Your location or preferred entrance is not obvious, consider signage toĭirect your guests’ arrival while driving, parking, and/or walking. Other guests may become self-conscious if they hear others leaving and may feel they should exit too.Ĭonversely, if you are ready for the party to end, bid your adieu in sight and earshot of everyone else. Furthermore, departing guests are a party downer, and, if you do not announce that you’re leaving, no one really knows exactly when you left.īut, as a host, if guests let you know that they are leaving before the end of the party, minimize the impact on the rest of the party.Įxcuse yourself, and escort the guests out of the party area to say your goodbyes.

Get or arrange each guest’s first drinkĪs a cocktail party guest, it is acceptable to leave the party without saying goodbye, especially if the host is occupied.

At this point, it is perfectly okay to tell them (with a smile) that you’ll get their first one, but after that they are on their own and help themselves.

If someone is handling bartending duties, order the guests’ cocktails for them, otherwise, make it yourself. Offer your guests a cocktail, including your signature drink of the evening upon arrival. Also, designate a place for coats, which may be in a separate room.Īs the host, try to get or facilitate each arriving guest’s first drink. For a party with a guest of honor, separate the honorees gifts and cards from the hosts. Ideally, this area is out of site from your party guests.ĭesignate a place for gifts and umbrellas near the entrance. You may wish to cover or set coasters out to protect your furniture.Ī defined area separate from the cocktail party works best for the arrival and departure of your guests. Allow accessīehind the bar from one side only to eliminate traffic on the serviceĪlso, make sure there are places throughout the room where guests can set down their cocktail glasses. Setup the bar opposite from where guests enter the room or, if there are entry/exits on each end of the party area, set the bar up along the wall in the center of the room. First, you want to draw guests deeper into the party area and secondly, you want guests to move, mingle, and meet every time they need a drink. The bar area will be the nerve center of your party, so consider the setup and location of cocktail service carefully. This includes TVs and computers throughout the house. Remove, hide, or disable all TV, video and computer distractions unless it is part of the event, such as the Super Bowl or Kentucky Derby. Keep this in mind when establishing the location of cocktail service. Naturally, guests will want and try to be close to you, their host, so minimize your time in the kitchen, as well. A simple 'out of my kitchen' usually does the trick. Unless a particular guest is helping you with food service, keep everyone out of the kitchen. Not only are these tripping hazards, your guests will find it uncomfortable to sit down with guests standing directly in front of them. The only exceptions are bar height stools and chairs. Arrange, remove, cover, and/or decorate chairs and couches to discourage sitting.īe sure to rearrange facing chairs and couches, so guests are not tempted to sit and chat. Use items to fill the room that can be pulled back or removed, if neededĬocktail parties thrive on mobile, mingling guests, for this reason minimize all opportunities for guests to sit.Just large enough to accommodate your guests.This gives you the flexibility to enlarge the space if it gets too crowded. If necessary, add plants and pull furniture into the room. For cocktail parties, too tight is always better than too open.Īrrange or place items to create the right size area.

The closer your guests are to each other the more energy they will generate, the more each guest will contribute to the party, and the more fun everyone will have.Ĭreate your mingle zone by choosing a party area that is contained and just large enough to hold your guests. The party area is the best location you have to let your party live with the least interference from you. Great parties take on a life of their own, and a great party host works in the background to keep the party machine running smoothly.

Overview of the party area and movement of guests. The ultimate host has planned for everything, and the party layout is an Hosting A Cocktail Party: Planning the Layout & Flow

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