Party Time! How To Throw A Grown Up Soirée

So you’ve been to tons of festive parties, and now it’s time to repay all those invites with one of your own, right? Well, you could opt for a dinner party or you could push the boat out, get creative and impress your guests with something just a little bit different.

Image Source: Gill Houghton

More Tea?

The perfect mid-afternoon interlude, the classic afternoon tea party works just as well in summer and winter. If you’re throwing your gathering in the garden, a well-decorated table full of macarons, delicate cupcakes and enticing sponges is a great backdrop. Arrange cushions on top of blankets on the floor and encourage everyone to sit out on the grass, drinking tea, gossiping and eating cake. Sophisticated, cute and fun!

Of course, if you’re throwing a soiree in the winter months, it’s best to stay indoors. A garden tea party is lovely, but it never quite measures up to the old-world elegance of one thrown inside. A classic setup of small round tables with tiers of miniature cakes and goodies displayed in the middle never fails to impress. You could even go all out and suggest a dress code or theme, an afternoon at Downton anyone?

Image Source: Dana Moos

Jazz and Cocktails

Running with the classic themes, this is a great respite from the typical house and dinner parties and is sure to get your guests excited. Everyone loves an excuse to dress up.

It’s also a great way to return those party invites with minimal effort if you’re pressed for time. No one expects a sit down meal, so it’s perfectly acceptable to serve hors d'oeuvres. You can make these in advance or buy them in. If you fancy really pushing the boat out you could hire an events company or party catering Sydney to do the catering and serving for you. Add to that a hired mixologist and a swing band, and you’ve got a recipe for success.

Image Source: Leon Brocard

Wine Tasting Party

This is a great party for a group of people who don’t know each other that well. There’s always something to talk about and the wine makes sure everyone is relaxed and chatty. The big decision with this one is whether you’re going to ask guests to bring a bottle or supply it all yourself. Whichever you choose, pick a theme so you’re not guzzling lots of random types of wine all night. How about wines from a specific region or different types of merlot?

Image Source: Harald Groven

Quiz Party

Dressing up is not for everyone, and if you’re gathering your friends on a weekday, everyone will appreciate a low-key, sociable evening. Especially if they’ve got work in the morning.

To set your party apart from the traditional offerings, why not surprise guests with a quiz? Or let them know beforehand, so they’ve got time to swot up. There’re loads of quizzes online you can download for free so picking the questions shouldn’t be too difficult. You need to make sure you have a good balance between funny questions, easy ones and some real stinkers so everyone stays entertained. As for food, you could keep it really easy and order takeaway or serve homemade pizzas, nibbles and beers. Who could resist?