Impressing guests at a party isn’t the easiest thing in the world, but with a few products and tips, it’s possible.
If you’re holding a soiree soon and have no clue what to purchase or what you’ll need, don’t worry. We’ve created this article to ease you into your first soiree experience and provide easy-to-follow tips to gently guide you to an unforgettable night.
A Bit About A Soiree
A soiree is an evening party, which specifically refers for a fancy evening affair. The word comes from the French language to mean ‘evening’ or ‘night’. This specifically refers to the time of day following sunset, which is ordinarily described as the evening. In the English language we’d say, “I’ll see you tomorrow evening” to refer to a specific time of the day or a passage of time. With this idea in mind, it makes sense that soiree refers to a specific time of day. More importantly, a soiree refers to a formal evening event.
What Type of Event is it?
Soiree is an elegant or glamorous evening gathering which usually occurs at someone’s home. Leave your jeans and tee behind and opt for a fancier attire. You won’t find potato chips and pizza at a soiree, but much more luxurious finger good. Despite a soiree being held at someone’s home, people still make the effort to dress up and look good. Generally, people avoid slouching in chairs, and instead, stand up with cocktail glasses, or dine in a luxury setting. It’s even expected to have a classic pianist or jazz player, along with fancy food. The overall experience is luxurious and glamorous and the host and guests make a huge effort to make it a special occasion.
What You Need for a Great Soiree
To complete your soiree, we recommend a few products. All of these below items are a great way to impress guests and make your life easier. Remember, a soiree is all about luxury and glamour, so ditch the boring cutlery and opt for new, fancier ones. Let’s take a look at some of our findings to make it an unforgettable night.
1. Carter Bar and Serving Cart
This two-tier utility car provides ample storage while saving floor space. It’s great for small kitchens, living rooms or dining rooms. With two shelves, it provides plenty of room to fit your wine bottles or glasses of any size. With a sturdy industrial metal wheels it casters to keep your bar cart rolling smooth for years.
Keep your serving cart in one place or grab the metal handle and roll it around to anywhere you need. This bar cart can be used for serving tea or Whiskey tastes. It’s great for dishes and food in the kitchen pantry or for extra space to organize your space for guests.
The simple assemble design can put this open modern bar cart together. With no furniture building experience required, this cart is the ideal accessory for a soiree. Each holds up to 10 bottles of alcohol which is ideal for a full party.
2. Mixology Bartender Kit: 11-Piece Bar Tool Set
This cocktail set is everything you could need for a soiree. This 11-piece all-inclusive bartender set has all the serious quality bar tools you could need. Whip up impressive cocktails for your guests. No matter if you’re an amateur bartender or a professional cocktail mixing guru, this is a brilliant way to get the party started.
Presented as a perfect gift for cocktail lovers, this first-class bartender set comes inside a classy gift box. Coming in a hand-crafted rustic-style wooden crate, this is carefully designed to keep your barware tools scratch-safe, organized and accessible at all times. Show off your gorgeous cocktail kit with the unique wooden storage rack to win your guests’ attention.
Heavy-duty and high-grade and rustproof, this entire bar accessories kit is made of the highest quality stainless-steel alloy. It’s also dishwasher safe, so you needn’t worry about wear and tear with these professional bar supplies. Designed to fit perfectly on rustic and modern style walls alike, this bar tool set will become the new center piece and attract attention from everyone who casts their eyes on it.
3. Epson Home Cinema Theater Project
This home theater projector is easy to use and enables you to enjoy a true cinematic experience at home. Stream full HD 1080p content in seconds without the need for messy cables, thanks to Wireless HDMI. Get the inside action of sporting events, films and video games to impress your guests. Images are rich and real with 1400 lumens of colour brightness and 2400 lumens of white brightness. AV enthusiasts will appreciate the exquisite detail of a contrast ratio. And, the setup is simple with the horizontal and vertical lens shift and 2.1x zoom. The 5030Ube even features display certification for natural textures and a film-like movie experience. You can sit back, relax and enjoy your favourite shows.
With brilliant image quality, this Epson 3LCD projector has up to three times brighter colours than leading competitive projectors. Enjoy 3D adventures from any seat in the house with 3D rechargeable glasses. Purchase additional pairs depending on the number of guests at your soiree. Connectivity has never been easier. The HDMI ports make it easy to connect to receivers including Blu-ray players, game consoles, Apple iPad, Apple TV and more. Also, the high-quality display ensures accurate picture quality, adhering to performance standards for black levels, contrast and signal processing.
4. Rectangular Dish Set of 8 Quart Stainless Steel Frame
Enhance your soiree with this eight-quart stainless steel folding chafer. It’s a convenient and elegant way to serve a large gathering in a self-serve setting. The frame provides an easy way to store food and it’s also easy to set up. This full-size chafer is constructed of quality stainless steel with a mirror satin finish for a luxurious appearance. Featuring eight full-size dishes with an elegant design and durable frame, this is everything you could want to wow your guests. Quality-built from stainless steel, this comes with a water pan, food pan, lid, frame and alcohol furnace.
Made of a considerable design, the stainless-steel chafer has the ability to hold the lid in an upright position while food in the full-size chafer pan is serviced. It features a bottom tray which can support two fuel burners. As a result, it’s perfect for buffets and other situations where you want to feel the food warm for a long period of time. The chafing dish has a smooth, stainless-steel surface and a sturdy matte stainless-steel stand. It won’t rust, tarnish or corrode to last a long time. Stackable for easy transport, it also has a strong, cool-to-the-touch plastic handle so you don’t burn yourself. Guests will love this.
5. Dublin 7-Piece Dining Set in Warm Cherry
This dining table is a must-have for a soiree. This will immediately invoke your love of the traditional aesthetic, and guests will love it too. Stately from every angle, and the sophisticated design elements blend to create this beautiful collection. This cherry-finished tabletop is ideal to store and present your food, or can be used as an area for guests to eat.
With two table options, this collection gives you the flexibility to fit the scale of your dining room. Each chair features an elaborately designed back and a richly hued fabric cover. The china and coordinating service provides ample display and storage space for your table-top accessories. Also, the cherry finish is highlighted by gold tipping which accentuates an elegant and traditional feel.
Round to oval extension, this dining table comes with four side chairs and two arm chairs. This is an ideal size for a small gathering, or for a separate area for guests to eat and relax.
6. Wine Rack Cabinet with Blue LED Lights
This wine rack hangs on your wall and will make you feel amazing because of its smart, yet simple design. It embodies a rustic charm which will warm your heart. Irregular and artless featuring rough surfaces, it’s like having your own bar on the wall. It’s the perfect way to wow guests at a soiree, and people will be amazed each time they see it. Finished in a dark brown espresso, the rough-cut wood has a reclaimed look and feel. Also, the saw blade grooves are visible in the wood. The wood is lightly sanded, but not so much that all the character of the grooves is removed. The battery-operated LED lights come in the choice of red, white or blue and have a 150-pound capacity cleat mounting system.
Display your spirits with this easy hang wall mounted bar. This wine rack is made from rough-cut rustic white pine. It holds eight stem glasses and the bottle shelf will handle eight to 10 bottles. Each piece of wood is cut to the appropriate dimensions and lightly sanded, then stained with the color of your choice. One coat of water-based satin sealer is then applied to complete the finish. This process leaves the wood with a naturally rough textured feel without looking too messy or rough.
7. 4-Piece Cocktail and Martini Glasses Set
This JoyJolt Afina set of four martini glasses is made of clear glass that showcases your martini, manhatten, and cosmo artistry. The stemless cocktail glasses can handle heat in the dishwasher or microwave. These make a great presentation piece for a soiree. This cocktail glassware allows you to have the feel of real glasses without worrying about any breakage. This comes in a set of four with each stemless martini glass having an 8-ounce capacity.
This cocktail glass set is a modern take on a classic glass. These glasses are casual, yet elegant with their cinched design. It has a heavy base elegant stemless construction that ensures stability. Sturdy and strong enough for cosmopolitan cocktail bar glasses or in areas where breakage is a concern, they’re ideal for soiree. These are perfect for martinis and cosmopolitan drinks, as well as layered liqueur and mixed cocktails of any kind.
Here are two delicious cocktail recipes to follow to wow your guests at a soiree.
Orange and Basil Pimms
Ingredients:
- 300ml gin
- 300ml sweet vermouth
- 17ml Cointreau or other orange liqueur
- 1 orange, sliced
- 20g ginger
- Chilled tonic
- Basil leaves to serve
Recipe:
Combine the gin, vermouth and Cointreau in a cocktail shaker. Add orange and ginger and chill. Strain into glasses with ice and serve with basil and orange.
Orange and Lime Margarita
Ingredients:
- 60ml lime juice
- 60ml tequila and triple sec
- 2 tbsp sea salt
- 2 tbsp orange juice
- 1 tsp sugar syrup
- Crushed ice
Recipe:
Pour all the liquid ingredients into a cocktail shaker. Shake or still until well combined. Fill the glasses with ice and strain over the margarita and serve immediately.
Creating the Best Soiree
With so much pressure to create the best soiree, you might forget about why you’re hosting one in the first place. However, these below tips will simplify the process for you to make it a lot more possible.
1. Respect Your Budget
Everyone has a different lifestyle and salary, so you need to respect the spare money you have. You’ll love and care for the people you invite, so there’s no need to stress yourself out to impress them. Of course, you want to make it a special night, but that doesn’t just take money to achieve that. Create a budget which suits your lifestyle and stick to it. Firstly, put the money where it really counts. This means starting with the food and drink. For the time being, ignore the little things such as table decorations and cutlery as you need to fill the soiree with edibles and drinks firstly.
2. Decide on a Theme
If you’re feeling clueless to hosting a soiree, you’re not the only one. With so many things to think about, it can be intimidating to find a steady place to start. However, decide on a theme and stick to it. Don’t over-complicate the decorating, but instead, stick to one colour palette and theme. Think about what’s personal to you. Don’t try to be anything other than yourself. What motivates and inspires you? For example: modern, country, romantic, bright etc. Feel free to mix and match textures – depending on the time of year you host a soiree. Include shiny items, glass, ceramics, mood and matte. With a little confidence, all of these collate beautifully for a uniformed finish.
3. Flowers Are Essential
Flowers displayed on the centre of the table and dotted around the home make a beautiful presentation. Purchase a big bouquet of fresh flowers for a bright tone in the room, as well as a fresh smell. Ensure you choose colours which compliment your party theme. You can usually find a couple of bunches at your local grocery store, and do so a couple of days before your soiree. To keep them fresher for longer, cut off around an inch off the ends before placing them in water.
Opt for fake flowers around the house too for an additional bright feeling. It’s amazing how just looking at nature – even if artificial – can instantly uplift your mood.
4. Don’t Overcomplicate the Food and Drink
Although you want to impress your guests and keep with the fancy theme of a soiree, over-complicating your food and drink isn’t always the way to go. Keep the food simple, but delicious. Let’s say you invite 6-10 people… serve 2-3 different appetizers, plus a large cheese board, one or two main entrees and at least two desserts. You want to provide enough flavours that everyone feels satisfied and doesn’t leave hungry, whilst not making your own life difficult.
Eating healthy can be just as tasty. By making homemade versions of your favourite dishes, you’ll add a personal touch and cut down on the calories too. Here are a few food ideas for your soiree:
- Cha-cha chicken salad
- Chicken and cheese waffle sliders
- Tomato tarts with puff pastry
- Olive cheese bread
- Toast with ricotta, pine nuts, honey and figs
Are You Ready for a Soiree?
We hope the above tips and products got you experienced about hosting a soiree. If you spend your time worrying about every minute detail, the above information is designed to limit your stresses. Life is short and you should enjoy every second of it. Invite friends over on the spur of the moment for no reason whatsoever, order your favourite food and serve it in the finest china, with high-quality champagne. Focus on why you like entertaining and allow yourself to enjoy the experience. Put away your cell phone and truly connect with the people you love.
Do you have any additional tips on hosting a soiree? If so, we’d love to hear your thoughts and advice, so be sure to leave them in the comments for others too.
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