Planning a Cocktail Party
for Maximum Success

.....and Minimum Effort!

Planning a cocktail party is the perfect solution for the time stretched host or hostess with most of the preparations done in advance.

A cocktail party is the perfect occasion for EASY entertaining, whether for business, or pleasure.

Since the event should only last for a couple of hours, it's a great way to achieve MAXIMUM EFFECT with MINIMAL EFFORT! And it's a great way too for making new friends or boosting your business or career success.

Gourmet food........the EASY way!

First, the basics.....

The first and single most important decision to make when planning a cocktail party is simply: Why am I holding this party, and what sort of party do I want it to be?

What is the occasion?
Do I want to make a BIG impression?
......or is it purely for PLEASURE?

Once you've answered those questions, it will lead you into refining your plans:

Is it to be a formal cocktail party, or an informal cocktail party? That decision determines the dress code, if any.
How many guests SHOULD I invite?
How many guests can I AFFORD to invite (taking account of space as well as budget)?
Conclusion: how many guests I WILL invite.

Now think about WHICH guests? An essential of any successful cocktail party is the right MIX of guests. Different ages, backgrounds and interests. That will guarantee sparkling conversation!

Do I hire Caterers......
or perhaps a Personal Chef?

That certainly depends on your budget, but also, you have to be REALISTIC! Do you really want to spend the whole evening cooking, serving & cleaning up? Or would you sooner (and perhaps NEED to!) instead, be circulating with your guests, joining in the conversations......and enjoying yourself?

When planning a cocktail party you may also want to consider hiring a Bartender and serving staff. And for a real touch of luxury & sophistication, consider hiring a Butler. He or she will quietly and discreetly "manage" the whole event for you.

Now you can really start having fun with planning the theme, menu, drinks and decorations.

Cocktail Party Theme & Decorations

I prefer to keep any theming to a minimum - let the food and drinks be the centre stage! Elegance is generally the key to success, so dress your room with the best and most beautiful flower arrangements that you can afford. Light the room with candles, decorate side tables with tablecloths and play some gentle cocktail music in the background.

Cocktail Party Menu

Planning a cocktail party menu will largely be determined by your budget, and whether or not you intend to use Caterers. Even on a limited budget, and as long as you have enough time, it's possible to produce a magnificent yet simple selection of cocktail party food.

Try to have a mix of both hot and cold canap�s. Tray them up and attractively garnish, and keep the flow of dishes coming throughout the evening. Remember though that you are not providing "dinner", so quality is far more important than quantity. On average, you should allow 6 to 8 canap�s per person.

How about a Fondue Party? You could have a selection of savoury fondues and perhaps a chocolate fondue for dessert.

If both time AND budget are a little tight, consider buying in a selection of prepared gourmet appetisers and canap�s. Professionally produced, these dishes are sure to impress your guests, and they need never know your little secret!

For my list of suggested online suppliers in your area
CLICK HERE.

Cocktail Party Drinks

If you are planning a cocktail party around "cocktails", best advice is to limit the selection to perhaps 3 or 4 drinks only. Supplement that with champagne and/or a choice of red and white wines.

For a 2 hour party, I would allow a generous 1 bottle of wine or champagne per person. Most guests will start the evening with 1 or perhaps 2 cocktails and then move onto wine, champagne or soft drinks.

A few Final Tips for Planning a Cocktail Party

You don't HAVE to serve COCKTAILS for a cocktail party! Champagne and/or wine are equally impressive and acceptable.
Send out your cocktail party invitations 2 to 3 weeks in advance.These days, sending them by email is perfectly acceptable.
Allow twice as many glasses as you have guests
Make sure you have PLENTY of ice.
For maximum sociability, continue to circulate throughout the evening with trays of canap�s and drinks.
Always provide a good selection of non alcoholic drinks, with coffee available towards the end of the evening.
Keep a telephone number of your local cab company handy for any guests who may have over indulged a little!

There you have it.......planning a cocktail party is so simple......and it leaves you free to ENJOY!

Another glass of champagne or canap� anyone............?

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Planning a Cocktail Partyfor Maximum Success