Throwing a party can be a lot: between worrying about the cups/ice/misc. item you inevitably forget and about whether everyone’s having a good time, you can forget to enjoy yourself. But if you simply create the right vibe, all your worries melt away, and the night takes its course.
Easier said than done, which is why we’ve developed a six-point plan with our friends at Patrón to make sure your summer party plans are easy, light and sophisticated without requiring much effort at all, much like the spirit itself. Sit back, relax, you’ve got this. Well, you will!
#1. Reconsider The Space
House parties are a funny beast, as you need to create open space, but not too much open space lest the party feel a little bare. Moving the couch and coffee table away to make a dance floor is a no-brainer, but that’s just step one. Think about other spaces: are there spots for D&Ms? For big groups to chat? Are there thoroughfares that can be cleared? Can multiple people wait for the bathroom, or do we have to do some rearranging to make it work? There’s no one answer, as there’s no one home, but just taking a second to work it out mentally goes a long way to creating comfort and atmosphere.
#2. Light The Mood
Lighting makes or breaks a vibe: don’t leave it to your regular overheads to do the job. When night comes, have some colourful lamps set up to illuminate the rooms just right. Just play around with it in advance, not the hour before guests arrive! And stuff anyone who says fairy lights aren’t chic — they’re perfect for outside, to create a little summer twilight fantasy.
#3. Cocktails For All
There’s nothing quite like a cocktail upon arrival to get you into the mood, especially when it’s something light and refreshing. Tequila is a super Summer-y spirit, and while a margarita is a classic for a reason, I’d rate the Patrón Paloma — a grapefruit juice, soda, lime and Patrón Reposado cocktail. Best of all, it’s super simple: combine 60ml Patrón Reposado, 90 ml Grapefruit soda, 15 ml fresh lime juice and a pinch of salt into an ice-filled highball glass and stir, then garnish with a grapefruit slice. Add a salt rim for a little extra flourish. Colourful, zesty, easy: that’s a party, though if it’s not your vibe, we have a few other summery cocktail recipes here, too.
#4. Perfect The Playlist(s)
Obvious, right, but often overlooked. The difficulty of creating a party playlist is capturing all the moods of the night — the inviting but not too energetic background tracks for the start; the pop hits and dance floor fillers; the questionable but loveable EDM from 2011; the sing-a-longs. Chucking it all onto one playlist won’t work, even if you meticulously plan out the track order (someone will inevitably skip a track or scroll down to their favourite, and ruin everything). That’s why you have to make multiple playlists, for multiple moods, switching as the party demands.
At the same time, don’t be like Kendall Roy and scream if someone hijacks the “approved party playlist”. A good host goes with the flow — if the people will something else, let it happen. (Having said that, Kendall’s playlist is actually all bangers all the time.)
#5. Snack Well, Prep Before
Any good party has its fair share of snacks on offer, but you can’t just leave out a charcuterie board for the full night and call it a day. Having ‘courses’ of prepared snacks — literally just storing some dishes in the fridge, or not bringing everything out all at once — goes a long way to making people feel looked after. Still, when it comes to the actual party, you don’t want to be stressing about any of the details during: there’s nothing like a night ending and feeling like you saw no one because you were too busy with housekeeping.
If you can pre-bake any pastries (like ‘lil gourmet sausage rolls, divine), and then just re-heat them in the oven. Your mates will not only be well-fed whenever they want a nibbly (vs. scrounging through the snack table long after it’s been set out, gone cold and had drinks spilled over it), but you’ll also be known as a top party host, without putting in much effort. Ain’t that something?
