Let’s Host More to share the kinds of ideas I’m always looking for myself: easy appetizers, party food, snack boards, birthday ideas, games, decorations, seasonal get-togethers, and simple ways to make hosting feel a little more special.

Why You Can Trust the Ideas Here

My professional background is in marketing and communications, and I’ve been doing that work for more than 20 years. I’ve also spent the last several years working extensively in online content and SEO, which means a big part of my job is researching what people are looking for and figuring out how to give them genuinely useful answers.

I’m also very much the person these ideas are written for.

I’m a busy mom with two kids, a full calendar, and plenty of other things competing for my time. I’ve planned a lot of birthdays and gatherings over the years, along with school and community events, and I’m constantly thinking about what is actually worth doing versus what just looks good online.

I try to bring both sides of that experience to this site: good research and real-life practicality.

I’m not a professional chef or event planner, and I won’t pretend to be one. When a recipe or idea requires expertise I don’t have, I’d rather point you toward a great source than act like I invented it.

What I am very good at is finding ideas, comparing options, figuring out what will actually work, and turning all of that into a plan that feels doable.

A Little More About Me

Outside of work, most of my life revolves around my family.

My kids keep us busy with sports, school, friends, and activities, and we spend a lot of our free time doing things together. In the summer, we love being near Lake Michigan and getting out on our boat. I also love traveling, planning family trips, working on things around the house, and finding fun places to go for a weekend.

I am also a chronic researcher. If we’re taking a trip, buying something for the house, planning a party, or trying something new, there is a very good chance I have already opened 27 tabs about it.

That tendency is probably a big part of why I ended up doing this for a living.

I’m Glad You’re Here

My hope is that Let’s Host More gives you ideas you can actually use, whether you’re planning a birthday party, having friends over for game night, putting together a holiday spread, or just looking for an excuse to make a normal weekend a little more fun.

You can also find Let’s Host More on Pinterest.

Thanks for being here.

Emily