The 3 Steps to Hosting a Successful Cocktail Party
A cocktail party is both a mixing of swanky drinks and a mixing of your closest friends. Being a host always carries a certain amount of stress along with it. However, there is no better feeling than hosting or attending a successful cocktail party. In order to make hosting easier, we have boiled down the 3 major steps to throwing successful cocktail party.
The Guest List
Consider carefully how many people to invite to your cocktail party. As a rule of thumb, it is wise to assume that about 1 in 3 people you invite will not show, so always invite 30-50% more than you intend to come. For instance, if you would like a medium sized party of 15, invite 20-23 people. Another rule to remember is to invite more women than men to keep a good “ratio.” Although this does not seem like a politically correct suggestion, both men and women will have more fun if there are not too many men in attendance.
When inviting your guests create fun invitations that mesh with the theme of the evening. Although in our online era many invitations are available online, a printed out or handwritten invitation on cardstock paper is a thoughtful touch and people will be more likely to attend.The Food and Drinks
Consider which cocktails will be available at your party and the type of alcohol necessary in order to make them. Some classic cocktails are martinis (vermouth, vodka/gin, and olives), gin and tonic, rum and coke, Moskow mule (vodka, lime juice, ginger beer), old fashioned (whisky, bitters, simple syrup, orange peel), margarita (Cointreau, tequila, salted glass, fruit juice), negroni (gin, vermouth, Campari, orange peel), daquiri (rum, lime juice, simple syrup) …etc. Stick to a couple cocktails that follow your tastes and desired theme. If you have a lot of guests and multiple drinks you would like to serve, consider getting a bartender for the evening. Many bartenders for hire will bring alcohol/mixers upon request.
A good cocktail party needs delicious appetizers. Think about who you are inviting and their diets. It is always wise to have a couple gluten-free/low-carb options as well as some vegan/vegetarian options, so that everyone can have a bite. Consider getting appetizers that are easy to grab and do not necessarily involve plates and cutlery. The toothpick is your friend!Decorations and the Space
Think about where the entrance and the bathroom are and where you would like people to congregate. Try to place the food and drinks in areas that will not cause a lot of cross-traffic and congestion. Designate an area for people to sit and talk or dance if they would like. When decorating for your party, think about how you would like others to feel when they enter the room. Decorations can emulate emotion and create positive energy. Bright colors are good for when you want others to be outgoing. Darker colors are appropriate for when there is a film or live music where you would like people to listen semi-quietly.
The most important rule for any cocktail party is to have fun! Guests will be able to feel and feed off your energy. Introduce people, tell wild stories, and listen to others. No matter what, have a ton of fun and your cocktail party will be a success!
