Reinventing the Reception

• By Sara Cardace
• Published Summer 2007

Cocktails at Six O'Clock

The bar at the Campbell Apartment   (Photo: Courtesy of the Campbell Apartment)

Don't bother with a raw space; book an elegant venue with plenty of character. The swank twenties aura of the Campbell Apartment is ideal, as is the '21' Club's Puncheon Room, which evokes a bygone, glittering era. Be sure there are enough seats to accommodate half your guests at any given time and be creative with the layout: Chaises longues and velvet ottomans help establish a decadent, loungelike atmosphere. Offer a dramatic, multitiered raw bar (load the room with candles to offset the sparkle) and bite-size versions of your favorite meals, focusing on entréeish options like short-ribs and mac-and-cheese terrines. If your guest list is small, serve individual miniature wedding cakes in a range of flavors. To change up the ambience, switch the lighting from blue to pink to amber every hour. Set up a vintage photo booth for guests to enjoy. Place an album nearby so they can leave the shots for you, or offer personalized sleeves for them to take as favors.