Ahhh….. Social events are never complete without your favorite alcoholic beverages. As a matter of fact drinking has been a part of our culture and tradition for hundreds of years. For people to totally enjoy this “feast” or today the “cocktail party” better, alcoholic drink recipes have evolved in terms of preparation, variety, and increased in number of selections over time.

A good cocktail party can be a lot of fun. Typically, the guests are bursting with energy, buzzing with conversation and slowly (hopefully) sipping their drinks. The scene is all so familiar. The night is young, the appetizers are delicious and so is the taste of the alcohol. Everyone is either laughing or deep in conversation, while the host or bartender is preparing another drink. The party crowd is bursting with laughter from some old joke. These are good times that will create fond memories. Whether it be a drinking card game between family and friends, the more common cocktail party for business or corporate gatherings or for just plain fun….. It matters little what it is called as long as fun is had by all.

Once you have the desired ingredients or ready-made appetizers to go along with the wine, champagne, booze and/or beer you might want to get the living room ready for some heavy foot traffic. If not the living room, then maybe the kitchen, deck or the pool house would be ideal. Wherever you choose be sure you are able to provide ample seating for all the guests, along with glassware. Since you will be serving a large amount of drinks you may want to hire a bartender for the evening. It isn’t a good idea at a cocktail party to have everyone pour their own drinks. Especially since you would rather spend the night laughing and giggling or mingling and bouncing from one conversation to the next. You could easily find someone to work behind the bar for a fair amount or you may get lucky and have one of your friends opt-in for the job. Although this would be my preference it is not to say you would not enjoy serving drinks. The bartender is surely very popular at all occasions and gets plenty of attention.

As Ted Lange from Love Boat says…. mixing drinks and coming up with new drink ideas can be an enjoyable hobby. Having a good bartender guide like Drink Recipes Alcoholic.com will help give you new ideas for mixed drink recipes and can be a very useful tool. Drink recipe website guides are indespensible when it comes to numerous how-to guides and a variety of drink recipes that you can try and perfect at your leisure. Your bartender can be the life of your next house party when they mix up cocktails for your guests and show off their bartending talents.

Some drink recipe websites may have drinks that you would have never thought of and others may contain variations on old favorites. The joy is in trying and learning new things and possibly experimenting on your own cocktails. This can give you endless possibilities and allow for you to show off your bartending skills to your friends and family.

For those who like to dabble in bartending as a hobby, after adding a few more recipes to their drink list, they just might decide that this could be a new career in the making. If so, then you can take your skills to a whole new level and it might just be the beginning of a whole new future.

And don’t forget to support your local bartender. Even ugly people need to get laid!!!

Cocktail parties are the most stylish and elegant where you can get to meet people and have all kinds of social networks work for you. The main feature are the chilled drinks which provide loads of fun to the party. You therefore want everything to go perfectly and the only way you can do this is to plan and to employ great cocktail party ideas. The first aspect you consider when you are having a cocktail party is the invitation. Colorful illustrations characterize cocktail invitations and some of the illustrations that you will find are cocktail glasses, champagne bottles, martinis, olives and the list goes on. The invitation should inform the attendants the following things. First, it should show clearly whether the party is a formal occasion or not. Secondly, it indicates the venue of the party and give contact details for further inquiries.

Another vital thing to mention on an invitation is the date and time of the venue. Mention the particular theme that you are going with to give your guests an idea of what the dress code might be. Many cocktail parties carry a dress and color code. Send invitations 2 to 3 weeks before the party to give your guest enough time to work out their schedule. Next, you need cocktail party ideas for decorations. You need to ensure top notch sophistication and if the party is at your house, keep it light with a floral centerpiece. Arrange the sits in a comfy way and make sure all is warm with some soft music playing in the background. A lava lamp is ideal to give that dim lighting, if you do not have it, try using attractive candles throughout the room.

Cocktail party ideas for drinks are paramount and you need at least 4 different types of drinks to make it a complete cocktail event. Have wine, hard liquor, soda and juices giving a variety of wines to add that extra spice. The best foods for your party are finger foods. A great idea is to hire a bartender if you feel that the drink might overwhelm you and this will enable you participate in the party fully. Cocktail party ideas for dressing are also vital and ladies will have to look nothing but glamorous at the same time keeping it light and less formal. You can do a fancy top and a skirt or dress that is knee sized. Men need to wear a good pair of trouser and a smart shirt or evening jacket.

Cocktail party ideas for favors are vital so that your guests can have treasured keepsakes which will remind them of the great cocktail experience in your home. You need to go for favors like personalized or customized gin bottles, elegant key chains, wine glass charms, cocktail stir sticks, martini glasses, cocktail shakers and the list goes on. Finally, you can have a game to encourage people to mingle more as the mild music in the background captivates guests. Your guests will be entertained and they will look forward to a similar experience.

A cocktail party is meant to be short and sweet.  Inviting your friends over for cocktails should be a two hour chance to catch up and unwind. You and your guests can get together for just a short time; reconnect and then still have most of the evening to yourself.  And when you consider a shorter cocktail party to celebrate instead of a big party with drinks, dinner and dessert, you might be looking at saving a little money, too.  Consider some of these cocktail party ideas for your next birthday, graduation or next big event.  Pick the perfect urbane cocktail party invitation and you’re well on your way to a suave, grown up party.

The Classic Cocktail Party

When you think of cocktails, the Martini is generally the first libation that comes to mind.  Celebrate the Martini and its sophistication with a charming Martini invitation.  Your guests will be feeling debonair right from the start.  Treat your guests to an updated ‘Martini Bar’ with gourmet stuffed olives and garnishes.  You might need to break out the bartending book to find some other great cocktails that need a revival.  Consider putting a new twist on the Manhattan, the Side Car and the Brandy Alexander for a cocktail restoration.   

Custom Cocktail Party

If swank is not your style, but you still love the idea of a cocktail party you’ve got a few other options.  Get your guests involved by making and naming custom cocktails for your guests.  If your friend Jack likes vanilla vodka and chocolate, combine the two for a ‘Jack-hattan.’  When inviting guests ask them RSVP with some of their favorite flavors.  Stock your bar accordingly and you’ll be mixing up custom creations in no time. Keep some fun non-alcoholic juices and sodas on hand, too. 

Summer Cocktail Party

Once the weather turns hot, you’ll need some cool beverages for your cocktail party.  Margaritas are the perfect summer cocktail.  Mix up the flavors with peach, mango, strawberry or whatever fruity concoction you can think of.  Another cool favorite on a hot, summer day is the mojito.  And don’t forget a chilled fruity punch for added kick.  Add some finger foods or skewers from the grill you’ve got a red-hot summer cocktail party. 

Cold Weather Cocktail Party

Winter doesn’t have to put a damper on your cocktail party.  Add a little heat to your next cold weather cocktail party with spiked apple cider, egg nog or peppermint hot chocolate.  Sipping cocktails by the fire is a wonderful way to celebrate the cocktail and the spirit of the cocktail party.  It won’t matter if the weather outside is ‘frightful’ you’ll have a hip winter cocktail party to keep you and your guests warm.

Whatever event you’re celebrating, a cocktail party just might be an inexpensive and low-key way to enjoy the occasion.  A few cocktails and some finger foods are all you need to celebrate the cocktail and the company of friends.  And don’t forget – just about any cocktail can be made into a ‘mocktail’ for your guests who want to join the fun, but don’t drink alcohol.

Check out our cocktail party invitations.  MyExpression.com also has great resources for your next cocktail party.