Hey it’s Alyssa! Today I’m going help list out what you will need to keep in mind when planning a simple, yet fun, event.
o The first thing to do is to establish your budget for the party and then make a guest list based on this budget. You will need to know how many people you feel you can accommodate relative to the amount of money you can spend.
o You can also establish a theme for your event but this is completely optional. A cocktail hour rarely needs a theme because they are fun in themselves.
o The next step is to select a date and time. Make sure the time fits the type of event you’re planning. Since you are planning a cocktail hour, then your event will begin around 5:00pm or 6:00pm in order to not conflict with dinner time.
o Next, you must locate a venue and caterer you would like to use. A great way to save money is to create your own dishes but be sure to make dishes you have made before and take a look at the recipe. If you are going to serve anything that is frozen, you should start to defrost it at least one day in advance.
o Think about all of the party supplies and decorations you are going to need and decipher how much of each. Also, think about where you will display everything so that you do not run out of space.
o Don’t forget the music. Without it, your event will seem dull. Make sure the volume is at an appropriate level and genre so guests can speak to each other.
o Any beverages that have to be kept cold, make sure you have enough ice or places to store these beverages. Coolers are a great way to keep items cold and available for your guests. You should also determine how much alcohol by the amount you know that your guests drink. Typically, you can assume 2 drinks per person for a 2 hour cocktail event.
o Event Day: There is still much to do even with just a couple hours left until your guests arrive. First, you should set up your bar area and tables that will be holding the food. Set this up where they are easily available but out of the way. About 30 minutes before the event, put on the music and prepare to have fun. There will always be one or two people who arrive earlier than the rest.
o Don’t be afraid to ask your guests for help. They will most likely offer to perform simple tasks, take this opportunity. You have worked hard to get where you are now, so you should enjoy the event too!

This entry was posted on Monday, April 11th, 2011 at 12:14 pm and is filed under Event Advice. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.