By Amy Fishman

Staff writer

Parties in college can get a little stale.

So rather than visiting the typical party, why not look into something different like a cocktail party?

In general, cocktail parties tend to be a little bit classier than keggers. They are supposed to be tasteful, said Stacey Porter, owner of Savvy Expressions, a wedding and event planning company in Champaign.Parties in college can get a little stale.

So rather than visiting the typical party, why not look into something different like a cocktail party?

In general, cocktail parties tend to be a little bit classier than keggers. They are supposed to be tasteful, said Stacey Porter, owner of Savvy Expressions, a wedding and event planning company in Champaign.

To start, plan a cocktail party to begin around 7 or 8 p.m. and invite a small group of friends.

A close-knit group of friends is more intimate, Porter said.

Jon Clark, creator of the Cocktail Party Association Facebook group, said one of the most important aspects to a cocktail party is the conversation, as it provides a general sense of social comfort. He recommends hosts and hostesses to be ready to engage in insightful conversations.

“When I think about what I enjoyed at a cocktail party, I think about the conversations more than what I drink,” Clark, a senior in LAS, said.

Decorating is not really necessary for a cocktail party, but a host or hostess can pick one aspect, such as candlelight, to add to the ambience of the party, Porter said. A cute centerpiece that may include a vase of fresh-cut flowers would add to the mood as well. Porter recommends keeping things simple.

“The things you do, you really want to make stand out,” Porter said.

In addition, the music played, the food and drinks served and the company all add to the ambience and mood of the party, she said.

As far as music goes, Porter suggests playing something upbeat and jazzy. Playing songs by Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Jr. and older, more legendary music would also be good, she said.

Music at a cocktail party should be interesting, should have an eclectic accent and should be played in the background, Clark said.

“The music that you play is closely related to the conversation because music sort of gives people a sense of comfort in a social atmosphere,” he said.

But there is more to a cocktail party than the company, conversation and music. It wouldn’t be a cocktail party without drinks and snacks.

Food to serve may include meatballs, shrimp cocktail, stuffed mushrooms, fondue, cocktail hot dogs, fruit platters and cheese, Porter said.

“You’re always looking at hors d’oeuvres,” she said.

And the presentation of the food is important. Porter suggests putting the food on a platter.

Drinks she recommends serving include the classics – Cosmopolitans, Manhattans, Long Islands, Screwdrivers and martinis.

“Drinks that are familiar to people will go over a little better,” she said.

Though beer is familiar to most college students, Guido’s bartender David Ortner said not to serve beer at a cocktail party. He recommends Cosmopolitans, scotch and whisky and different types of wine.

Everyone has different tastes, so Porter recommends finding drink recipes online or in a cocktail recipe book. And a host or hostess can even have a bartender friend make some fun drinks, she added.

Make sure the party caters to everyone who attends, Porter said. If there are people who do not drink, have non-alcoholic options for them, she added.

Some of the alcoholic drinks can be made into virgin drinks, and iced tea, apple cider, lemonade, soda and kiddie cocktails are other non-alcoholic beverage options to serve, Porter said.

One way to serve drinks is to set up the drinks in stations, she said. The drinks can be pre-mixed and put into nice containers so guests can serve themselves, she said. And the drink garnishings can each be placed into a different type of glass or onto a plate. Another fun idea is to buy glassware in a bunch of different colors for serving drinks, she said.

A good drink theme to a cocktail party might be to have a martini party because there are so many different martinis, Porter said. And for a more relaxed party, a margarita theme might be fun.

Themes for cocktail parties can also follow the holidays, she said. And it might even be fun to have a breakfast cocktail party, she said.

A cocktail brunch can be planned for around the brunch hour, and a host or hostess can serve champagne and orange juice and Srewdrivers, she said. Food to serve may include fresh fruit, little breakfast sandwiches and sausage links.

Another good theme for a cocktail party is a wine and cheese party.

“They are really easy to put together, and it’s still classy,” Porter said.

Ortner said having a wine-themed cocktail party would be a good way for students to try out different kinds of wines to see which ones they like.

But not everyone likes wine, so Porter recommends serving cocktails on the side.

As far as the dress code goes, people should dress up for cocktail parties, old style she said. Girls can wear classic black cocktail dresses and guys can wear buttoned-down shirts and trousers or khakis.

“It puts you back into the time period where people had cocktails,” Porter said.

Although college parties, including cocktail parties are intended for having fun, they can also be educational and helpful for the future.

“Most cocktail parties that college students have are trial runs for social settings they’ll have in the real world,” Ortner said.