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This Monday, awards season kicks into full swing with the Emmys. If your invite to all of the fancy official soirees that the major agencies and networks are throwing somehow got lost in the mail, you can still do things up in style.
Designer and party planner Tony Schubert is known for his extravagant fetes. He's organizing the Audi Emmy party at Cecconi's as well as the Entertainment Weekly Emmy parties this year, so if you want to do a party like a pro, take some of his tips listed below:
On drinks: I’m a big fan of a bar cart. Set up a “make your own” cocktail station for guests to help themselves. And a bar cart allows you to move it easily from room to room. If you have 10 to 15 people, then you're good to serve on your own, but once you get more than 20, you should hire a bartender.
On food: Small bites are always great. You can do something easy like shrimp and chicken skewers or cucumber slices with a dollop of tuna tartare as starters. Add small table cards near each dish, letting guests know what the ingredients are. People like to know if the dish is vegetarian, vegan or made with dairy, etc. Also, lose the chairs around the table — nobody wants to reach over a chair to make a plate.
On seating: Most living rooms are not set up to entertain more than five to six guests at one time. If you have a sectional that can break apart, open it up to create a better seating plan. You can add more chairs, ottomans or over-sized pillows that guests can lounge on. Make sure to have enough seating for all of your guests, especially if you’ll be watching the Emmys on TV.
On ballots: Have some ready with the nominees listed for guests to fill out and reward the winner with a cool prize, like a gift card to a great restaurant. As a host, it’s easy to get harried, running around making sure everyone has everything they need. Take a moment every now and then and relax, have a drink and have some fun!
