If you’re hosting a New Year’s Eve party at your place this year, I’ve got you covered! Today I’m sharing one of my favorite cocktail recipes, some decorating tips, and of course what to wear!
First up – drinks!!
I love this particular cocktail recipe because not only is it simple to make, but it taste delicious (and who are we kidding, because it looks pretty)!!
Blackberry Sparkler (serves 4)
1 cup fresh blackberries (plus 8 more for garnish)
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
4 ounces gin
1 bottle champagne
4 sprigs of thyme
In a small saucepan, combine blackberries, sugar and water.
Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer for approximately 15 minutes (a bright pink/red syrup will form). Remove syrup mixture from the heat and drain the blackberries. Allow the syrup to cool (note: this step can be done well in advance as the syrup will keep for at least a week in the refrigerator).
Add 1 ounce of gin and 2 ounces of syrup mixture to each champagne flute.
Top with champagne. Garnish with two blackberries and a sprig of thyme. That’s it!
Onto décor.
I love using table lights, which add the perfect ambiance (these particular table lights are battery operated (much easier than having to plug them in))! Drape them on the table or around the food to add a festive touch!
Because it’s New Years, confetti is a must (you can deal with the clean up in the morning)! These confetti push-pops are sure to be a hit. Pass them out to your guests and at midnight let the confetti fly!!
For the final touch, use these countdown and fun champagne flutes as well as these awesome party napkins from Express (I was pleasantly surprised to learn Express has more than just clothes and in fact has a great selection of home accessories)!!
What to Wear!
If you’re hosting a party you can bet that you’ll be running around a lot. Pants paired with a blouse is much more practical than a super tight dress!
I personally love the pajama as outerwear look and so I naturally gravitated towards this top from Express. It looks super luxe but is extremely affordable (so no worries if someone spills champagne on you)!
I paired the top with these high waisted cigarette pants, which are extremely stretchy and comfortable. For the final touches I added a necklace (which I found in store at Express, but haven’t found online) and a red lip to provide a pop of color!
So, are you hosting a party for New Year’s Eve? What are some of your favorite tips for hosting? Let me know in the comments below. Wishing all of you a healthy and happy New Year!
{Top: Express (c/o) | Pants: Express (c/o) | Necklace: Express (c/o) | Shoes: Nicholas Kirkwood | Lipstick: Nars (shade Red Square)}
Special thanks to Express for sponsoring this post!
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