Table Talk: Planning a Cocktail Party

Who doesn’t love a cocktail party? It is my favorite way to entertain. I love the cocktail dresses, the shoes, appetizers and the chance to mingle with everyone. This also allows for more guests than a dinner party since there is no seating requirements, allowing guests to come and go as they please. The holidays beg for cocktail parties with the lights, the festivities and the crazy schedules we keep.

Steve is our bartender and he so relishes his position but he also wants to be able to mingle amongst his guests, not stuck behind the bar. His solution to this is limiting the drink choices. He will offer beer, wine and a specialty cocktail along with still and sparkling water.

Our home is cottage style with designated rooms. The family room is usually a gathering spot with the seating at the bar and the Christmas tree. Our goal is to have people mingle in the house and this is a perfect occasion to draw them into the living room. This year we’ll do this by setting up a bar cart. I was drawn to the amazing selection of vintage bar carts at Chairish the found the perfect accessory in the The 1960’s French Vintage Forged Iron Bar Cart  shown below.

 I plan to set this up in a corner of the living room, stocked with Champagne, Wine and San Pelligrino. Chairish has everything I need to set this up in style.  I found vintage glasses that will add an elegant touch to the party along with  the perfect accessories to keep Champagne, White Wine and San Pellegrino chilled throughout the evening.

 I had designed my entire cocktail party in 30 minutes or less.  We are looking forward to our holiday celebration to close out the year. We didn’t get it together last year, allowing the whirlwind of Christmas to take us over but that won’t happen this holiday season.

We find guests rave about the set up to encourage them to mingle instead of sitting by the refreshments. We know it’s a good party when the end of the night ends up looking like this.  It’s one of our best parties of the year so break out those high heels and join us!

I created the Christmas at Monica’s Table Holiday Guide because I want you to love the holidays and throw perfectionism out the window. Preplanning can be the most important aspect of reducing stress while entertaining, and less stress very often equates to more fun. I recommend getting started early. Click below to make the purchase! Recipes for any holiday gathering for only $9.97.