Hosting a corporate event is a great way to bring people together. It can bring employees together to celebrate an important milestone, while hosting a public event is a great way to get the word out about your brand. No matter what kind of event you’re hosting, it starts with securing the right venue, but it doesn’t end there.
You have to think very carefully about how and what you’re going to serve, especially when it comes to alcoholic beverages at a cocktail party.
Professional beverage catering in San Francisco can help, and so can making sure you and your cater follow these four tips.
Networking and interactions among your guests is extremely important at any corporate event. It contributes to a celebratory atmosphere, it can spark new ideas, and it leaves guests with a positive feeling about your brand, and yet, so many people in charge of planning the party make a huge mistake by setting up a single bar.
There’s no denying that one oversized bar looks magnificent, but it will do absolutely nothing to encourage positive interactions among your guests. That’s because single bars inevitably develop a line, which means guests are standing around and waiting instead of interacting with your event and other guests the way you planned.
Having additional bartenders won’t solve the problem either. Instead of one single line extending out from the bar, the line will extend the length of the bar, and guests will still have to wait to approach the counter. If it looks busy, some guests may avoid the bar altogether, which means they’re more likely to leave early.
Instead, set up multiple bars. Having three smaller bars situated in different areas of your event is a perfect way to keep lines short and to keep guests mingling.
Signature cocktails have been all the rage the last couple of years. Although creating a signature cocktail can be a lot of fun, and it will provide a hit of interest at your party, you would do better to take a different approach.
No one really knows what they’re getting into when it comes to signature cocktails. Some guests may try it and not like it, which is wasteful for your bar and disappointing to your guests. Instead, choose one or two familiar mixed drinks, like the Negroni or the Moscow mule, and serve beer and wine.
Not only does this approach prevent the costs and labor required for a full bar, it gives guests the chance to choose their beverage and know exactly what they’re ordering. It also encourages guests to have a cocktail and switch to a lighter beer or wine, which can keep trouble from brewing.
Are you worried about your drinks looking boring? There is something to be said about the importance of picture-perfect cocktails in today’s digital age, so try dressing up your cocktail. Enhance your drinks with garnishes, unique cocktail picks, and colorful glassware to encourage guests to take pictures and post them to social media.
What you serve at your event is important, but the glass matters just as much as what’s inside it.
It’s true that martini and coupe glasses can make for a really striking cocktail, but they are a nightmare to carry around. With such a long stem and shallow cup, you can expect guests to do a lot of spilling.
There are many types of drink glasses to choose from, but a few of the best choices for a cocktail party include:
You can expect the majority of your guests at a cocktail party to sip on an alcoholic beverage, but that doesn’t mean everyone will. Some people may want to drink one or two, then switch to a non-alcoholic beverage. Not to mention, you don’t want to give guests an excuse to get out of hand because the only choices they have are booze and water.
Make sure you have some non-alcoholic options behind the bar. That might mean serving sparkling water, but you can also ensure all your guests have fun by serving mocktails.
Mocktails are having a real moment as people make the choice to drop alcohol. They are created to offer the same flavors and impact of their alcoholic counterparts, ensuring every guest at your cocktail party gets to partake in the frivolity of carrying around and sipping on a fun drink.
Getting the alcoholic drinks just right at your next event can be difficult, especially if you want to avoid potential problems and disappointments. Beverage catering in San Francisco from Left Coast Catering can help. Fill out our online form or give us a call at 415-934-0600 to start planning a unique cocktail party event for your business.
