So, you want to throw a party? Excellent idea. Whether it’s inviting 50 mates over for a boogie in your living room or cooking up a storm and flexing your tablescape skills with five friends – whatever you decide, there’s plenty to plan. What’s on the menu? Is there a theme? And how can you be a host with the most while doing the least? Let’s get into it.

First Up Drinks

First things first: drinks. We’re talking about a welcome cocktail to kick things off; an aperitif before the entree, or a round of something fun and fizzy when the living room dance party is in full swing. You want to serve up a storm, but you don’t want it to take up precious party time – opt for cocktails you can make in batches so your guests can help themselves. If you’re feeling super organised mix them up before everyone arrives. Like the Archie Rose Cosmopolitan Party Serve Punch – you just grab the chilled ingredients, pour them all into a punch bowl, add ice and voila! Or our Archie Rose Snackquiris – snack-sized daiquiris you can pour into shot glasses and hand around on the dancefloor. Genius! Or a big old jug of our Archie Rose French 75! It takes mere seconds to refill which means more time to line up party tunes and less time prepping drinks.

Who Doesn’t Love A Theme

Fact: hosting a party with a theme makes it ten times more fun. We love a good Poker Night with cocktails to match. Or a monthly Book Club where you discuss the latest novel over a cheeky tipple. We’ve even got a Writer’s Gin to really lean into this theme – and some book recommendations to boot. And let’s not forget a good old-fashioned Euro-themed party. Roll out the handmade pasta, turn the heater up to 26 degrees, blast the Italian Vintage Summer playlist on Spotify and pretend you’re in Italy (just like everyone on your Instagram feed right now). The perfect cocktails to accompany your holiday denial are most definitely a Pina Colada or Sea Salt Martini - yummo!

Go Hard On The Garnish

Never underestimate the power of a good garnish. It’s the finishing touch that can make all the difference. Even if you’re keeping it simple and sticking with G&Ts, you can’t go wrong with a little extra something on top to impress your guests. We have a whole guide to garnishing we love it so much!

Snacks To Match

Whether you pull out the party pies at midnight or carefully construct some smoked salmon bellinis before everyone arrives, snacks are a must for any gathering. We recommend keeping them bite-sized so your guests can balance a cocktail in one hand and their snack of choice in the other. And let those party pies cool straight out of the oven, ok?

Hire A Helping Hand

If your party has turned into more of a fully-fledged event (we’re talking weddings, large-scale gatherings with a few hundred people, or want your work Christmas party to really go off this year) then you can hand over the hosting reins to us. We have an entire Events Team dedicated to throwing parties. From pop-up bars and bespoke drink menus to masterclasses and snacks to complement our curated cocktails – tell us what you’re after and we’ll do the rest.