The holidays are the perfect time to throw a cocktail party! After all, you don’t have to come up with a theme. When it comes to holiday party food, how do caterers know how many pieces you need? In general, we find that there are two types of holiday parties: the after-work drop in, and the all-evening bash. For the afternoon drop in, we suggest about six types of hors d’oeuvres, and provide about 50% more pieces than people. So for a 50 person party, about 450 pieces. This of course depends on the heartiness of each offering- if they are larger than two-bite size, you can do less. For the all-evening bash, we encourage our clients to order nine different types of hors d’oeuvres, and at least 2 of each per guest. A 50 person party means at least 900 pieces. We also recommend that the all-evening bash include at least two hot hors d’oeuvres, especially during the holiday season!
For bar, the rule is two drinks per person the first hour, and one drink an hour after that. If you are hosting the party at your home, it’s a good idea to purchase a one-day umbrella policy from your homeowner’s insurance company to cover any liquor liability.
Be sure to plan how you are keeping hot foods hot and perishable foods cold! A chafing dish is a good option for heating, and looks elegant.
For parties with service and rental items, it is often helpful to hire a caterer to cover all the details. A good caterer can give you a quote based on how many people you have attending, the time and length of the party, and what level of service you require.
The most important detail to remember when planning a holiday party? Your guests will have fun if you do!
RSS
Email