Nothing is worse than it being your turn to host the festivities this year and you aren’t the best at planning parties. You’re responsible for getting the drinks, but you have no idea where to start. How many different beverages do you buy? And how much do you get? These are the questions that burden anyone who’s planning a special occasion, but thankfully it doesn’t have to be so stressful.
Planning the right selection of beverages is key in having a successful event and happy guests. Avoiding spending too much or too little makes that even more satisfying–and better yet, it’s completely achievable! This is our guide to becoming the perfect alcohol party planner.
Choosing the Right Variety
One of the biggest challenges to overcome is making sure you don’t come off as a boring host. If you’re only offering Kahlua and instructing your guests to BYOD (bring your own drink), then no one is coming back next year. Choosing the right variety of drinks is a great way to ensure that everyone has something to drink that they enjoy. Here are the key steps to take when determining the best variety for your gathering:
- Know your people.
- Just ask (if you don’t know your people).
- Find something new to include.
- Don’t forget mixers!
Consider each person who is attending your party. If there are a lot of people coming, then think about a handful. What have you seen them enjoy in the past? If you don’t know, you can always ask (and you should!).
We recommend that there should be an appropriate balance between liquors, beer, and wine, depending on the tastes of you and your guests. Additionally, the type of event you’re planning to host.
The expectations for drink selection will be different for a birthday with friends than a family dinner, so keep that in mind as well. Unless the group has the same tastes, then having a variety of drinks with different alcohol contents and flavor profiles is preferable.
A guest shouldn’t have to worry about only being able to participate if strong liquors are available, for example, if they’d rather go easy on the drinks that night. This is why mixers are fantastic–everyone suddenly gets access to a plethora of custom drink options that they wouldn’t have without soda, juice, or other additions.
Additionally, consider finding something new to include! The drinks can be a highlight of the night if you want them to be, and trying something new is always an interesting and fun experience.
Buying the Right Amount
As the host it is important to determine the scope of the gathering and determine how much your guests will realistically want to drink.
One bottle for every two guests, and one beer for every half hour per guest, are good starting points for determining the right amount of drinks to buy. If your guests aren’t big beer drinkers, then perhaps one 12-pack would be sufficient. You have to know your audience and plan accordingly.
And if all else fails and you can’t decide on how much alcohol to buy, you can always encourage a guest or two to bring some drinks of their own (especially if they know a few of the other guests better than you do). If you can estimate the amount that’s needed on your own, then great! But you don’t have to plan alone if it’s really becoming stressful.
Our Special Recommendations
You know we want your gatherings this time of year to be the best they can be. Do you know what’s one underlooked type of alcohol? Champagne. Life should be celebrated to the fullest, and there’s certainly some fantastic moments to celebrate as we approach the new year. Popping a bottle of champagne is perfect for these moments.
We’re sharing with you our special selections for this holiday season (it’s ok, you can tell everyone!):
- Monopole Heidsieck
- Barnaut Grand Cru
- Andre Clouet Brut
- Pol Roger Brut
- Jacquesson Extra Brut
- Pierre Moncuit Rose
- Drappier Carte D’or
You can find these in our store or on our website (if linked above).
Our team wants to be part of the success and joy of your holiday celebrations this year. And the best part? We deliver, simply order from our website. Utilize our services to remove the stress from driving in the snow to get the wines, spirits, and liquor you need.
