Every first Tuesday of November, the Melbourne Cup gallops into action and with it comes parties celebrating the holiday. Whether you’re keeping your party lowkey with just a few friends and family or going all out with an outdoor lawn party in your eco-friendly garden, there’s no reason you have to miss out on the glamorous fashion and delicious food of the ultimate Melbourne Cup party this year.
Cater the Meal
Sometimes a potluck just won’t do, and rather than spending hours on end in the kitchen, why not just call out for a lush spread of takeaway gourmet catering? A classic high tea luncheon is the tradition and expectation of any good Melbourne Cup soiree and a breeze to put together with the help of serving accessories and a reliable table cover.
Your high tea party will do well by a buffet-style spread of delicate finger sandwiches arranged on an elegant platter with a smattering of other brunch to lunchtime hors d’oeuvres. When putting together your catering order, select a variety of bite size finger food that really encompasses the tastes of a full menu without leaving your guests filled to their gills.
No high tea is complete without the cookies, cakes, and teas that tie everything together. For the sweets, you can order from a local bakery, picking out a selection of cookies and cakes that pair especially well with the likes of earl grey, chamomile, mint, and green teas. Serve them up on a personalized table cover that matches your colour scheme for an extra touch of elegance.
Dress to the Nines
Fabulous fashion is a staple of race day celebrations. Ditch the t-shirt and jeans and encourage your guests to join you in donning their over the top best. Include a themed dress directive on your invitations to give your friends and family some fashionable inspiration.
Popular dress themes include specific colour schemes, equestrian inspired outfits, and springtime, warm weather fashions. And there’s no such thing as a hat too big for cup day. Go big or go home with dramatic shapes, pops of colour, and elongated embellishments to be a true race day fashionista.
Decor and More
It’s a full gallop and the decor is along for the ride. Don’t even bother trying to go subtle when decorating for your party. Florals meet checkerboarded colour swatches to embrace the signature decor of the Melbourne Cup. If it’s not too short notice, you can consult with a florist and craft a precise arrangement of flowers that take things up a notch.
If you don’t have the luxury of having a flower guru on speed dial, you can always set the party up in your backyard garden and let ambiance do the heavy lifting. Rustic iron lawn furniture paired with antique tea sets and colourful mats get the job done all the same. Mix in an outdoor table cover or patio furniture cover set, personalized with a monogram or cheeky Cup Day design, and your party is set for success.
Cocktail Time
The Melbourne Cup, signifying the beginning of summer, is just around the bend and with it the traditions of fun under the warm sun. Infuse those feelings into your signature splashes. What’s a more quintessential Cup cocktail than a Million Dollar Bellini? Easy to pour and even easier going down, it’s the perfect spring into summer cocktail for the occasion.
- Mix peach juice with a simple syrup, shaking them with ice into one soluble solution.
- Give your chilled champagne glasses a sugar rim before filling a third of the way with your peach mix.
- Top to the brim with your favorite prosecco.
Outside your signature cocktail, set your bar with basic house selections. Choose a singular dark and light beer, a dry white wine, and a sweet red. Dark and light drafts give your guests two options to choose from, while one red and one white give your guests the best of both worlds. Cocktail hours can be served outside, weather permitting. If an unexpected – and unwelcome – storm sets in, your patio furniture cover set will keep everything dry until the weather passes.
Games and Good Fun
Inundate your party with games in the spirit of the thunderous hooves. Structuring pre-race activities is a great way to welcome guests to your party and set the mood for the festivities that will follow. But before you go out and purchase a plethora of new garden party games, take stock of what you already have and plan accordingly.
What’s more in theme for a Melbourne Cup party than Lucky Horseshoes? Set up just adjacent to your dining space on your back lawn. Add in croquet or badminton for a variety of activities for your guests to take part in. Want to take it one step further? Print a superimposed portrait of a racehorse on a sprawling canvas or custom tarp, plaster it on a nearby stand or fence and you’ve got a game of Pin the Tail on the Racehorse (to be played while toasting Bellinis, of course).
Recent Comments