Cocktails Anyone?
For those of you who love to decorate for the holidays, it doesn't have to be over. If you are considering a New Years Party or any other type of cocktail party, here are some secrets for throwing a seriously sexy soiree.
For the successful event you must first have a well thought out plan and the first decision on this list is to create a theme. The theme of the party does not have to be elaborate, it could be as simple as a "Black and White" party, a "Chocolate and Champagne" party, or a "Martini" party, but you must remember to carry the thread of your theme through each aspect of your plan.
Next, send out the invitations - everyone loves to get an invitation! To really get your guests' interest, try popping a quote or riddle pertaining to your party's theme or tucking the receipe for the party's signature cocktail into the envelope, this will be sure to get their taste buds tantalized! Then, of course, there is the question of whom to invite. Between 24 and 44 guests, depending on the size of your space is usually a good bet. To keep the energy infectious shoulders should be rubbing! Try to invite a diverse group of people to make for an interesting evening.
For the decorating, keep it simple but impactful. By using large items or by grouping many similar smaller items you can achieve this. One of the most versatile group of items that I have, is a group of three gigantic glass canisters, which can be filled with many different objects and can be changed from season to season. At Christmas, they can be filled with candles, colorful fruit, flowers or decorations, in the summer they can hang out on your deck filled with sand and seashells or put them in your bathroom filled with bath salts and decorative soaps. Another great little investment is a purchase of 50 - 100 small glass votive holders, these really add to the mood and atmosphere of a party and can be picked up at the dollar store or places like Ikea for very little. Picking a colour scheme is also important and carrying it throughout all the rooms makes a statement. The colour scheme could and should relate to everything from the candles and flowers to the plates, glasses and serviettes. If you feel the colours are overpowering, mix them with neutrals like cream, white, black or clear glass as opposed to another unrelated colour. A little attention at the exterior entry makes for a warm welcome and is always appreciated. A few extra strings of lights or.....a ball of Mistletoe? Mistletoe should certainly get your party rolling!
Now, for my favorite part of the planning - the food. The secret to an amazing party is the quality and presentation of the food. There is no need to make everything from scratch but each ingredients or finished product that you purchase should be as fresh and as delicious as possible - real care and consideration should be taken on this part of the planning. Even something as minute as the type of olives served should be scrutinized.
A simple cheese plate can be transformed with a little imagination and some interesting garnishes. Experiment with items you would not typically choose when it comes to food. Try a large mirror with either ornate or contemporary framing and layer it with some exotic leaves, a few rounds and wedges of cheese. Add a cluster of champagne grapes and a fresh baguette and you may think it will be gorgeous and complete. If you can toss a few fresh figs onto the mirror and cut just one or two in half with a decorative knife and voila!
Setting up self-service stations, placed in different areas of the room is a terrific idea for a party, people love to participate in their own creations and the stations really keep the party circulating. Five stations tend to final ingredience work well.
The for an over the top party is the music. Great music
is a must and preparing the music ahead is very important, the wrong music
can kill an otherwise great party. If you really want to go all out and add
some atmosphere - hire a band or a live musician.
With a well laid out plan and a few great ideas even the host and hostess can relax for the evening.
ENJOY.