Cocktail party ideas. Cocktail party or types of fashion parties

Do you want to meet with friends, discuss some plans or just chat, but at the same time you don’t want to cook something, set the table, prepare a “signature” dish? There is an exit, organize a cocktail party, it's fashionable, stylish, European. However, the party in this case determines the category of the event, not the time of day. A “cocktail” meeting can also be held in the morning, because a cocktail party is not a drinking session, but rather a social gathering. Of course, if someone wants to get drunk, nothing will stop him, but that’s your problem, don’t invite your alcohol-addled comrades.

Don't worry if you don't have experience in holding such events, everything is very simple. Remember simple rules, a minimum of furniture, only light snacks without cutlery and of course cocktails. True, if the party starts in the morning and plans to last until lunch or even dinner, you still have to think about food. Therefore, it is better to plan the event for the evening.

But let's talk about the main characters of the party - cocktails. Naturally, the larger the range offered, the better, although in principle, three options are already enough. At the party itself, you shouldn't experiment with fancy and exotic cocktails, so choose one that you know how to make. It is clear that you can invite a professional bartender, buy expensive alcohol and put on a real show. But this is a different topic; for now we will focus on an ordinary modest party.

All cocktails consist of a modifier and a base, most, at least. Of course, this is a matter of taste, but generally gin or tequila is used as a basis. For more “peaceful” cocktails, any good vermouth, ideally a martini is best. The best modifier is juice, generally accepted for gin – orange juice, although you can experiment with juices, it’s not scary. For vodka, for example, tomato is better, but many people like tequila with cranberry juice. All ingredients should be cold; the juice can even be partially frozen so that pieces of ice float in it.

The standard ratio of modifier to base is 1/4. Here it is necessary to say separately about the dishes. According to the rules, each drink needs its own container, but we are talking about a simple party, so in order not to bother with this topic, it is better to prepare tall glasses of the same type with thin glass with a volume of up to 300 grams. Also, at least one shaker is required. You may not use it, but someone will definitely want it. To dilute cocktails in the correct proportion, prepare a measure, meaning decanters or a special jug.

Crushed ice is an essential ingredient in most cocktails and can easily be made in advance by crushing ice cubes in a blender; if you don't have one, put the ice in a plastic bag and crush it with a hammer or rolling pin.
Yes, and don’t forget about straws and other paraphernalia, all sorts of paper umbrellas, pineapple slices, lime or orange slices. These cute trinkets help create the right mood and holiday atmosphere.

Holding themed parties is the most popular way to relieve stress and socialize in an informal environment among European and American youth. Pajama or foam celebrations still remain a form of recreation in Russia among teenagers in tourist camps at sea. Cocktail parties, on the other hand, are common among people of almost any age.

What will you need?

A cocktail party should not turn into an ordinary drinking party. Therefore, it is important to carefully think through the surroundings of the holiday, the composition of cocktails, snacks and, of course, entertainment:

1. The room can be anything. You can hold a cocktail party in a house or a spacious apartment, a bar, or just in nature, if the season and weather permits. The main requirement is the availability of free space, because guests will want to dance, and the bartender will need his own corner. Some will be chatting in small groups, so it is important to give them the illusion of privacy and provide ample seating.
2. You will need a wide selection of alcohol and juices for cocktails, and various snacks. It’s better to invite a professional bartender and order, but you can prepare the drinks yourself. However, all the same, 1-2 people will serve the celebration, and not have fun, and it is advisable that these are not the party organizers.
3. Decorations for the room may be different, but preparation of thematic surroundings must begin in advance. Guests should be notified of the desired outfits and the degree of their formality. You need to select music of different styles, think through competitions and entertainment, and decide who will play the role of presenter. It is advisable to complete preparations several hours before the start of the celebration, because unaccounted for moments may emerge.

A themed holiday is an excellent replacement for standard gatherings. To ensure that all guests are interested and your cocktail party is a success, the scenario needs to be thought out in advance.

Preparing for a home holiday

It is advisable to set aside several days for preparation, especially if this is your first time organizing such an event:

1. Prepare the dishes. You will need glasses for wine and cognac, cocktail and regular glasses, champagne flutes, standard glasses and highball glasses. To prepare, you will definitely need a shaker for mixtures and a fruit masher. You will need to buy dishes or shelves for canapés and sweets.
2. Music may vary depending on the age of the guests and the preferences of the hosts. But you need to choose calmer compositions for the beginning of the evening and rhythmic songs for the height of the celebration. Create a playlist or even several in advance so that you are rarely distracted by changing songs.
3. The room should be decorated in 2-3 colors, otherwise it will turn out too colorful. In warmer seasons, flowers can help add a festive mood. You can decorate the walls with flower garlands and braid lamps, place bouquets in vases around the perimeter of the room. In winter, you can place decorative candles of the chosen color everywhere. And be sure to use balloons.
4. Prepare invitations for guests or invite them by phone. Depending on the occasion for which the cocktail party is being held, attire can be informal or more formal. Notify your invitees about the dress code in advance. The standard rule is that it is important to dress comfortably and smartly, but sporty or business style is unacceptable.

When everything you need has been purchased, the room is decorated and guests know about the event, you can proceed to choosing a scenario.

Entertainment for guests

The hosts will need to come up with several games and competitions so that the guests do not get bored, and also provide them with the opportunity to relax on their own:

1. The main entertainment is, of course. They need to be prepared right during the party, but all the ingredients should be purchased in advance and with a reserve. Give teetotaler guests the opportunity to choose a drink from several types of juices and 3-5 non-alcoholic cocktails, and provide them with mineral water. For those who drink alcohol, find classic recipes for light alcoholic cocktails.
2. A standard, but many favorite entertainment is karaoke. It is better to spend it closer to the middle of the evening, when everyone has relaxed a little. Choose the best singer by general vote and give them memorable souvenirs.
3. There are many competitions that will appeal to both young and older generations. A cocktail party at home will be more interesting if you invite guests blindfolded to guess the composition of the cocktail or create a drink themselves. You can also play forfeits or charades, or conduct a thematic quiz.
4. Many will be delighted by the dance competition. It can be held among interested singles and couples. Or complicate the task and randomly select participants who must play a musical composition. Their improvised dance skit will amuse the guests and unite the team.
5. You can give the opportunity to participate in competitions only to those who want to or involve everyone. At the beginning of the evening, it is better to allow the shy to remain observers.

Making an interesting holiday is not as difficult as it might seem at first. Glasses and glasses can be borrowed from several friends, they can also help with the organization. It can be carried out in a 3-room or even 2-room apartment. To decorate a room you will need more imagination than money. Contests vary depending on the age of the participants, but they are usually created in a few hours at most.

Guests won't have to spend a lot on themed clothing either. A cocktail party allows you to wear dresses that are elegant, but not pretentious. Almost everyone has such clothes. Once you throw one cocktail party, you'll want to bring them several times a year.

A cocktail party is a win-win option for meeting friends on New Year's Eve and having a fun start to the holiday. Then there will be a table and the chimes, but first you can have time to try a few cocktails with light snacks, chat with friends and even play fun New Year's games.

With appetizers, everything is simple: the best way to serve cocktails is pieces of cheese, olives, sausage or fruit strung on a bright skewer. And the chef bartenders of Moscow restaurants shared the recipes for their signature cocktails with MIR 24 readers. Try rehearsing several cocktail options this coming weekend and choosing the ones you like the most for the party!

Secrets of Mixology

Professionals say that today the current concept of a bar is based on homemade preparations - purees, tinctures, syrups. At home, when making cocktails, you can use store-bought syrups, but they must be of very good quality and rich taste. You can still have time to prepare all the necessary ingredients, including tinctures. For example, all tinctures made with vodka, grappa, chacha or other strong drinks should be kept for about 3-4 days - with herbs, vanilla, citrus fruits; a week - on berries and fruits; two weeks - on pepper, ginger and cinnamon.
To make ice, which is used in most cocktails, it is better to use slightly mineralized or simply purified water. It should be completely transparent and without any aftertaste.

Sweety

Shared the recipe for this cocktail with a bright berry taste bar manager Natalya Manzhina, who is engaged in original mixology in an establishment called “Cafe Druzhba. Food Manufactory"

Ingredients:

Vodka Onegin 50 ml
Amaretto 35 ml
Sea buckthorn 70 g
Lime juice 25 ml
Sugar syrup 25 ml

Cooking method:

Fresh frozen sea buckthorn is suitable for this cocktail. It will give the cocktail a fresh, natural berry sourness and bright aroma.

You can cook sugar syrup yourself by combining water and sugar in equal proportions and stirring until it boils and the sugar is completely dissolved.

There is no need to defrost sea buckthorn. Grind it in a blender, transfer it to a shaker, add the rest of the ingredients, and shake. Fill a rocks glass with ice and pour the contents of the shaker. You can try! A wide glass is good for many cocktails so that you can drink drinks with solid ice cubes and prevent the ice from melting too quickly.

Butter cream

Photo courtesy of the restaurant

Ingredients:

Milk 100 ml
Baileys 30 ml
Jameson 30 ml
Cream 50 ml
Condensed milk 30 g

Cooking method:

Place all ingredients in a shaker, shake thoroughly, pour into a serving glass and garnish with marshmallows, cinnamon and cocktail cherries.

Old Tbilisi

The following two recipes were shared bar-brand manager of the Kazbek restaurant Denis Kryazhev.

Photo courtesy of the restaurant

Ingredients:

Chacha with vanilla 30 g
Cognac “Old Town” (8 years old) 20 g
Branca Menta liqueur 20 g
Maple syrup 5 g
Angostura bitters 1 drop
Ice 4 cubes

Cooking method:

We prepare vanilla chacha in advance: dip a vanilla stick in 170 g of chacha and leave for 4 days, then remove the vanilla.
Pour all the ingredients for the cocktail into a glass and stir with a bar spoon. Then pour into a rocks glass. add ice, garnish with cocktail cherries and lemon zest.

Non-alcoholic cocktails

Not everyone at a cocktail party is ready to drink alcohol. This means that non-alcoholic ones need to be no less tasty. And the children will appreciate them!

Raspberry - matsoni

The Raspberry-matsoni cocktail recipe is another New Year’s gift from Denis Kryazhev. It is better to make a cocktail from frozen berries.

Photo courtesy of the restaurant

Ingredients:

Milk – 60 ml
Matsoni – 60 ml
Raspberry puree – 60 ml
Cinnamon syrup – 30 ml
Ice – 4-5 cubes

Cooking method:

First, prepare the raspberry puree: for 30 grams of raspberries you will need 60 ml of sugar syrup and 30 grams of lemon juice. Without defrosting, combine the berries in a blender with sugar syrup (you can cook it yourself). Add lemon juice to the mixture of berries and syrup. Grind everything with a blender. We get the consistency of liquid berry puree. In fact, it is difficult to prepare one portion of puree; it is better to mix several at once and then use it gradually, storing the puree in the refrigerator.

Place the milk, matsoni and raspberry puree into a blender and blend for 0.5 minutes. Then add cinnamon syrup, ice and beat everything together for 1.5 minutes. Decorate with a mint leaf and raspberry.

New Year's Strawberries

Shared recipes for two more delicious milkshakes with us brand bartender Grigory Mukhin. It is important that the berries are well frozen. Then the consistency of the cocktail turns out to be thick, and the entire volume is filled with the smallest frozen particles of berries.

Many people don’t even know about carambola. Meanwhile, this star fruit is not unusually beautiful and tasty. Carambola adds acidity to the drink and provides the body with a whole range of useful substances.

Ingredients:

Strawberry – 75 g
Carambola – 15 g
Milk – 50 g

Let's prepare it like this:

This cocktail couldn't be easier to prepare. Just put all the ingredients in a blender, add 60 g of frappe ice, shake and pour into a glass. You can also use ordinary ice, in which case it is better to put it directly into the glass. You can decorate the cocktail with a circle of strawberries and a carambola star.

Using the same recipe as a strawberry cocktail, you can make drinks with other berries. Sea buckthorn, raspberries, blackberries, currants, blueberries, blueberries are perfect.

Holiday Mango

Mango is the king of fruits! Cocktails made from it are thick, aromatic, with the most delicate taste. A real celebration of taste!

Ingredients:

Mango fruit – 30 g

Mango puree – 20 ml

Milk – 50 g

Honey (or sugar syrup) – 30 ml

For the mango puree:

Mango – 50 g

Sugar syrup – 20 g

Lemon juice – 10 g

Cooking method:

To make mango puree, first make sugar syrup from sugar and water. Mango, cut the pulp into pieces, combine in a blender with ready-made cooled sugar syrup and lemon juice. We grind everything - we get liquid fruit puree.

I use lemon juice in all my purees,” says Grigory. – Not only does it provide a fresh taste, but it is also an excellent natural preservative. At home, fruit or berry puree with lemon can be placed in the freezer and it will be stored for a very long time without changing quality. This was once suggested to me by a very good Italian chef I worked with.

There is such an event as a cocktail party. It is most often scheduled for five o'clock in the evening and lasts about four hours. Such a gathering, unlike real celebrations, has much less festive characteristics. The modern dress code of such parties for both women and men requires knowledge of some rules for the selection of clothing and accessories.

Very often, various presentations or exhibitions are held in our time under the guise of cocktail meetings. And in invitations to events of this kind, the concept of “Cocktail dress code” is indicated.

"Cocktail" rules

This dress code includes certain requirements that must be observed by both men and women. If we take men into account, they are recommended to wear classic suits in exclusively dark shades.

The most popular suits are blue and black. You can wear ties in bright colors. Women should wear special cocktail dresses to such events.

Types of similar events

Currently, there are three types of cocktail parties - business, classic and social. And each of them has its own “Cocktail” dress code. First, let's talk about business-style parties.

These include various corporate evenings, which are usually intended for discussing business between business partners. Most often they are held within the walls of an excellent restaurant. At the same time, you must adhere to special rigor in your clothing.

The “Cocktail” dress code for women determines attending a party in a dress that is made in a simple style, without a deep neckline and below the knees. The color of clothing should be calm tones - beige, gray, black; it is better to avoid large patterns or sharp contrasts. With all this, a woman should not wear bright or flashy jewelry. An exception may be a modest bracelet, neat earrings, or a thin gold chain.

Shoes should also be of a strict style. An excellent example would be closed-type boats, made in the classic version. Shoes can be low or medium heels, stiletto heels are best avoided, platform or sports shoes are not acceptable.

Classic version

An equally serious party is an event that is held in the evening. Usually it is scheduled for eight or nine o'clock in the evening. In this case, the “Cocktail” dress code is presented in a more relaxed form. Open shoulder colors are allowed.

As for their length, it can be about ten centimeters above the knees, how much lower is at the discretion of the lady. Open shoes or attractive sandals should be used as footwear at such events. In addition to clothes, you can take bright jewelry in mostly light colors. An excellent option would be expensive jewelry or classic jewelry. However, for example, rings with large diamonds will be superfluous.

The “Cocktail” dress code for men at such parties assumes the same suit, but a loose cut, no jacket and more liberal shades of clothing are allowed. You can use a pocket square, cufflinks and watches as jewelry.

Social event

The third type of modern fashionable cocktail party is For such events, clothing is allowed in the form of attractive dresses up to the middle of a woman's knee, although dresses up to the ankle are also allowed. Various necklines, trains and decorations are welcome.

As for men, their dress code at such events is lighter and is represented by a tie, suit or just trousers and a shirt.

If the cocktail party is not formal, then a simple “Cocktail” dress code is encouraged. Photos of the clothing are presented below. In such cases, men are allowed to wear a jacket. But the choice should be made on a fashionable item with a loose cut, so that the attire is not in a business style. A representative of the stronger half of humanity can wear expensive accessories - cufflinks, watches, a genuine leather belt. Although most of all a man is decorated with expensive and chic shoes.

How to behave at a cocktail party?

It must be remembered that it is not clothes that make a person. The main principle is the correct holding of the event in compliance with all the rules, as well as those present. Nowadays, as in past years, the true and sincere adornment of any person is a smile.

What is possible: talk in halftones, joke, laugh quietly, enjoy drinks and snacks in a civilized manner, dance, if this is planned by the owners.

What is not allowed: shouting, swearing, laughing loudly, bringing up political, religious or racial issues in conversation.

Cocktail Party Principles

In modern society, the “Cocktail” dress code has become very popular. Such evenings are a convenient way to conduct other events designed to meet specific people in a relaxed format. Modern cocktail parties have a semi-formal feel. At the same time, they are served with various drinks and all sorts of light snacks.

Each party participant must be familiar with certain issues in advance: the time of the event, the place where it is organized and the purpose of being at the party.

Dress code "Cocktail" depending on the location of the party

If an event of this format is held at home, for example, in connection with obtaining a new position, then it is allowed to use a more relaxed style of clothing. If the celebration will take place in a fashionable and expensive restaurant, then it is necessary to use the “Business Cocktail” dress code, which is distinguished by rigor and elegance.

There is one more small feature that will allow a person to determine the level of formality of the celebration - this is the invitation itself to it. If it was done over the phone, then you can relax and wear a simpler outfit.

If the invitation was issued in the form of a postcard or letter and received officially, then the party will be held at a high level. In this case, clothes should be chosen responsibly.

How can a woman choose an outfit?

With the help of a dress, an image is created, beauty is emphasized and figure flaws are hidden. Therefore, it must be carefully selected according to its parameters so that the outfit matches the hairstyle, shoes, and accessories. To emphasize the individuality of the guest and at the same time meet the basic requirements of the dress code: elegant cut, adequate length, small neckline, soft colors.

It is clear that the dress code for a Cocktail Evening will be different from the dress code for a day party.

Moreover, dresses are selected depending on age.

Up to 25 years of age, if you have a slender figure, a length of about fifteen centimeters above the knee is acceptable. Bright colors and unusual cuts are welcome. It is not advisable to wear a lot of jewelry with a dress.

25 - 35 years - you can use a different range of styles and colors. It is better to avoid a short dress length (with the exception of an ideal figure). You also need to be careful when choosing bright colors like pink, lemon, or salad. They should only be worn if they suit your skin color very well.

After 35, you should pay attention to the length of the dress so that it is below the knee. Instead of a full skirt, it is best to use a more modest style.

The “Cocktail” dress code for women in winter is no different from other seasons. The only thing is that dresses need to be selected in such a way that they are combined with winter clothes. It is better with long sleeves and knitted ones, made of thin woolen fabric.

The traditional color of the dress is black. However, you can use other shades - beige, golden, dark blue. You should avoid pink, light green and lemon shades, as they will be inappropriate for a serious event.

The dress can be complemented with various accessories - handbags, watches, jewelry. Even the use of small, discreet hats is allowed. It is also a good idea to wear long gloves or boleros.

Cocktail party is an option for hosting guests, where a variety of cocktails, wines and soft drinks with light snacks are served. It can be held in a public place or at home. This type of event originated in the 20s of the last century in the USA. Thanks to cinema, he gained popularity in other countries. In recent decades, corporate events, openings of exhibitions and galleries, symposiums, and presentations have been held in the style of a cocktail party. This holiday format can be used to meet with friends, celebrate a birthday or other family celebration. Of course, a cocktail party during a seminar or symposium is significantly different from the fun youth version.

A characteristic feature of a cocktail party is the absence of a common table for seating guests. The main requirement is space, a lot of free space for dancing, free communication and holding competitions. Make sure there is a sufficient number of seats - chairs, armchairs, sofas. If possible, create several quiet sitting areas some distance away where guests can socialize in peace. If the party is informal, decorate the hall with streamers, bright balloons, posters with witty congratulations, and flowers.

Beverages

The main drinks of the evening are a variety of cocktails. If possible, arrange a bar counter and place a table with snacks nearby. Pay special attention to the dishes. Select glasses of the same type with a capacity of 250-300 ml, suitable for most cocktails. There should be at least twice as many of them as there are invitees. You will also need decanters, straws for cocktails, a shaker, ice tongs, and a muddler. For a youth holiday, stock up on bright disposable tableware.

To prepare cocktails for a large company, prepare all the ingredients in advance:

1. Make compotes or juices from berries or fruits, cool.
2. Prepare ice, you will need a lot of it for the party (you can order ready-made ice, the drinks will look beautiful). Don’t be lazy, freeze ice cubes with berries inside, they will perfectly decorate any cocktail. For the same purpose, cubes of multi-colored jelly with pieces of fruit inside are useful.
3. If there are many guests, serve drinks in a large container. Ice and frozen fruit should be kept separately. Guests will prepare their own drink.
4. Cool your alcoholic drinks.

If you want to organize a party according to all the rules, you can enlist the help of. A master of his craft, masterfully mixing drinks, will add a special flavor to the holiday. This is interesting and convenient, since in any case someone will have to serve the guests. If you want to do everything yourself, choose cocktails that are easy to prepare - such as Mojito, Daiquiri, Cosmopolitan, Margarita. Give your guests the opportunity to use their imagination and make their own drink.

Snacks

The snack served during the event must be presented in a certain way - be of such a size that it can be placed in the mouth entirely. Usually they offer canapés, sandwiches cut into small diamonds or squares, vol-au-vents, tartlets, crackers, and cheese. It is possible to serve hot appetizers - miniature cutlets, kebabs, lula kebab.

For dessert, it is better to prepare small cupcakes, pastries, and donuts. Fruits must be peeled and cut into slices. Place chocolate fondue next to the fruit.

Dress code

In the invitations sent out in advance, indicate what outfits you want your guests to wear. If the event is informal, a cocktail dress for ladies is the best option. If the celebration is held in a club, girls can choose brighter outfits. Your guests will know which toilet to choose to feel comfortable. If the youth party is themed, be sure to mention it.

Entertainment

Choose dance music based on your tastes and the preferences of your guests. Select several competitions that will interest all invitees.

Cocktail-related competitions are very popular:

• preparing the most unusual cocktail within a certain time;
• guessing the name of a cocktail or its ingredients;
• quiz, participants must guess interesting facts about drinks.

If the event is outdoors, have a plan in place in case of bad weather.

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