Cocktail parties are ideal for those looking to create a fun yet glamorous occasion. There is something about a cocktail party that just screams class, elegance and sophistication. Yet, despite all the luxury associated with this party, they are largely inexpensive and fairly simple to plan. This article will help you to host the perfect cocktail party by giving you some top tips and crucial advice; from incorporating personalized balloons into your decoration to coming up with the perfect selection of cocktails.
Cocktails
There is only one place to begin and this is with the cocktails themselves. You need to offer a selection that covers all different flavours. Thus, you need to make sure you have a fruity option, a spiced option, and a creamy option – and so on and so forth. It is always a good idea to have a couple of classics and a couple of lesser known options in order to surprise your guests. Good classic cocktails to incorporate include; margaritas, mojitos, pina coladas, martinis and tequila sunrise. Then add excitement by opting for a couple of these unique selections…
- After Eight – Vodka, Creme de Menthe, Milk and Cream
- Cosmo Royale – Vodka, Fresh Lime Juice, Cranberry Juice and Champagne
- Cherry Cola – Tequila, Amaretto, Vodka, Morgan’s Spiced, Fresh Lime Juice and Coca-Cola
- Melon Mai Tai – Dark Rum, Light Rum, Midori, Orange Juice and Pineapple Juice
- White Russian – Vanilla Vodka, Kahlua, Cream and Milk
Lighting
The lighting you choose is important because it helps to set the mood for your birthday celebrations. You want dimmed lights when it comes to a cocktail party with subtle accentuations throughout. You don’t want big flashing LEDs of different colours; this is a classy party you are not setting up your own club. Place candles in light clusters in order to create a sexy yet elegant vibe.
Personalized balloons
No party is complete without balloons and a cocktail party is no different. A good idea is to opt for personalized balloons. This is when you take a standard balloon and have text or images printed on them. There are lots of different personalized balloons available. If the cocktail is for someone’s birthday then you have their age printed on the balloon in an elegant font. You could even decide to have an image of each cocktail printed on the balloon and thus have these as a unique form of drinks menu. Another idea for personalized balloons is to give your bar a name and have the personalised balloons tied to either end of your bar space. The choices are endless, yet personalized balloons definitely help to create a fun and sophisticated environment.
Music
The biggest mistake people make when planning a party is to simply choose the CDs they like. You may be thinking “well, it’s my party; surely the whole point is to play music I enjoy”. No one is saying you shouldn’t like the music you select. But you need to be mindful of your guests and you need to think about the mood you are hoping to create. The music needs to be energetic but not so much so whereby your guests have a headache. Subtle dance tracks work really well for cocktail occasions. If you can afford to then it is always a good idea to hire a DJ to save you the hassle of having to do this part yourself.
Food
And last but not least you need to consider the food you are going to serve at the party. It is always best to serve finger food. You never see full meals being served at cocktail parties. Instead you will have a selection of hors d’oeuvres being given out. See if you can get one or two people you know to do you a favour and be a waitress or waiter for the night. There’s nothing better than having waiters going around with canapés for guests to nibble one. Have a look at a few of our hors d’oeuvres suggestions…
- Lime and Chilli Chicken Skewers
- Red Pepper and Goats Cheese Crisps
- Tuna Nicoise Canapés
- Mini Beef Wellingtons
- Caramelised Onion Tarts with Apples
- Pancetta-Wrapped Scallops with Lemon
Now the food is dealt with you know all you need to in order to plan the perfect cocktail party. From personalized balloons to refreshing cocktails, the occasion is bound to be a success!
