The Benefit Of Planning Your Drink Menu Ahead Of Dinner Parties

Beauty can be found within boundaries, and when it comes to planning parties and hosting guests, creating a framework for the revelry to commence will help guide your responsibilities and make preparations a whole lot easier in the process. Though setting a drink menu may sound to be a limiting endeavor, choosing the cocktails your guests will be able to order can help everyone have a better time. 

Not only can a pre-defined drink menu save you money — you won't have to buy various alcohols for endless variations of drinks — but having a thematic list of beverages can also add to the festive atmosphere of your special occasion. Inventive drink names and special cocktail combinations can gently encourage guests to loosen up and experiment with tasting different flavors, and party attendees will have an easy social cue to use to drum up conversations with other raucous guests at the affair. Plus, whoever ends up playing the role of bartender will toast to your prudent planning.

Carefully crafted drink menus can elevate the atmosphere of wedding parties, celebratory dinners, and birthday surprises. Seasonal ingredients and recipes can add relevant touches to the evening, and pre-made garnishes can help keep drinks flowing all night long. Whether a drink holds special meaning due to a fond memory or a particular brand of alcohol carries significance for some of the guests at your party, the intentionality of a planned drink menu can be the extra boost that turns an average party into a night to remember. Less is often more when it comes to choices, however, so offering a handful of recipes for guests to choose from is all you need to ensure a quality experience, while specific types of alcohols (like bourbon) can be used in several different cocktail recipes to keep drink orders easy for the bartender. 

If you're unsure how to begin when planning your drink menu, stay focused on classic cocktail recipes and offer a few martini variations, or use a theme to guide your planning efforts. Warmer seasons are ideal for tropical drink menus, while autumnal months can lend to stone fruits and whisky drink recipes. Be sure to place drink menus in an accessible and easily visible location so the party attendees can quickly review the options, and consider adding an alcohol-free option for those who are driving home. At the end of the night, your guests may be planning their own drink menus for their own upcoming parties.