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PrintA classic 1950s cocktail party
Cheers! Toast the bride- and groom-to-be with a classic party updated with a modern twist.
Whether as an engagement fête or a classy couples’ shower, a cocktail party is the perfect way to host pre-wedding celebrations. Go retro by serving Champagne cocktails and seafood hors d’oeuvres, and keep things current with hip floral arrangements and modern décor.
We turned to local style makers Amanda Mizell-Hansen of Decoration Inc. and Gary Vlasic of Lortsher-Vlasic Catering & Events to help show us how it’s done.
So ladies, put on your pearls and slip on those peep-toes, and gents, break out the cufflinks and light up a cigar: it’s time to party like it’s 1950.
THE INVITATION
Send guests party invitations at least four weeks in advance. Be sure to include RSVP information. On the invite, indicate the cocktail party theme and desired dress code. Request traditional attire of cocktail dresses for the women and tuxes for the men, or take a modern “casual cocktail” approach and tell guests to dress in their finest denim paired with dressy tops and blazers.
THE DÈCOR
Channel the elegance of another era by accessorizing with traditional silver pieces, like candlesticks and serving trays. The pretty, metallic pieces will add cool sophistication to your setting.
“Classic silver pieces were popular as wedding gifts in years past,” says Mizell-Hansen. “Lately they haven’t been fashionable, but they’re becoming more popular to give as engagement and wedding gifts again.” Get the look by raiding your grandma’s silver chest. No heirlooms in sight? Rent look-alike pieces from a local event supply store.
Display candlesticks with tall white taper candles in groups of two to three. “Tall taper candles create easy high-drama,” says Mizell-Hansen, “and it only takes a few candles to get the effect.”
Since guests will be dining on hors d’oeuvres, there’s no need to set a formal table. Instead, set out stacks of white china plates and silver utensils, including cocktail forks. Ditch a full tablecloth in favor of a contemporary table runner for your serving table.
Top with a large floral centerpiece and décor elements that reflect the theme of your hors d’oeuvres; in this case, with a seafood theme, decorative coral pieces look right casually scattered across the table and around floral arrangements.
THE FLOWERS
In the past, traditional flowers like baby’s breath and carnations were considered nothing more than fillers in the flower world. But today, these blooms no longer play backup to bigger and better blossoms: In modern arrangements, they take center stage. “The way we picture carnations and baby’s breath being used in the past is bad, but it’s all about how you arrange them,” says Mizell-Hansen. “There are no bad flowers, only bad arrangements.”
She says baby’s breath and carnations are casually elegant: dressy enough for party settings but not over-styled. She says the trick to making them look modern is how you arrange them. “Keep arrangements simple, and let one flower be the centerpiece.”
Mizell-Hansen arranged two-tone burgundy carnations and classic white carnations in frosted glass cylinders, antique-variety carnations and geranium leaf in silver vessels, and huge bunches of baby’s breath in large glass vases.
PETAL POINTERS
Zero in. Instead of mixed floral arrangements, keep the look simple and sleek by focusing on one standout stem. “Don’t be afraid to let one flower be the star,” says Mizell-Hansen. “There’s little room for error, and you can select a flower in any price range.”
Forget fuss. To create a stylish arrangement in seconds, Mizell-Hansen recommends grabbing handfuls of carnations, chopping off the stems and stuffing them in a vase—no fussing allowed. The effect will be a full, blooming vase of flowers, not an over-styled arrangement.
Shop smart. Know what to look for when buying carnations: blooms should look relaxed and open or about to open; the greener the bloom, the more closed it’s going to be. “Carnations are hardy and last a long time,” says Mizell-Hansen. “They’re good flowers to use any time of year.”
Decoration Inc. (SLC, 801-521-8533, lortshervlasic.com)
THE FAVOR
Thank guests with a tasty parting gift: old-fashioned sugar cookies with piped buttercream and a sprinkling of sugar crystals. Wrap cookies in cellophane and tie with a pretty ribbon, then shoo guests out the door and send them on their merry way.
Cocktail Recipes
Kir Royale
Schramsberg cremant Champagne (substitute with Champagne of choice or sparkling wine)
Chambord raspberry liqueur
Fresh raspberries
Pour a drizzle of Chambord at the bottom of a flute, add Champagne and top with a fresh raspberry.
French 75
Duval-Leroy Champagne (substitute with Champagne of choice or sparkling wine)
1 oz. Tanqueray gin
Fresh lemon juice
Simple sugar syrup
Lemon twist
Pour gin in a tall Champagne flute, add a fresh squeeze of lemon juice, a drizzle of sugar syrup, and top with Champagne. Serve with a lemon twist.
Hors D’oeuvres Recipes
Oysters on the Half Shell
2 dozen fresh Blue Point oysters on the half shell (or the freshest oysters available)
Crème fraîche
Caviar, black or red
Rock salt
Rosemary sprigs
Shuck oysters and rinse any grit from them (or have the oysters pre-shucked when purchased). Place oyster meat on half oyster shell. Top off each oyster with a drizzle of crème fraîche. Add fresh caviar as a garnish. Make a bed of rock salt and fresh rosemary sprigs on a rimmed platter or tray. Arrange oysters on salt. Serve with cocktail forks.
Poached Prawns
2 dozen (25 count) fresh prawns, boiled
Spicy horseradish red sauce
Ice, crushed
Clean prawns. Fill a serving bowl with crushed ice. Arrange prawns upon the ice and around the edge of the bowl. Serve with spicy horseradish red sauce.
