Primarily, a party where cocktails are served and women may choose to wear a cocktail dress. The inventor of the cocktail party is said to be Alec Waugh, who found a need for this pleasant interlude before a dinner party.
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Cocktailparties seem to be having a renaissance these days.
The cocktailparty is a perfect way of entertaining for occasions as diverse as a casual after work get together to a New Year's Eve extravaganza.
A variation of this is the after theatre cocktailparty in which a variety of coffee drinks, such as Irish Coffee, are served along with a selection of desserts.
When planning any cocktailparty, from an impromptu gathering after work to a formal reception, there's a certain amount of math to be done.
When devising party ideas and calculating the amount of needed party supplies, remember that a successful cocktailparty rarely lasts longer than three hours: an hour for everyone to be late, an hour for everyone to sound smart, and an hour for everyone to leave.
Proper party planning dictates that while do as you must when deciding on the quality of party supplies such as napkins, decorations, etc., you should buy the best alcohol you can afford.