There’s always an excuse to throw a party in New Orleans this time of year, whether it’s centered around a festival, holiday or a milestone like graduation. Or maybe it’s simply just the one Wednesday night where nothing else is seemingly going on, and you feel like getting your friends together.
Some of the best parties can be impromptu, but if you really want to impress your guests and you have some time to plan ahead and budget, there are a ton of ways to make an occasion truly memorable.
Consider the venue
If your home is too small to accommodate a crowd, or if you don’t want to spend a ton of time prepping on your own, think about hiring a planner and hosting the party off-site.
Danielle Whalen, events coordinator at Sidecar Patio and Oyster Bar and The Rusty Nail, says the most obvious perks of renting out a venue is “you don’t have to worry about set-up or cleanup.”
Kaylene Torregrossa, director of production at event planning company My House Events, says venues typically have built-in staff to help with the less glamorous parts of hosting, like “taking out trash, bussing tables and making sure the food is out and at the right temperature.”
“It takes the work of throwing a party off your plate,” she says.
Getting a planner to help is also a good choice if it’s your first time throwing a big bash and you want to get it right.
“Most planners know the venues really well and can speak to the strengths and weaknesses,” Torregrossa says. “New Orleans is an old city with buildings that have quirks, so planners can really help determine what space is best for the type of party.”
The busiest times of year are usually between September and December, and again right after Mardi Gras through the end of May, says Whalen.
Whalen recommends reaching out at least six weeks in advance to venues. Retirement parties and birthday parties generally can be planned even more in advance if there’s a specific date in mind.
“If your date is flexible, usually one, two, three months is fine. But if you want to host a larger event, like a retirement on a specific date, the earlier (you reach out) the better,” she says.
Serving finger foods and setting up casual food stations are becoming more popular than hosting a traditional sit-down dinner, no matter the occasion.
Budget concerns
Hosting a party at a venue can also be more affordable than people realize, especially in the summer months when things slow down and local businesses often lower their prices to entice customers.
Plus, when guests go to an event venue, they often expect to shell out at least a little bit of cash out of pocket. So as a host, you can consider off-setting some of these costs by having friends pitch in.
“Sometimes people cover food and gratuity but put a limit on the bar tab and switch to a cash bar,” Whalen says.
She says it’s important to be upfront with the planner or the venue about your budget.
“If someone comes to me and says, ‘I want to cover food and gratuity, but everyone’s on their own for the bar,’ I can work with that. Just be honest. You can find the biggest bang for your buck,” she says.
Torregrossa says she often sees a combination of DIY and professional help at parties.
“Everything has gotten more expensive since Covid, so I’m seeing my clients being strategic over who they hire professionals for," she says.
It really just comes down to priorities.
“Is it more important to you that everyone’s on the dance floor, or getting amazing photos, or that people are talking about the food for weeks after?” Torregrossa says. “Pick two or three things that you want to walk away with, and that you want your guests to walk away with. The rest you can make compromises on.”
Less formal, more fun
Parties as a whole tend to be more casual these days.
According to Whalen, traditional and formal sit-down dinners have gone by the wayside, even for more major milestones like weddings.
People are largely focused on quality food and drinks and mingling, and party hosts and planners have gotten creative.
When it comes to food, oyster stations, and buffets are in style, as are small dishes that people can munch on while they’re standing up and chatting.
“With us, the bar’s open, the food’s out, you can choose your own adventure,” says Whalen. “It’s more about letting your guests decide how they want their party experience. The food is there, and it’s warm and there are cocktails.”
Party planners say it can help to hire a bartender if you're hosting at home. Pictured is Toure Folkes of Turning Tables.
Hiring professionals at home
If you are set on hosting at home and have the space to do so, consider hiring professionals and supplement with a bit of help from trusted friends if they’re up for it.
Torregrossa jokingly calls them “friendors,” a combination of “friend” and “vendor.”
“If you have a friend who likes to show up to a party and have a task, really call those people in and give them a job. Delegate, don’t take it on by yourself,” she says. “If you want to plan it all, that’s great, but think about who you can bring in. I think there’s a real benefit to strategically hiring professionals to help out."
That could be a catering company, a private chef or some skilled bartenders. Even just having two or three hired hands can be a huge help.
That way you can enjoy the event you’re hosting too.
“You can be present with your guests, and the party can be a party for you, too,” Torregrossa says. “We’ve all thrown house parties with the main memory of it is being stuck in the kitchen while guests are in the living room. You don’t get to make good memories that way.”
Additionally, remember that it’s New Orleans, where people already know how to have fun, so there’s no need to stress too much.
“We’re a city that defines itself on its ability to provide a good time,” Torregrossa says. “No one judges you for what your definition of a good time, whether it’s good food or good drinks or amazing music. We have all the elements here to make a celebration really memorable.”
DRINK TRENDS
In terms of drinks, mocktails and THC drinks are popular right now, and classic cocktails are being revived, like Old Fashioneds and margaritas. Also popular at parties: BYOB bars. That can mean the host provides the alcohol, while a professional brings in mixers and helps serve the drinks.
“It depends on the venue, but hiring a professional and supplementing with a little bit of DIY is a great option,” says Torregrossa.
Whalen adds that tropical drinks are all the rage. “Bright, fun, fruity drinks. And spritzes, Aperol spritzes, those are having a moment as well,” she says.
CROWD PLEASING DRINK RECIPES
The Slick Shoes cocktail
Slick Shoes (serves 10-12)
Recipe provided by Laura Walch / Pal’s Lounge
1 liter of gin
1 cup of muddled basil
1/2 quart juice
6 ounces St. Germain
Fill with dry, unsweetened cucumber soda and serve over ice.
Tommy’s Margarita (serves 1)
Recipe provided by Mark Schettler / Bar Tonique
2 ounces blanco tequila
1 ounce fresh squeezed lime juice
½ ounce of agave syrup or 2:1 simple syrup
Pinch of salt in drink
Shake, strain and serve over ice.
Bottled Old Fashioned (serves 10-12)
Recipe provided by Mark Schettler / Bar Tonique
20 ounces of rye or bourbon whiskey
3 ounces of Demerara/Turbinado/Dark Muscovado syrup (2:1, meaning fully dissolve over heat two parts sugar into one part water)
1 ounce of Angostura bitters
½ ounce orange bitters
¼ ounce El Guapo Chicory Pecan bitters (optional)
6-8 ounces water
Adjust bitters and syrup to preference and bottle it. Ideally, pour this over ice and then express an orange twist over it. If you don’t want to bother with that, grab a potato peeler and add twists from 2-3 oranges to your batch. The oranges will impart bitterness and eventually degrade, so only do this if you’re drinking the batch within a few days. Be sure to add water to the batch. If not, people might drink it like it’s a bottle of wine and regret that very quickly. When serving, pour it over ice, even if you’ve refrigerated it. This is strong!
Bartender tip:
“Pick good spirits like Tequila Ocho or Tequila Fortaleza. A Tommy’s Margarita with a crummy tequila will taste bad. As a general rule, no celebrities (except for The Rock, I’m serious) have ever made good tequila, so avoid their brands. Ask a bartender or salesperson if you’re not sure. Old-Fashioneds are more forgiving, but the same is true. You can’t put lipstick on a pig.” - Mark Schettler, Bar Tonique
This story appeared in the May 2024 issue of Gambit's Details.
