The 24 point checklist to a successful Cocktail Party.

Kids in UK can drink at home when they are 5

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Although the legal public drinking age in UK is still 18, but parents can technically and legally serve alcoholic beverages to children between the age of 5 and 17, at home.

Although presumably that doesn't mean British children are found tippling and playing indoor games regularly.



Cocktail Parties are here to stay


Cocktail parties gained currency in the early 1900s, and the reason it?s still in vogue in its contemporary form is its simplicity, informal presentation and yet the ability to provide a space for business networking or socializing, and also provide the headway for a marriage reception by reducing the chances of high late turn outs.

Cocktail parties are popular for several reasons, firstly, they are simple and hassle free to arrange and are supposed to be informal and light hearted, and set to last an hour or a couple, and the mood is supposed to be jovial, congenial and discussions best avoid personal, emotional or even political subjects.

Now, this is all good, until it is up to you to plan and execute a cocktail party, and that too at a short notice. But, if a few planned steps are followed, a cocktail party is basically easy to plan and host and you can quickly be the star of your friend circle.

 

 

Let?s get started and follow these simple steps to a Cocktail Party success.


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Cocktail Parties are here to stay Cocktail Parties are here to stay








Plan the Party, the planning phase, if you are thinking of hosting a party plan ahead and keep note of these. Plan the Party, the planning phase, if you are thinking of hosting a party plan ahead and keep note of these.




Plan the Party, the planning phase, if you are thinking of hosting a party plan ahead and keep note of these.



  1. Purpose: be clear with the purpose, whether it?s a formal party to celebrate someone?s success, promotion or to honour someone respected, or it is a personal party to celebrate an event like a friend?s birthday, anniversary, graduation, shower or purely to entertain friends or for social networking, keep the focus on the purpose and your guests will feel encouraged to participate.

  2. Choose the date: Choose a weekend date and since cocktail parties are not supposed to be late evening and the worst case is a party that lasts till 9:30 PM, your guests get time to rest and sleep. Although Thursdays are popular too in case the party is scheduled for the early evening.

  3. Pick the Venue: If it?s a cocktail party with intimate friends, open your house for the party, if you want to impress someone with your new house, open your house to them, else if it?s more business or formal, a hotel banquet, a restaurant would suit you better.

  4. Prepare the guest list: this is very important, making a list, checking and re-checking it and pruning it to the final list is essential to prevent losing control of the party and also to prevent overspending.

  5. Send out classy invites: send invites early, be it a paper invite or digital, be classy, or at least follow a theme that you have planned for the party, send early and with clear RSVP by date, so you know well ahead who?s coming and who?s not.







Plan the food and cocktails: plan for the food and cocktails up ahead


 

A cocktail party is supposed to last an hour and a half and the idea is to let people move in and out and all around, and formal meals are thus not part of the plan. Think finger foods, simple finger foods and tit bits that you can strategically place all over the house instead of on a single dining table.

  1. Finger foods like hors d' oeuvres, canapés, savory tarts, and sweets are good examples of food you could go for. Simple but unique finger foods like Swedish Shrimp Salad Skagenröra on Rye Toast, are also very much welcome and remember to think of foods that can be prepared ahead and can remain fresh until the party.

  2. Similarly plan the cocktails, keep it limited to one or two options, maybe a cocktail theme is useful, or go for pitcher cocktails or big cocktails or self-serving fruit punches. Chose cocktails that are easy to mix, and don?t require advanced bar tending skills like floating this over that using a bar spoon and so on and so forth. Chose cocktails that can be replenished quickly.You can use our My Bar ? Cocktail builder, be a guest sand check your options based in ingredients that already have in your kitchen or can easily procure.

  3. Note that, if you are absolutely unable to mix a few cocktails a few limited selections of craft beers, wines and champagnes are good too. If you have a bar at home, keep a few hard liquor options open too.

  4. Plan the total number of drinks to stock, be it cocktails, beers or any hard liquor, estimate 3 to 4 drinks per guest and stock up your primary option to that quantity and keep the rest as buffer and you?ll see that the total drinks used will balance itself without a concern.

  5. Have a good stock of ice and non-alcoholic beverages too, there are many who don?t want a middle of the day drink and some will be those that have to drive back home.






Plan the food and cocktails: plan for the food and cocktails up ahead Plan the food and cocktails: plan for the food and cocktails up ahead








ntertainment is important, but you don?t need to tear your hair over what kind of music to choose Entertainment is important, but you don?t need to tear your hair over what kind of music to choose




Entertainment is important, but you don?t need to tear your hair over what kind of music to choose



  1. Elaborate entertainment arrangements are not for cocktail parties, just some lilting soft music will set the mood. Think Cuban Jazz, Bossa Nova or if it?s planned to be an informal, personal or you want to set a spirited mood to it, think Indie Rock or Alternative Rock, go over to Spotify and there are plenty of Cocktail Party Playlists.

  2. Alternatively, if you have the budget and even better have a piano in place, hire a local musician. Nothing better than live music.

  3. Another way to determine the genre of music to chose is to go through the guest list and find something that everyone can enjoy, and also keep in mind who you are, and your tastes matter too, rather that?s what tells your guest more about you.







Decorate to your taste, thematic if possible


a cocktail party, formal or personal, is a short lived quick moving party, and as such although an elaborate decoration is not expected, but if you wish to impress, plan ahead.

  1. if it?s a formal party, go for elegant floral decorations but never overdo the décor.

  2. cocktail napkins and the glassware are important, don?t ignore them, get some quality napkins.

  3. If it?s a business party, branded napkins could be useful too.

  4. Set up food and drink counters strategically, some prefer to set them across the room to avoid crowding, some go even more innovative and spread them across the house so people can move around. Get some signage printed or hand painted and use them the way you see them on buffet luncheon tables, guests love it if you care, tell them if there is any item that is gluten free, or has peanuts, has dairy or simply name the items for your guests to easily recognize which is what.

  5. If you have planned to spread the party over several rooms, put up ample signages to direct guests to what is in which room. In a cocktail party, time is of essence and there is no time to formally guide your guests to every room and signages will keep the party moving.





Decorate to your taste, thematic if possible Decorate to your taste, thematic if possible








6.Ensure cocktail party etiquettes: dress, favours and guidance and travel assistance, the better you think ahead the more you are likely to have happy and grateful guests 6. Ensure cocktail party etiquettes: dress, favours and guidance and travel assistance, the better you think ahead the more you are likely to have happy and grateful guests




Ensure cocktail party etiquettes


Dress, favours and guidance and travel assistance, the better you think ahead the more you are likely to have happy and grateful guests.

  1. the timing and day of the week decides what guests will probably be wearing to the party, if it?s a weekday evening, they?ll probably be coming directly from office, if it?s a weekend, they might come dressed in their cocktail party dresses, with the men in weekend casuals, plan your dress accordingly.

  2. Plan for some unique favours, although not mandatory or part of a cocktail party custom, but favours make a lasting impression of your guests. Simple gifts like wine glasses, keychain bottle openers or an elegant yet small pottery piece, all wrapped and boxed in a favour box will elevate your party from just another party to that memorable party.

  3. Cocktail parties don?t ask for personal attention but be the generous and caring host, and always remind people of the designated drivers, help a guest who drank a few too many with a cab or a help to get the cab back home. Print a driving guide and nearest bus and train stop guide on the invite to help your guests find your party easily.







The Wow factor


a cocktail party, formal or personal, is a short lived quick moving party, and as such although an elaborate decoration is not expected, but if you wish to impress, plan ahead.

  1. if it?s a formal party, go for elegant floral decorations but never overdo the décor.

  2. cocktail napkins and the glassware are important, don?t ignore them, get some quality napkins.

  3. If it?s a business party, branded napkins could be useful too.

  4. Set up food and drink counters strategically, some prefer to set them across the room to avoid crowding, some go even more innovative and spread them across the house so people can move around. Get some signage printed or hand painted and use them the way you see them on buffet luncheon tables, guests love it if you care, tell them if there is any item that is gluten free, or has peanuts, has dairy or simply name the items for your guests to easily recognize which is what.

  5. If you have planned to spread the party over several rooms, put up ample signages to direct guests to what is in which room. In a cocktail party, time is of essence and there is no time to formally guide your guests to every room and signages will keep the party moving.


Follow this simple yet important checklist of two dozen pointers and tick them off one by one, and you can be sure of a party that?ll be the talk of your circle for days.





The Wow factor, before moving on to the final bits, this is the highlight that deals with what makes your party stand out and worth remembering The Wow factor, before moving on to the final bits, this is the highlight that deals with what makes your party stand out and worth remembering




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Neel B and Mani, we are a team of two, from Calcutta, India. We are professional software engineers and passionate cocktail enthusiasts. We built this app because we saw a need for a more comprehensive and user-friendly way to find cocktails and bartending recipes. We hope you enjoy using our app as much as we enjoyed making it!

We decided to use our technology skills to help others who were in the same position as us and wanted to experiment with making cocktails at home but didn\u2019t know where to start. We have been working together for more than two years and has managed to collect an extensive library of recipes as well as tips and tricks for making the perfect cocktail.

Neel B is an Electronics and Telecommunications Engineer and martial arts and fitness enthusiast. He is an avid reader, compulsive doodler, and painter. His love for cocktails arises from the art in it and the history that traces the ups and downs of modern civilisation over centuries.

Maniis an ERP and SaaS developer and architect by day and a cocktail enthusiast in her leisure. She holds a Masters in Computer Application and Programming. In addition to writing stories on the history of cocktails and alcohol, she has a special interest in cocktails in literature. She believes that the perfect cocktail can make any moment special.

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