Before having kids, it was no challenge to make a group text and meet friends out for dinner and a few drinks. Nowadays, balancing your career, kids, and love life can push a social life to the back burner. With an event planner’s help, you can make time to host a cocktail party and improve your social life.
Why you need an event planner for your next cocktail party:
When parents think of planning a get-together, it seems more like work than fun. With an event planner, such as those at Event’s By Jaclyn, they can help for a reasonable, budget-friendly fee. Because there will not be an elaborate theme, decor, and menu, most event planners can assist for around a few hundred dollars.
Event planners recommend beginning by choosing a theme. This could be a color scheme or a theme such as a recent movie you watched or favorite book. Tie in your book club, and you’ve already got yourself a few topics to discuss and decor to incorporate.
Linnea Johansson states, “The key to any great party is for the host to have as much fun as the guests.” Event planners are the key to this tip. It is a common misconception that event planners are out of budget for average families.
Your planner may actually save you as much money as you pay him or her. Budgeting, buying wholesale, and planning wisely will save you money for your next upcoming event, or mortgage payment. Let’s be real.
Menu planning:
Hors d’oeuvres and small plates are suitable for a cocktail party menu. Hors d’oeuvres actually translates into “out of the meal” and should not replace a meal. Because of this, consider the time of the party.
If you’re up for late hours, maybe your cocktail party should start at eight p.m. to give everyone enough time to eat dinner before hand. If you plan on having guests over before this time, plan for more substantial bites such as tacos, quiches, or pastries. This allows for guests to snack while sipping their drinks and not hunger for more.
Quantity and quality for every party:
For cocktail party eats, plan on having about six different options. Each guest usually has one to two of each food item. This only applies to events outside of normal meal hours.
If your event is during meal hours, provide food accordingly for your guests, so they don’t want to run to the nearest restaurant when your party is over. This time of day calls for eight to ten options of small bites. Each guest will usually have two to three of each hors d’oeuvres.
For stocking up the bar, it’s best to consult your bar tender or event planner. Each guest is often expected to drink two cocktails the first hour. After the first hour, each guest usually only drinks one cocktail per hour.
For alcohol, purchase a one-liter bottle to yield about 22 mixed drinks. For any non-cocktail drinkers, buy one bottle of wine per eight guests. For a champagne toast, plan on one bottle of champagne for every ten guests.
Of course, read your guest list and consider sober or underage people. On the other hand, consider those who can throw down. Confirm with your event planner what type of guests you are expecting to plan justly.
Presentation is everything:
Garnishes are the classy and finishing touch for cocktail parties. If they go overlooked, it’ll appear as a college dorm party or picnic. According to Epicurious, supply 1/2 a lemon and lime, two cherries, two onions, and two olives per guest.
Grab a few packages of mint, basil, and thyme while you’re at it to bring fragrance and elegance to the affair. Many people underestimate the importance of a staple ingredient that is often overlooked, ice. There should be about one and a half pounds of ice per person.
If you have the time and space in your freezer, provide funky shaped ice. Make at least two trays of funky ice per guest. Believe it or not, there are ice trends, ladies and gentlemen.
Ice ice baby:
Try layering different juices in each ice cube slot. Incorporate cool and warm colors for brighter cocktails. Start with a layer of water, next yellow mango juice, and topic off with blueberry juice.
Spice up your cup subtly. Gather a few different shapes of ice cubes. They now make diamond, flamingo, football, and even cactus shaped ice.
Add frozen herbs, flowers, and infusions to the larger cube shaped ice for amazing touches to any cocktail drink. Ditch the ice altogether and freeze fruit to cool off your coolers if that’s your jam.
Thank you for stopping by to read this week’s blog. Inquire today for Events By Jaclyn’s availability! Check in next week for the following steps for planning a cocktail party to switch up the usual social gatherings.
