The Host's Last Job: Sending Guests Home

A great house knows how to open its doors — and, just as importantly, how to close them. According to an etiquette expert, the mark of a good host isn't only the welcome at the door but the graceful signal that the evening has run its course. The guidance treats the goodbye as its own skill, distinct from the hospitality that precedes it, worth as much attention as the seating chart or the menu. For anyone who opens their home for a crowd, knowing how to end the night well is as much a part of the craft as knowing how to start it.

With reporting from Veranda.