10 Easy Cocktail Party Ideas

The cocktail party can be held as a business function, or for family and friends. They were traditionally the before part of a dinner party where guests would gather in a room and drink themselves silly. It has now evolved to become a party theme in its own right.

Take a look at the following cocktail party ideas for some suggestions and inspiration:

1. Your invitations could be in the shape of a cocktail glass cut out of cardboard. Try and fashion a straw and umbrella out of the card if you're good at crafts.

2. Consider hiring a professional cocktail maker if you're charging your cocktail party to the company. They provide great entertainment and are well worth the money!

3. Failing that you should allow your guests to make up their own cocktail. Provide instructions and ingredients for a range of classic cocktails.

4. The best decorations you should go with would simply be black and white balloons.

5. If you have a budget, or if the company is picking up the tab, consider hiring out a butler for an added touch of class.

6. For your music, the obvious choices would be Classical or Jazz. Particular favorites would be Bill Evans, Eddie Harris or Tosca.

7. For your food, consider hiring a waiter to serve on trays. Go for finger foods and go through the full range, lots of choice from hors d' oeuvres right through to desserts. Again, go for small size but lots of choice.

8. Onto the cocktails, the essence and most important part of your cocktail party. Make sure that you over prepare for this, not leaving anything to chance and you and your guests will be happy. Stock up on ice, fruit for garnish, straws, little umbrellas and glasses of all shapes and sizes.

9. The most popular cocktails are usually the cosmopolitan, the dirty and many different variants containing martini. So stock up on martini! Also get in plenty of wine and champagne as cocktails will not be to everyones taste. Also get in the usual soft drinks as well as mixers; orange, cranberry, lemon and lime juice.

10. The most important thing to remember though is that the whole point of a cocktail party is that it is meant to be a classy occasion. A little bit of extra expense will go a long way. You should consider the extras such as butlers, waiters, cocktail makers and even a valet to park the cars.