Brunch is one of the best areas to focus on when it comes to throwing a meal-based party, largely because there’s so much flexibility. Brunches also start at a great time: not too early, and not too late. It provides yourself and your guests with plans for the middle of your day, without requiring too much of a time commitment. And when you add cocktails to the mix, your event becomes that much more, well, eventful. And the best part is, if anyone has evening plans, they can still keep them. If you’re considering throwing a cocktail brunch party, here are five tips:
Plan Your Menu In Advance
Preparation is key to any good party, and it’s no different for a cocktail brunch. Fortunately, with brunch, there are plenty of menu options to choose from. You can go more in the lunch or breakfast direction, or choose a healthy balance between the two. Take a look at some popular brunch dishes to help guide you. You may even want to look at real brunch menus from various restaurants in cities like New York.
Your cocktails should complement the meals you serve. Food and alcohol can achieve the perfect combination if executed correctly. If your focus is on the cocktail, research cuisine that pairs well with it. Conversely, if your focus is on the meal, research alcohol that pairs with it. If you want to have light, summery cocktails with healthy meals, for instance, you could opt for veggie cocktail recipes.
Choose a Great Space
Choosing the right event space can change the entire dynamic of your party. Of course, you can always host your event at home, and save the event rental money on decorations, food, and tableware. There’s also plenty of ways to turn your backyard into the perfect brunch atmosphere. If you have the extra funds and want to be a little more creative, there’s plenty of other spaces you can take advantage of, including private rooms in restaurants, art galleries, beaches, lounges, etc. Be sure that if you’re hosting an event in a public place you have the proper permits to do so. If you need help looking for the perfect space, try using one of these venue sourcing platforms.
Pick a Palette & Theme
“A palette and theme allows your event to feel more organized and well-thought,” says Teaberry Painters. “You can choose a theme like ‘rustic’ and bring in nature-inspired decorations, or even pick a theme based on a country.”
For example, if you chose India as a country to base your theme off of, you’d bring in India-themed decor, food, and request that your guests come dressed to fit the theme, too. If you’re having the event outside of your home, the theme and color palette should also fit that of the event space.
Utilize Technology
Why not have a little fun with technology? When it comes to your brunch party, you can throw in some tech-centric hardware to make the event that much more unique. For example, Barsys is a robot bartender that makes creating cocktails easier than ever with a simple mobile app. The app comes with a hardware component. To make cocktail creation more seamless, stores over 2,000 different recipes for cocktails. When you tell the app what ingredients are in the machine, it does all the hard work for you. It uses every ingredient with the exact proportion, creating drinks with the perfect balance. If you don’t want to pay for a Barsys device yourself, you can contact the company to lease it just for your event.
Other cool drinking gadgets include the SodaStream Sparkling Gold and the Perfect Drink Pro. The SodaStream Sparkling Gold turns any plain tap water into sparkling wine by adding an alcoholic concentrate that gives the final product a straight-out-the-bottle taste. The Perfect Drink Pro is perfect for party-throwers on a budget who want to work with what they have. Simply tell the app what ingredients you currently have in your cabinet, and it will spit out a slew of different recipes you can make using existing ingredients, walking you through the entire process.
Add a “Fun” Element as a Focal Point
There are plenty of fun elements you can incorporate into your cocktail brunch—from games to serviced bars to a massive dessert table and more. For example, a hookah is a fun and unique way to add a social focal point to your cocktail brunch event. And there are plenty of elegant ways to incorporate a hookah into your party. First and foremost, with hundreds of different designs—some elaborate and even gold-plated—there’s a hookah for everyone’s style. You can also create a mini Middle Eastern-theme around the hookah to exemplify its origins. Think: intricately designed floor pillows, carpets, draperies, and twinkle lights.
