How to Throw a Manhattan Style Party

Posted on July 28, 2011 by Kate

If you’ve ever attended a party in upscale Manhattan or the Hamptons, you understand how extravagant they are. Thoughts of these parties invoke images of towering champagne fountains, live music, and fancy food and drink served with expensive china and sparkling glassware. You might think you could never throw a party that would compare to that luxurious style. But there are some clever ways that a fashionista willing to invest a little time and ingenuity can toss a Manhattan/Hamptons style party on any budget.

First, use a mix of long and short tables to create areas where your guests can gather for private conversations. If you don’t have a long table, a picnic table will work, or several smaller tables pushed together; cover tables with flat white bed sheets to act as tablecloths. Using decorative craft store ribbon, tie little bows on each corner of the tables.

To create one centerpiece or several smaller ones, use shallow baskets and place one or two pillar candles inside. Fill to the rim with stones, shells, marbles or sea glass to secure the candles. Remember to keep the centerpieces low so your guests can see over the top of them to talk to one another.

For an outdoor party or BBQ, set up your stereo and speakers outside, and plan to play music that reflects the mood you want. Be sure to mix it up a little between fast and slow rhythms. Bring any indoor plants you have outside, and arrange them around your seating areas. Make the journey into your attic and bring down those tiny white or colored Christmas lights you only use once a year. They’ll be perfect draped around your long table and up and through your ferns and ivy plants. If you have flowering perennials, take a few cuttings and place them in little vases or short drinking glasses around your tables. Place votive candles at each place setting.

A bureau covered with a white sheet makes a perfect drinks bar. Hide a large cooler down below to hold store brand drink mixers like seltzer and ginger ale. Purchase the best red and white boxed wine you can afford and funnel it into decanters and antique bottles. Go to your wholesale club or discount liquor outlet and buy the jug size store brand liquor for guest cocktails. Fill small bowls with assorted nuts.

Your food will be less expensive if you make it yourself. Make batches of cookies ahead of time and place mounds of them on silver metal trays from the dollar store. Buy a bag of large frozen shrimp, thaw, rinse and insert a toothpick in each one. Serve with homemade dipping sauce made with ketchup and horseradish. Bake a frozen pizza, cut into small squares and you have instant appetizers.

The point is, you can throw that Manhattan/Hamptons style party you’ve always dreamed of. It just takes a little imagination and preparation. Now all you have left to do is decide which celebrities to invite!

Megan Gates is an active blogger and handles communications on behalf of Elliman.com.  She provides written work to the blogosphere pertaining to New York City Luxury Real Estate, Long Island Rentals, and the latest in architecture, design and fashion.  Follow her on Twitter @ MEGatesDesign.