Flick through your favourite wedding magazine or blog and I’m sure you’ll notice a new trend in wedding receptions – cocktail style. And if you’ve recently been invited to a lot of weddings, I’ll bet you’ve attended a few cocktail weddings too. That’s not to say cocktail style weddings are the new kid on the block, they’ve been around for a while. But right now it seems that a cocktail style wedding is a popular choice for many couples, and for good reason. There’s a lot to be said for a wedding that invites you to do things differently.
Here at Evenio we’re loving this trend but before we tell you why our couples enjoy this style of wedding so much, let’s get clear on what a cocktail style wedding is.
What is a cocktail style wedding?
A cocktail style wedding is one where the flow of the event is more like a cocktail party than a traditional reception with a sit-down meal. Drinks and hors d’oeuvres are served and seating will be less formal – bars and lounge areas are popular. The format is relaxed and more conducive to mingling, but there is still room for traditions like cutting the cake, speeches and dancing. But if you decide to do away with these, no one is likely to miss them – they’ll all be having too much of a good time!
Your cocktail style wedding can also have any vibe you choose. Of course, we’re known for events with a cosmopolitan flare which is perfect for this style of wedding, but there are endless opportunities for creating an event that is uniquely you.
So why are cocktail style weddings all the rage?
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Cocktail style weddings give you more time with your guests
We love formal, sit-down receptions, but it is true that the format doesn’t always allow you as the couple to spend as much time with your guests as you would like to. Moving around the room and having conversations is a little harder when everyone is seated at a table and can’t move about as freely.
Whereas a cocktail party reception, like any cocktail party, is designed for mingling and has a more relaxed vibe which encourages conversation. If you’re looking for a fun, lively, and more personal style of wedding reception, a cocktail style reception will provide it.
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Cocktail style weddings give you more bang for your buck
A cocktail style wedding saves you money on the additional items that you have to buy and hire with a sit-down wedding reception such as:
- Placecards
- Seating chart
- Menus at every place
- Seating for every guest
- Canapes before the reception plus a 3-course meal
- Linens, flatware, silverware etc.
If you’re having your ceremony in the same space, you’ll also save on additional venue hire and styling costs. This means that your budget stretches a lot further when you have a cocktail style wedding, which can work in one of two ways for you:
- Enables you to invite all the guests you would like to, rather than having to restrict your guest list to afford the per head costs.
- Allows you to throw a glamorous cocktail party, investing those savings into the wow factor – styling, florals, food and beverage, and a limited amount of furniture to help set the scene of your event.
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Cocktail style weddings encourage creative catering
If you’re a foodie, a cocktail style wedding is a great option. Of course, you can get creative with your menu when having a sit-down reception, but if you have a large guest list there are often compromises to be made to ensure everyone gets their meal in a timely manner.
With a cocktail style wedding, food will be coming out at intervals which allows for more variety and creativity with both the food and how it is served. From canapes to individual cheese platters and small plates and bowls, the options are endless. Of course you can carry this variety over to your drinks menu too. And it goes without saying, if you and your friends are more into cocktails than beer and wine, a cocktail party is the way to go.
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Cocktail style weddings are more fun and relaxed
If you love a good party and want your wedding to have that vibe too, a cocktail party wedding is the way to go. Imagine yourself moving from guest to guest, sharing time with your favourite Aunt one minute and laughs with your besties the next, before taking a twirl on the dance floor. The music is playing, the conversation is flowing and everyone’s having a great time, free of the restriction of needing to sit in their place at a table and talk to only those around them.
If the vibe of a cocktail style wedding sounds perfect to you, book a free consultation with me to find out more about how we can help you find the perfect venue and vendors for your cocktail wedding.
Image: Almond Leaf Studio via TheKnot.com
