How to Host a Cozy Holiday Cocktail Party at Home This Season
Post in partnership with Bed Bath & Beyond
With all of the people to see and events to attend over the holiday, the last thing I want to do is add another night to the calendar that forces me to be outside of my comfort zone. This means if I want to see those special people that are close to me, I always try and host a little something in our home. Home is cozy, comfortable and familiar. To me, that is the perfect place to entertain.
This holiday season, I partnered with Bed Bath & Beyond to show you just how easy it can be to create a cocktail party in even the smallest of spaces. I always focus on a small space anyways since people seem to gather around the food and drinks. So I cleared an area and pulled in only what we needed to have a cocktail and mingle. Bed Bath & Beyond was literally a one stop shop (minus the cheese;) and I grabbed everything I needed. Read on for inspiration to host your own and how I filled our space!
I love flowers, but think outside of the box! We picked up a few wreaths and tucked in fresh flowers from the arrangements to create a backdrop while adding color at the same time.
The Cheese Plate
There are 3 things that always come to mind first when planning a party. Color palette, flowers and FOOD. Cheese plates are almost always my go-to since they are pretty simple. Since I had this oversized board I new I had to get creative with extras to fill it. So rather than adding snacks to separate bowls or platters, they all went on with the cheese! I think that adding a large centerpiece like this is always a fun idea. It's eye catching and people get excited when there is such a big selection.
I added 4 different cheeses, grapes, cucumbers, olives, tomatoes, walnuts, salami and a selection of crackers. People. Will. Hover.
Talk about a selection of glasses, plates and flatware. How was a girl to decide? Based on my color palette, I new I wanted to add a few things; glam, whimsy and a neutral to pull it together. The gold rimmed and striped glasses add lots of glam along with the numbered plates were super fun and interesting. Finally I grabbed a taupe dish set set to ground it all. They were very practical but didn't distract too much from the overall palette!
Add a little Ambiance
There are simple touches you can add to your usual set up to make it feel festive. Let's be honest, a cocktail party is a cocktail party. It's those little details that make it festive and different! For the holidays, I recommend adding some fun twinkle lights and seasonal greenery.
I always wait until I am completely done setting up, then tuck these in to finish it off.
Don't forget about seating
If you're hosting in your home, you probably think... well people can sit anywhere right? Just make sure that you are bringing pieces in where people will be. People always gather at the food, so I made sure to pull up a chair, ottoman (these are light and awesome for last minute seating!) and pillows for gathering on the floor. I added this white velvet and gold chair because it was almost like a piece of art to add to the party! It's shiny gold perfectly matched our gold rimmed glasses. I used the ottoman in the same fabric to balance out the display and added a few cozy pillows.
All you need for a cocktail party, right there in your living room! As I've entertained more I've realized it's all about creating an inviting environment with thoughtful details... and it's easier than you think! I've rounded up exactly what I used below. Throw your own just like we did, or just grab a few glasses for your bar cart. I was so happy to grab all of these picks from Bed Bath & Beyonds huge selection of furniture and home decor! You never know what you're going to find at BB&B!
Post in partnership with BB&B
Images by Dez + Tam Photography