Planning the Perfect Corporate Holiday Party: Our Best Tips

Whether you’re planning a company holiday party for 20 or 2,000 people, it can be daunting! The expectations are high and you want everyone to have an amazing time, but there are so many details. Where to begin?! If party planning is on your to-do list this season, check out these tips from the Blue Plate experts. #FoodIsOnlyTheBeginning

Venue

Choosing a venue is a logical place to start. But with so many great spaces in Chicago, even that can be tricky. Blue Plate is a preferred caterer at 85+ venues throughout the city, and our team can offer insights to help you pick just the right spot. Venues help set the mood, can determine layout, and will indicate transportation needs and other logistics. Remember to pick a place that is accessible to your employees, fits the mood and culture, and, of course, is within budget. New venues are always popping up around the city, so let us know if you need help navigating all of the options.

Theme

Some groups LOVE themes and will go “all-out” with décor, food, costumes, and entertainment. If you’re looking for an on-trend theme, “glamping” was a clear winner in 2019. A Bavarian/ski lodge is also a fun way to bring the outside indoors and play up winter themes. Fun food and beverage options might include German beer, spiced wine, a pretzel wall, hot chocolate bar, and a cheese fondue station.

If you’re not into themes, that’s okay too! Simply pick out a color scheme (company colors or otherwise) and go from there. Even colors can provide plenty of inspiration for décor and food.

Food

For corporate holiday parties, our events team likes to keep it fun and interactive. They suggest a combination of passed cocktails and hors d’oeuvres coupled with engaging, food and beverage action stations. Guests like to stay mobile and socialize while they nosh and nibble along the way. Food stations with action chefs, pairings, and other offerings are a fun way to keep people engaged, entertained, and moving around the space.

Comfort food is a fun favorite for holiday parties. When it’s cold outside, guests love warm, nostalgic eats. Our event and culinary teams will work with you to take classic menu items to the next level. One of our favorites is our Modern Mac station where chefs delight guests by making fresh pasta on the spot. Using the parmesan wheel as a vessel, chefs combine the fresh pasta with cheese and finish with fresh chives and crispy prosciutto.

Put a fun spin on a classic carving station by adding a meatless option and pairing each of the proteins with savory and sweet stuffings and sides, such as Hasselback Butternut Squash and Brussels Agrodolce.

Mixology

Craft cocktails and mocktails are great ways to elevate your theme! Whether a new favorite or a classic, give cocktails a “wow” factor with branded ice cubes that feature a design or your company logo.

Bringing in a mixologist and/or creating beverage stations is always exciting for guests. One of our crowd-pleasers involves three variations of a butterfly pea flower color-changing cocktail. Guests pick one of three versions of the cocktail and watch it turn pink, purple, or blue. Incorporating choice and interactive elements to food and beverage is a great way to draw guests in and create memorable moments.

Entertainment

Food stations with action chefs and interactive mixology stations provide for built-in entertainment at holiday celebrations. Making food and beverage mobile is a fun way to delight guests. From wine to ice cream to housemade guacamole, just about anything can get mobile on a cart. For entertainment outside of food, Sales Manager, Nicole Crifase, says her newest, favorite discovery is a mobile photo booth. An attendant walks the venue space with a light ring on an iPad and snaps photos and boomerangs of guests and adds fun filters.

These ideas are just the tip of the iceberg, and each group has different needs, interests, and budgets. Our event and culinary teams are ready to offer unique ideas and customized menus. Give us a call, and we’ll help you plan a memorable holiday party so that you can sit back and #EnjoytheMoment.