Cocktail Party 101: How to Host in Your Home Hot Tub Gazebo
What’s a great way to celebrate your birthday? Commemorate an import anniversary? Or how about celebrating your promotion at work? A great answer to all these is a cocktail party. They’re easy to plan elegant affairs that don’t have a lot of fuss but are also a lot more fun! Sure, grand parties are great but reserve those for weddings and milestone anniversaries instead. If you simply want to have a good time without having to stress too much on preparing for such an event, a nice cocktail party is your best bet! In fact, if you have a gazebo or hot tub enclosure at home, you can just hold it in there!
A nice home gazebo cocktail party isn’t as hectic as you might think. It’s all about being strategic with your preparations and ensuring that every single guest is having a good time. You’ll only really need is a little elegance and some good conversation and you’re good to go. But to make things easier for you, here are a few tips in Cocktail Party Planning 101, home gazebo-style!
Keep things Elegant
As mentioned earlier, elegance is very much needed at a cocktail party. It’s what separates such an event from other types of gatherings. Why do you think fashion mostly associated with looks so snazzy and sophisticated? Ultimately, an elegant cocktail party makes this otherwise simple event into a more refined and distinguished affair. But how can you enthuse elegance? Firstly, as the host, you have to look the part. Wear appropriate cocktail attire for your own party. Second, keep the decorations simple yer classic. There’s no need for balloons (this isn’t a kid’s birthday party) nor streamers (it isn’t a bachelor/bachelorette’s night neither!). A few candles on the tables and some flowers here and there and you’re all set!
Consider the Lighting
Remember putting candles on the table? Well, at a cocktail party, that’s usually all the lighting you’ll need. If your hot tub gazebo has its own lighting, you can turn them on too, ut cocktail parties are usually intimate affairs. They’re supposed to be simpler and smaller and your lighting has to reflect that. Fortunately, candles are almost always a must for any home gazebo. When you’re not using it for a cocktail party, you can always hang out and chill inside your very own backyard spa. But going back to the cocktail party planning, a candle or two in each table would usually suffice as the appropriate lighting for your elegant affair. Only when the moon isn’t out and it’s too dark outside should you then go for electric lighting!
Install a Mini Bar
Oftentimes, home gazebos are already minibars themselves, and if that’s the case in your lot, then you can simply build the cocktail party around it instead of inside it. Here, you give your guests the opportunity to choose and even make their own drinks and cocktails instead of having them wait to be served. But if you just have a regular home gazebo, then installing a mini-bar inside it will be a good alternative. Find a corner within the structure and set up the mini-bar there. As the host, you can act as the bartender and ruffle up some cocktails for your guests. This will make you all the more popular and your guests will certainly have a great time!
Know Where to Place the Food Table
Now that you’ve established drinks, then comes the food! Finger foods are what you’ll only need to focus on. Small sandwiches, a bowl of chips, mini “pigs in a blanket” and the like are what makes for great cocktail food. Not only are they appetizing, but they’ll complement your drinks way better than a full-course meal. Oftentimes, you’re going to need to set up a table where guests can pick the food they want to snack on, and where you place this is crucial! Don’t put it in the middle as it will take up space and won’t look good for the party overall. Instead, find a corner that easy to get to and won’t take up as much space even when guests are lined up to it.
Tables are More Important than Chairs
Tables are practically the only thing you need to focus on in terms of furniture. Remember that a cocktail party isn’t as big as a full-blown party event or a wedding reception—you can do without a couple of chairs. But don’t eradicate chairs altogether, just limit the number in your home gazebo party area. Cocktail parties are all about socializing, and your guests will probably spend more time moving about, talking with friends and colleagues, instead of staying in their own table. Oftentimes, there will be guests that are there to just drop by out of courtesy and will leave after only a couple of minutes. A chair for them won’t be as useful as you might think!
Open the Gazebo
No one wants a stuffy party area, and even for a gathering as intimate as a cocktail party, your guests would still prefer to have more air to breathe. Open up your spa enclosure gazebo to make your guests feel free. Don’t’ confine them within a close and compact structure that can cause episodes of claustrophobia and even discomfort among your guests. Clear the air and open the window, or if possible, the panels to make the structure more open and the party larger than life! You’ll not only have a better cocktail party, but your guests will probably anticipate the next time you host one!
Just Have Fun
Finally, don’t forget to have some fun! This is your party and you’re the host! You, out of all the people in the gazebo, should have the most fun. Don’t focus too much on the food and drink (if you follow the tips mentioned earlier, you won’t have to!) and talk more with your guests. You can even plan out a small game to make things more interesting and a lot more fun! The way you fashion your own cocktail party is what will make such an event unforgettable! From as many memories as you can, even in this small and intimate gathering of people you love and love you!
Isn’t cocktail party planning 101 just a piece of cake? Take on these tips and plan a great event in your home gazebo! You’ll never know, maybe these tricks will work again and again!