You enter the party, make a bee-line for the bar and then buffet. Then with a drink in one hand and plate in the other, you look around the room and find the person you want to talk to. But how do you shake a hand, take a bite or a sip if you don’t have anywhere to set things down? It is always a challenge to navigate eating and drinking at a cocktail hour or reception. So for anyone planning a party, cocktail hour or dinner event pay close attention to these simple rules of thumb to determine the best number of cocktail table rentals for your event.

Cocktail Hour or Standing Only Reception

For a standing room only event or cocktail hour, the rule of thumb is to rent 1 cocktail table for every 4-5 guests. Simply take the number of guests and divide by 4 or 5. So if you have 100 guests, plan on 20-25 cocktail table rentals. This quantity ensures everyone can set down their drink and appetizer plate while they mingle and enjoy the party.

Mixed Seating/Standing Reception

If you are providing tables and chairs for some guests to sit, and cocktail table rentals for others in order to create some variety in design of the room, a great rule of thumb is to rent one cocktail table for every 10 guests, or 10 cocktail tables for 100 guests. This type of layout encourages mingling and allows for guests to choose their preference of sitting or standing.

Cocktail Table Linen Sizes

Don’t forget to rent the correct cocktail table tablecloths!  Nothing looks worse than trying to make a rectangle tablecloth fit on a cocktail table. For a 30″ tall highboy cocktail table, rent a 108″ round tablecloth for a full floor length look. For a 36″ tall highboy cocktail table, rent a 120″ round tablecloth for a full floor length look. Here is a chart for the other sizes you may want to consider.

For more help getting the correct table linen sizes for your party table rentals, see our blog What Size Tablecloth Do I Need?