Summer Entertaining: How to Plan a Casual Cocktail Party 

Image via: Cater Source

[ad#co-1]

Choose a Theme:

We’re not necessarily advocating that you ask your guests to show up in costume – though that certainly is an option. However, having a theme makes the planning stages of your pre-party prep much easier. Once you have a theme in mind, you can tailor your drink, food, and decoration selections to fit within those parameters. Even if you strive for more of a feeling than an all-out theme – such as “sophisticated” or “laid-back” – it can help to give yourself and your guests a little direction.

Create a Drink Menu:

Contrary to popular belief, you don’t need a fully stocked bar with multiple liquors and bitters to throw an unforgettable cocktail party. Instead, focus on creating a cocktail menu that fit within your party’s theme while keeping costs down and saving you from having to serve as bartender all night long. Offer three cocktails – one that sweeter, one that is more classic, and one that fits somewhere between the two. To make things even easier, try to select cocktails where the ingredients overlap. As far as the amounts, plan on each of your guests having two cocktails during the first hour of the party and one cocktail during each additional hour.

Image Via: Brides

Serve Multiple Hor D’oeuvres:

There’s no need to worry about planning a sit-down meal with this one. Simply serve a few hor d’oeuvres, or small finger foods that can be eaten in one or two bites. If your party falls outside of regular meal time hours, offer five or six choices of hor d’oeuvres, preparing two per person. However, if your cocktail party is meant to take the place of a meal, you should have eight to ten distinct bites and make sure there is enough for each person to eat three. Choose recipes that can be prepared in advance and served at room temperature to lighten your workload

Image Via: William Senoma

Set the Scene for Mingling:

Luckily, you don’t have to orchestrate much of the entertainment during cocktail parties since most guests will be content to mingle. Just be sure to set up the space ahead of time that will get people talking. Serve the food on a single large buffet table or space the dishes out on multiple smaller ones, leaving an easy-to-access walkway between them. While you don’t need a ton of seating, there should be enough for about 20% of your guests to be seated at the same time. Rather than full place settings and silverware, focus on napkins and smaller cocktail plates and don’t forget to designate a spot for people to dispose of them once they’re done snacking. Add in a few cute decorations, enough lighting, and some soft background music for your party to be a hit.

Image Via: Flora Grubb

Summer entertaining doesn’t get any simpler than a cocktail party. You provide some drinks and a couple snacks while your guests will take care of the rest. Follow these tips to ensure that your next cocktail party will be unforgettable.

Do you have a great cocktail party tip or recipe? Share it with us in the comments below.

Summer Entertaining: How to Throw a Hawaiian Party

Image via: Bella Grey Designs

[ad#co-1]

Invitations

Pick up invitations that have palm trees or luau girls printed on the front to set the mood. Include a note that everyone is expected to wear Hawaiian or bright colored clothes. If the budget allows give everyone a lei on their arrival.

Decorations

Decorate your party space in a way that it screams Hawaiian. In small glass jars, put coconut scented candles and place them on tables for festive low lighting. Hang grass skirts and Hawaiian shirts on the walls to create a tropical feeling. If you have enough space, purchase large palm or ficus trees and place them around the party area. For added effect, accent them with tropical flowers such as orchids, anthuriums or birds of paradise. Place centerpieces such as hibiscus flowers or hula girls.

Image via: Flickr

Menu

Serve Hawaiian inspired food such as roasted bananas, seasoned rice, barbecued pork, crab salad, fresh vegetables and a tropical fruit salad containing mangoes, pineapples, kiwis, strawberries, melons and other colorful fruits. Grilled meat marinated in Hawaiian sauce or pineapple can make for another delicious luau dish. Not to forget, roasted pig is a quintessential Hawaiian food.

For drinks, Mai Tai is a typical Hawaiian alcoholic beverage, but any fruity, tropical drink will serve the purpose. Classic Hawaiian punch is great for the younger crowd. Use colorful paper or plastic cups for both alcohol and virgin drinks, and add little umbrella in each drink for that perfect tropical vibe.

Image via: Holy Craft

When it comes to a summer party, backyard barbecue is not the only option. While that seasonal standard can certainly be fun, use these ideas to give your summer a tropical vibe.

For more party ideas on Stagetecture, click here.

[ad#co-1]

Embrace the Theme:

Falling full-tilt into a sports theme will help your friends get in the game day mood from the moment they walk in the door.  Head to the dollar store and pick up some decorations for the day. Invest in some hanging flag banners or an Astroturf-style tablecloth. If you have footballs, helmets or other paraphernalia, wash them off and repurpose them as a centerpiece. In the event that your team is playing, use their colors as a backdrop.

Go Buffet Style:

Since the majority of the day will be spent focusing on the TV, buffet-style is the perfect choice for your super bowl blowout. Stock the table with a variety of finger foods that people will be able to eat with and minimal concentration. Don’t forget to offer plenty of wet naps as well. In terms of menu, aim for All-American classics: wings, stromboli, chips and dip, etc.  Consider doing a potluck, as well, to maximize variety while keeping your workload manageable.

Encourage Friendly Competition:

Just because you and your guests can’t be at the game doesn’t mean that you have to be separated from the competition entirely. Keep everyone entertained by offing a few simple party games. Printable super bowl bingo sheets are widely available online or take bets on the game’s final score. Offer the winning guests small prizes and encourage a little friendly rivalry to keep things interesting.

Make these great Super Bowl Sugar Cookies recipe here on Stagetecture.

Create Two Party Areas:

While Super Bowl Sunday is undoubtedly about football, there are bound to be a few guests at your part who aren’t all that invested in the game. Cater to everyone’s interests by offering two distinct party areas: one where the game on TV is king and another where it is quiet enough to sit and chat. Just be sure to establish a flow between the two party zones, so that people can come and go as they please.

These tips are enough to get any gathering off to a good start. However, there must be other ways to put this year’s celebration of the top. If you have a great Super Bowl party tip to share, let Stagetecture know in the comments below.

Need more Super Bowl Party Ideas, click here.