This is embarrassing to admit, but pretty much every time I have a party, I feel totally relaxed until the hour before the guests show up. Once the party gets going I'm fine again, but at that one-hour mark, I inevitably get really stressed out, snap at my husband, regret snapping at my husband, apologize, and spend the remaining lead-up to the party wondering if people will notice that I didn't clean the baseboards.
This embarrassing backstory is an elaborate intro to the fact that I'm trying to cut back on my pre-party neurosis by simplifying. So, with my confession out of the way, here are a few ideas I've been collecting for setting a stress-free table for a cocktail party.
• Put out a collection of cups or bowls and load them up with finger foods.
• Use all white dishes and one or two wooden bowls for a classic, simple look.
• Line up a set of basic tea lights for an instantly modern centerpiece.
• Fill a tub trug with ice and load it up with soda and bottled beers.
• Buy a bouquet at the grocery store and split it up into a few different jars or glasses.
Voila...finished!
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Photo: Ferm Living Cups
© 2009 Apartment Therapy
Sarah, this intro made me laugh! I am right there with you! Everything seems like a piece of cake until the hour before and then I'm a nutcase barking orders at my husband. You are so right... simplifying is key.
Tee hee.
- Susie
view susiekn's profile
Can you please share info on the pictured cups?
view Gigi818's profile
Gigi,
Those fantastic cups are Ferm Living's Thermo Mugs:
http://www.fermlivingshop.us/towels/
view Jess2nola's profile
Yes, we notice.
view Indy Jeffrey's profile
Cute photo but I'd end up cracking a tooth on a button or a key...
view ItsJustStuff's profile
Never noticed the baseboards, but I've always had a great time at your parties!
view pinklovesbrown's profile
Finger food at the time of a pandemic is a no-no.
view ladymantle's profile
I used to own a small catering biz and learned a few tricks:
If you have a dimmer, turn the lights low and nobody will notice your base boards.
Whenever I set a table or bar, I make sure I have bottles of Pelligrino out - they catch the light beautifully and are such a great color.
I also try to have bowls and platters of varying height to get some dimension going on. (I use my glass cake stand for everything appetizers.)
I also use a table cloth that contrasts in color to my bowls and plates.
I never put flowers out on the food table. I feel like the food should be beautiful enough to attract attention.
I do love putting out big bowls of one kind of fruit - a trifle bowl of clementines, a salad bowl of red pears.
view thorndale's profile
Seriously, what IS up with the buttons and the keys (and whatever's in the cup next to the buttons)?
view mirandabee's profile
Yes, when you're so stressed you're serving up keys as finger food, you need to take a step back ;)
view idontdobeige's profile
Mirandabee, it looks to me like a cup of coffee with a leftover sliver of Coast deodorant soap floating on top. That's my guess, anyway.
view Michael W.'s profile
@Michael W: DOH... but of course! And it fits in as much as some of the other random offerings. :-)
view mirandabee's profile
That is a nice set of cups, though the complete lack of coherence among their contents is bringing out the OCD in me.
view kiljoywashere's profile
You must be trying to KILL your guests, serving up buttons and keys as finger food.
view Daily Nuance's profile
@miranabee: :)
view Michael W.'s profile
Cute cups, but I hope no one tried to eat the buttons!
view suzy8track's profile
I think the keys and buttons are supposed to be a "cute whimsical vignette".
view ladymantle's profile
Those buttons are making me angry.
view SourCherry's profile