Party Planning Guide
Planning a party should be exciting – not stressful. With the right equipment in place, you can create a comfortable and stylish setting for your guests and focus on enjoying the celebration.
Whether you’re hosting a birthday party, family celebration, communion, anniversary or casual gathering, hiring a few key items can make hosting much easier. From tables and chairs to glassware and serving equipment, the right setup helps your event run smoothly.
Our experienced team is always happy to help you choose the right items for your event. With decades of experience supplying events across Ireland, we can offer practical advice to help you plan with confidence.
If you need help at any stage, simply call 01 290 7400, and we’ll be happy to guide you through our options.
Beverage & Serving Guide
Planning the drinks for your party is an important part of hosting. Think about your guests, the season, and the style of your event to decide what to serve and how much to prepare.
Things to Consider
Your guests
As a general rule, male guests tend to consume slightly more drinks than female guests.
Drink preferences
Consider whether your guests are more likely to drink wine, beer or spirits, and try to offer a small variety.
Season of the event
In warmer months, lighter drinks such as beer and white wine are often more popular. In colder months, guests may prefer red wine or spirits.
Location of the party
If your event is outdoors or at a rented venue, check for any restrictions or whether additional equipment, such as bar coolers or taps, may be required.
Duration of the event
On average, guests will consume around 1-1.5 drinks per hour.
Small Details That Make a Big Difference
Sometimes it’s the little things that make a party run smoothly. Here are a few simple touches to consider:
- Coat storage. A coat rail with hangers provides guests with a place to leave their coats.
- Ice. Make sure you have enough ice for drinks throughout the event.
- Lemons & limes. Great for finishing cocktails and drinks.
- Drink cooling. A cooling cabinet helps keep champagne, white wine and beer chilled.
Beverage Serving Guidelines
As a general rule, plan two drinks per guest during the first hour, and one drink per hour afterwards. If you’re serving a variety of drinks, you can reduce the quantity of each slightly.
Wine
A good estimate is one bottle of wine per two guests for a two-hour event. If serving both red and white wine, most guests tend to prefer more white wine than red.
Beer
Plan for two beers per guest during the first hour, and one additional beer per hour after that.
Champagne & Sparkling Wine
One 750ml bottle fills around six champagne flutes.
- For a toast: one glass per guest.
- As a welcome drink: 1.5 glasses per guest.
- Throughout the event: up to 3 glasses per guest.
Spirits
A 750ml bottle of spirits serves around 17 drinks. For a two-hour cocktail party, estimate around three drinks per guest.
Water & Soft Drinks
- 1 litre of water serves around 3 – 4 guests.
- Soft drinks: estimate one drink per person, or more if children are attending.
Questions to Ask Your Caterer
If you are working with a caterer, asking a few key questions early on can help avoid surprises and ensure everything runs smoothly on the day of your event.
What type of food do you specialise in?
Every caterer has a particular style or speciality. Understanding their strengths helps ensure their menu fits the type of event you are planning.
Can you accommodate allergies or dietary requirements?
Many guests may have dietary restrictions such as vegetarian, vegan or gluten-free. Confirm in advance how the caterer handles special requests.
Where do your ingredients come from?
Guests are increasingly interested in locally sourced or seasonal ingredients. Knowing where the food comes from can also add an extra story to your menu.
Are you fully licensed and insured?
Always check that your caterer has the appropriate health permits, licenses and insurance required to operate safely.
What equipment is included in your service?
Some caterers provide tables, serving equipment or tableware while others do not. Clarifying this early helps you plan what additional items you may need to hire.
These simple questions can help ensure the catering service matches the style and expectations of your event.
Seating & Linen Guide: Rectangular Tables
 |  |  |  |  | |
Table Size | 24″ x 30″ | 48″ x 30″ | 72″ x 30″ | 96″ x 30″ | 96″ x 24″ |
Guests | 2 | 4 | 6 – 8 | 8 – 10 | 8 – 10 |
Linen | 70″ x 70″ | 70″ x 70″ | 120″ x 54″ | 144″ x 72″ | 144″ x 72″ |
Seating & Linen Guide: Round Tables
 |  |  |  |  |  | |
Table Size | Half 4ft | Half 5ft | 3ft | 4ft | 5ft | 6ft |
Guests | 3 | 4 | 4 | 6 – 8 | 8 – 10 | 10 – 12 |
Linen | 70″ x 70″ | 90″ x 90″ | 70″ x 70″ | 70″ x 70″ | 90″ x 90″ / 120″ | 120″ / 132″ |
Table Setting Guide
For most dinner parties, table setting follows a simple rule: forks on the left, knives and spoons on the right, glasses above the knife.
You can choose between a casual setting or a formal setting, depending on the style of your event.
Informal
Formal
- A Salad Fork
- B Dinner Fork
- C Dinner Knife
- D Teaspoon
- E Soup Spoon
- F Dessert Spoon
- G Cake Fork
- H Water Glass
- I Red Wine Glass
- J White Wine Glass
- K Plate
- L Salad Plate
- M Napkin
- N Bread Plate
- O Bread Knife
- P Place Card
- Q Cup & Saucer
- R General Wine Glass
For the informal setting, utensils are placed one inch from the edge of the table.
In the formal setting, the cup & saucer are not placed on the table until the dessert course.
Dance Floor Guide
Choosing the right dance floor size depends on the number of guests.
Wooden Dance Floor
Panels of our wooden dancefloor measure 3ft x 3ft.
Guests | Dance Floor Size | Number of Panels |
50 – 80 | 9ft x 9ft | 9 |
100 | 12ft x 12ft | 16 |
120 | 12ft x 15ft | 20 |
150 | 15ft x 15ft | 25 |
180 | 18ft x 15ft | 30 |
200 | 18ft x 18ft | 36 |
250 | 21ft x 18ft | 42 |
280 | 21ft x 21ft | 49 |
300 | 24ft x 21ft | 56 |
White Dance Floor
Panels of our white dancefloor measure 4ft x 2ft.
Guests | Dance Floor Size | Number of Panels |
50 – 80 | 12ft x 8ft | 12 |
100 | 12ft x 12ft | 18 |
120 | 12ft x 16ft | 24 |
150 | 16ft x 16ft | 32 |
180 | 16ft x 18ft | 36 |
200 | 18ft x 18ft | 41 |
250 | 20ft x 18ft | 45 |
280 | 22ft x 20ft | 55 |
300 | 22ft x 22ft | 61 |
Whether you are planning a small gathering or a larger celebration, the right tables, seating and equipment help create the perfect environment for your event.