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How To Create a Cocktail Party Invitation: Examples & Templates

Last updated: September 25, 2024

An invitation is the first impression that your great guest will have of your event.

This means that having a great cocktail party invitation is crucial for a high attendance rate.

In this post, I’ll show you example invitations and RSVP pages.

Why you should listen to me: My name is Nick Gray. I have created hundreds of cocktail party invitations. I’ve helped over 150 people host their own cocktail parties. New York Magazine once called me a host of “culturally significant” parties.

Example Invitations

The goal is to start with a super simple invitation. I’ve shared some here that I made in Canva. You can add your text on top of them.

Here are a few examples of invitations that you can use for different situations. 

Party Invite Images

Casual Example 

Here’s the exact wording I’ve used to invite my core group to my parties. Copy or adapt these scripts for your own use. 

Hey Derek, I’m thinking of hosting a little cocktail party on Wednesday the 8th at 7 PM. If I do it, would you come? Can I send you some more info? 

This message works well because:

  • It is short
  • It’s personalized
  • Includes the exact date and time
  • Gives you wiggle room to change the date and time
  • Make a clear request (Would you come?)
  • And makes another ask (Can I send you some more info?)

Formal Examples

These are slightly more formal messages that work better in a business setting. 

Hi Sandra. I’m planning to host a cocktail party on Wednesday the 8th at 7 PM. Are you available then? May I send you some more information about it? 

Hi Geoff. I want to bring some of my friends and colleagues together for a little cocktail party at my home. I’m looking at Wednesday the 8th at 7 PM. Are you available then? May I send you some more info?

Vulnerable Examples

Sometimes being vulnerable and honest with your core group helps. You can share your desire to be a better host as a more transparent reason why you’re hosting a party. 

A few readers of early drafts of my book who self-identify as introverts told me that they appreciated this method. 

Hi Casey. I’m reading a book about how to bring my friends together and host a cocktail party. I want to throw my first one on Wednesday the 8th at 7 PM. Would you come? Can I send you some more info? 

Rachel, I want to bring some of my favorite people together and am learning how to host a cocktail party. I am inviting friends and work colleagues to my first one. If I have it on Wednesday the 8th at 7 PM, would you come? May I send you some more information?

RSVP Page

After you send them the initial invite, you need to follow up with more info to all the people who said yes. 

The best way to do this is to pick an RSVP platform, then include all of the info on the page. 

RSVP Template

When you are making your own RSVP page, you can copy and change this for your event: 

I’m hosting a cocktail party!

Super casual, meet new friends, see old ones, and have a drink.

There’ll be name tags, a few bottles of wine, whiskey, vodka, and tons of sparkling water. There’ll be chips or light snacks but no formal dinner.

It makes me happy to introduce great people and new friends. My favorite part of the night is when we do icebreakers. Have you ever been at a party and wished you could have met even more new, fun, and interesting people? Name tags and icebreakers make it easy to do that.

Hope to see you soon!

Conclusion 

These cocktail party invitations and RSVP page examples are exactly what you need for your next cocktail party. 

Since a party invitation is the first impression of each guest you invite, it needs to make a great impression.

As the author of The 2-Hour Cocktail Party, I am confident that parties will help you create new connections and strengthen relationships. When is your party? Send me an email and I will give you some bonus tips, including a pre-party checklist that you can print out. Plus I’ll answer any question you have, free of charge. I love talking about parties and I’m on a mission to help 500 people host their first party.

Leave a comment on this article here.

About the author

Nick Gray is the author of The 2-Hour Cocktail Party. He’s been featured in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and in a popular TEDx talk. He sold his last company Museum Hack in 2019. Today he’s an expert on networking events, small parties, and creating relationships. Read more about Nick Gray here.

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