How to host beautifully this spring

How to host beautifully this spring

The days are getting longer and the weather a little warmer. If you’re anything like us, you will be champing at the bit to dust off your outdoor furniture, crank up your favourite playlist and get friends & family together around the outdoor fireplace. That’s why this month, we’ve teamed up with our friends at Wither Hills to share some simple tips to help you ‘Host Beautifully’ this spring. We’ve even pulled together some amazing food and wine matching ideas for you to re-create a home so read on to find out more.

Being a host comes with a lot of responsibility and – yes there is more to it than simply making sure you have the wine chilled! As a host, you are the one that makes sure your guests have a great time and by a great time, we mean a sociable and safe one! Responsible hosting is not about being a “kill joy” – it is about helping to make sure the good times last longer, so whether it’s an afternoon in the sun or an evening around the dinner table, here are some simple ideas to help you be the host with the most this spring:

GET PREPARED:

• Plan ahead – Make sure you have a clear idea of how you want the occasion to go
• Set expectations before the event begins and wherever possible include a finish time
• If the event is stretching over a long time, organise activities to help take the emphasis off drinking e.g. a game of Boules or Back Yard Cricket
• Suggest to your guests that they plan how they will get home before they come and offer some options especially if they are traveling a distance. Maybe you could offer for them to stay over?
• Ensure you have everything you need on hand before your guests arrive

 

IN THE MOMENT:

• Ensure you’ve got a great selection of low and mid strength drinks and encourage your guests to try them – see our food and wine matches below for a few of our current favourites or click here.
• Have a variety of high-quality non-alcoholic options available – not just orange juice!! If you need inspiration, click here.
• Serve food throughout the function — high protein food is great but make sure the food is substantial, that it starts early and that there’s enough to keep nibbling at throughout the occasion. Check out our easy-to-follow food ideas and recipes below.
• Have jugs of water and glasses available for people to grab as required
• Keep an eye on everyone – you want to make sure they remember your event for the right reasons!

 

ALL GOOD THINGS MUST COME TO AN END:

• When the function is starting to wind down, or you think it is time for people to start heading home, start offering tea, coffee, and other non-alcoholic drinks only
• Make sure everyone has a safe way home, and don’t let anyone who has been drinking leave alone. Make sure everyone is aware of the alcohol limit for driving in New Zealand. If they’ve had a drink, the safest choice is not to drive.
• If all else fails, turn on all the lights and put “Say Goodbye” on repeat!! An old boss of mine used to get out the vacuum cleaner at Friday night drinks and that also worked a treat for moving people on!

Whatever the occasion, we always recommend you enjoy your drinks with good friends, tasty food and an occasional glass of water. It will definitely help to make the good times last longer and your body will thank you for it tomorrow.

ALCOHOL&ME TEAM