How to host a corporate cocktail party that clients and customers will love
Corporate cocktail parties help you make connections within your network, welcome new clients and customers, and show your employees how much you appreciate them. They’re also a great way to celebrate your business’s successes, showcase new offerings, and toast to the milestones you’ve met or surpassed.
Don’t know how to throw a cocktail party? Worry not—this isn’t our first soirée. We’ve gathered a few cocktail party ideas and tips, including party themes, food and drink ideas, and venue suggestions, so you can spend less time planning and more time networking.
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How to host a corporate cocktail party
There’s more to hosting a cocktail party than choosing the drinks—although that’s an important part, too! Consider these details as you plan a professional cocktail party that feels like it came together all on its own.
- Budget: Create a budget and consult it before making larger decisions about the event. Factor in expenses like marketing, venue rentals, tables and chairs, and vendors, as well as contributing funds from sponsors or corporate partners.
- Guest list: Add company VIPs and representatives from other companies or the community to your guest list. If you’re hosting a client appreciation event, include all client representatives on your guest list, too.
- Venue: Does your company have an available space to use for your cocktail party? If not, find a venue that’ll fit your guests.
- Invitation: Choose a cocktail party invitation that reflects the tone of your event. Use corporate invitation wording to tell guests about the party details, including the purpose, date, time, dress code, and giveaway opportunities. After you send out digital invitations, track RSVPs as they come in and use the Paperless Post app to check in guests on the day of the event.
- Branding: Let everyone know who’s hosting the party with various branding opportunities. Personalized cocktail napkins from Paperless Post Party Shop are a subtle and sophisticated way to get your company’s name into guests’ hands and minds.
- Name tags: Make mingling and networking a little easier with name tags so guests can identify one another. Print tags with guests’ names and the company they work for in advance or provide blank name tags for guests to write their information.
- Food and drink: Decide between a full bar with a menu, or drink tickets for cocktails, beer, and wine. Either way, leave a little extra room in the budget for more drinks than you think you’ll need. Plan on having an appetizer table where guests can pick up food as they converse, or hire servers to walk around with platters.
Business cocktail party theme ideas
A theme isn’t always necessary for a business soirée, but it can certainly make your special event one-of-a-kind. It also shows your clients that your company puts thought and effort into everything they do. If you’re seeking a little inspiration, here are a few of our favorite cocktail theme party ideas your clients will enjoy.
1. Retro cocktail party
Take a trip to the 1960s when you host a retro cocktail party. Encourage guests to wear their finest “Mad Men” attire, including suits with skinny ties, fedoras, vintage dresses, cat-eye glasses, and the stiffest hair (and drinks) you can get. Play music from the ‘60s—record player optional—and hang classic honeycomb decorations to get everyone in the mid-century mood.
2. Roll out the red carpet
Perfect for an employee appreciation event, a red carpet theme treats guests like they’re celebrities walking into a movie premiere. Lay a red carpet outside your cocktail party with a festive balloon arch, then take photos of guests dressed like movie stars. Once inside, screen a “movie” about your company’s accomplishments and each department’s hard work this year.
3. Launch into space
Launching a new product? Host a cocktail party that’s out of this world with a “launch into space” theme. Add space-themed decorations and have guests wear their most futuristic cocktail attire (think silver). During the party, give a demonstration of your new product or pass out free samples as a door prize!
4. Happy anniversary
Celebrating an exciting business anniversary? Use that as your cocktail party theme! Whether it’s year 50, 10, or even the end of your first year in business, use your company’s accomplishments as inspiration. Decorate with anniversary decorations that match your big year—and for extra fun, set your party in that decade (1920s for a 20th anniversary, 1950s for a 50th anniversary).
5. Holiday party
If you’re planning your event around the time of an upcoming holiday, consider using that as inspiration for your party’s theme. From St. Patrick’s Day to an end-of-year holiday party, you can plan a festive celebration around any annually celebrated day. Add holiday decorations to spice up your venue, like dressed-up tables with tinsel and holly, a holiday-themed cocktail (or three), and company swag as smartly wrapped Christmas gifts.
What to serve at a business cocktail party
You have an amazing theme—now it’s time to plan the menu! Shore up your cocktail party’s bar menu with a mix of classic and creative drinks, and don’t forget the food—guests love a selection of sweet and savory nibbles between rounds.
6. Classic cocktails
For cocktail parties on the traditional or formal side, you can’t go wrong with classic cocktails on the menu. Keep the bar stocked with crowd favorites, such as Moscow Mules (recipe by Allrecipes) or Lemon Drop Martinis by Delish.
Creating a signature cocktail for the menu can also elevate your event. Announce your signature cocktail on professional cocktail party invitations—or hint at a special cocktail surprise awaiting any new clients who attend.
7. Celebratory drinks
Toast to good times and team accomplishments with Champagne! Serve sparkling Champagne cocktails by Taste of Home for that moment when everyone lifts their glass. You can also set up a punch station with this Boozy Bubbly Sherbet Punch by Tasty for a vintage (and sweet) touch.
8. Light appetizers and dips
Cocktail parties typically feature appetizers and small bites rather than full meals. Set up a refreshment table with light apps and dips, including a sophisticated smoked salmon dip by Food & Wine or a tasty roasted red pepper hummus by The Pioneer Woman. Add slices of pita bread or serving crackers for guests to enjoy with their dips.
9. Passed hors d’oeuvres
If you plan to hire servers to walk platters of hors d’oeuvres throughout your cocktail party, opt for savory crowd-pleasers that sate everyone’s appetite. These steak frites bites by Delish put a clever twist on the traditional burger and fries, while these colorful antipasto skewers by The Mediterranean Dish will have everyone asking for just one more.
10. Delicious desserts
Unless you’re planning to serve a big “10th Anniversary” cake alongside your bar offerings, set up a dessert table with grab-and-go treats. These apple pie cookies by Epicurious are a delicious addition to your party, no matter the time of year. For those with more of a chocolate preference, you can’t go wrong with this mini chocolate cheesecake recipe by Rich and Delish.
Corporate cocktail party venue ideas
Your cocktail party venue depends on the size of your guest list, your party vibe, and what’s available nearby. If you’re stuck on the “where” element of your party planning, think about these venue possibilities for the perfect party setting.
11. The office
If your company has access to a party space that’s bigger than a breakroom, consider hosting there. Whether it’s at corporate headquarters or a storefront that’s closed to the public for the evening, an office party space is perfect for branding. It can also be dressed up nicely when you add silver-and-gold decorations and play the right tunes.
12. A restaurant or bar
What if you can’t get a bar at your party? Bring your party to the bar! Hosting in the party room of a restaurant or bar streamlines the budget for venue, servers, bar, and food all in one place. Some venues also let you pick the food and drink menus ahead of time to fit your party’s needs.
13. A brewery or winery
For more casual gatherings, a brewery or winery makes a fun and relaxed party venue. Prepay for a few rounds and hand out drink tickets for guests. You can also buy a few bottles of wine or cases of beer to give out as raffle prizes for lucky winners!
14. A dining hall or banquet room
Large and formal cocktail parties need a sizable venue to match. Find a local dining hall or banquet room, either at a hotel or in its own venue, to host your cocktail party.
If you’re hosting in a hotel, see if they can provide drinks and food from their on-site restaurant. Many banquet halls also include their own tables and chairs, saving you an extra expense.
15. Someone’s home
If someone in the C-suite has a home with an incredible view and party space, see if you can host the party at their house! Tell the homeowner that your committee will take care of everything—the bar, the food, and the clean-up—and let them focus on opening their home to their hard-working colleagues and employees.
Tips for hosting a professional cocktail party
The key to a successful cocktail party? It’s all in the planning. The steps you take before and after the party—including those listed below—can prime guests for an enjoyable time, help clearly communicate what the event is for, and set the agenda for the evening.
- Brand your invitations: With Paperless Post, you can upload your own completed invitation design or choose one of our invitations where you can add your own logo or backdrop. You can also create your own stamp incorporating your logo or a photo of your team or office. Then, use Page Styles to change the font and colors to your brand color, or customize the email style to fit your brand’s look and feel.
- Give guests plenty of swag: Keep your company’s name at the top of guests’ minds—even after they leave the party—with branded merchandise like a pen, tote bag, or notepad with your company’s logo. Offer raffle prizes and free samples of your company’s product at larger gatherings.
- Hire a professional bartender: Put a pro behind the bar who can handle a larger number of guests at once—so you can be free to focus on mingling with your clients instead.
- Create an atmospheric playlist: Choose a playlist that serves as an ear-pleasing backdrop to your event—not a distraction from the engaging interactions and relationship-building you’re hoping to cultivate.
- Thank your guests: After the event, remember to send out professional thank you cards to all of your guests to show them how much you appreciate their attendance.
Plan an unforgettable corporate cocktail party with Paperless Post
From handcrafting the classiest cocktails to nailing down the designs on the cocktail napkins, every aspect counts. That’s why Paperless Post is the top choice for your online invitation needs—we know that every detail matters.
With Paperless Post, you control every aspect of your invitations, from the information on them, to how you choose to send them. Whether clients receive their invitations via email, text message, or shareable link, they can respond immediately, giving you real-time RSVPs to help you manage any party.
And if you need inspiration for your next corporate event, we’ve got you covered there, too! Show your clients you mean business—inside the office and out.
Impress your network with a professional cocktail party and branded invitations to match.
