steal this look, part 2

I’m a complementary color sort of girl — give me a yellow shirt, and I’ll pair it with a red necklace. I go for same sort of opposites-attract color scheme with party décor, so when I saw the image of watermelon martinis above, courtesy of Washington-based Occasions Caterers, I had to rethink my go-to game plan. 

Next time I serve cocktails, I’ll likely follow Occasions' lead. If you want to do the same, follow these tips:

• Serve a drink with a vibrant hue, and go for a one-two color punch with a garnish of the same color. Or, achieve a similar effect by matching the color of the cocktail napkins to the cocktails.
• Get creative with garnishes. I thought for sure the above was some sort of homemade colored sugar wafer, but no — it turns out it’s an (infinitely easier) thin slice of watermelon cut with a cookie cutter. Slicing the watermelon near the rind gives it that interesting gradation effect. Other stiff-ish fruits (honeydew, cantaloupe, maybe even kiwi) can be cut with cookie cutters of all shapes. Or, if you like the layering of a single color but don’t want to deal with slicing and/or cookie-cutting fruit, go with the crowd-pleasing colored sugar rim.
• Opt for white tray to make the bright colors of the drink pop and twisting greenery to warm up the presentation. If you don’t plan on carrying around a tray of drinks (truth be told: I don’t), place a little greenery around a pitcher or punch bowl to keep the drink area from feeling spare.
• Serve your colorful cocktails in tall glasses for an exceptionally pretty presentation. I like how these have the martini glass effect at the rim, but they’re longer and without teeny-tiny stems. This allows you to give a guest a healthy pour and still leave space at the top of the drink — and lessens the chance for spillage. (Hurrah!)

Photo by Dean Alexander

Comments

This is so pretty. I especially love the cookie cutter idea for fruit and will definitely try it for my next brunch party.

Love the look & can't wait to try the drink.

Those look awesome! The cookie cutter idea opens up so many possibilities

Interesting will try this next month for my birthday party. Where can I find those glasses? Any ideas?

Denise: This is the closest thing I could find: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00165FV1G/ref=asc_df_B00165FV1G822299?smid=A2UYNUE1EJLQ25&tag=shopzilla_rev_1217-20&linkCode=asn. What we have pictured on Evite is more like a martini highball sort of glass, I'd say. If I come across a better match, I'll let you know!