Signature Sips for Summer Soirées

Delicious drinks to match the vibe—mocktail and cocktail options included!

Summer is here, and with it comes backyard parties, lakeside celebrations, and all the reasons to raise a glass with your favorite people. Whether you're hosting a graduation bash, baby shower, or birthday BBQ, a thoughtful drink menu can add that perfect, personal touch.

Here are five of my favorite Signature Sips—each with both cocktail and mocktail versions—designed to keep your guests cool and your party unforgettable:

🍍 Tropical Luau Punch

• Mocktail: Pineapple juice, orange juice, lemon-lime soda, grenadine

• Cocktail version: Add spiced rum or coconut rum

• Why it works: A total crowd-pleaser, especially with a citrus wedge + cherry garnish

  
  

🍓 Strawberry Fizz Lemonade

• Mocktail: Fresh strawberry purée, lemon juice, simple syrup, club soda

• Cocktail version: Add vodka or gin

• Why it works: Pretty in pink, tart in taste, and lovely in a mason jar

  
  

🫐 Blueberry Basil Smash

• Mocktail: Muddled blueberries + basil, honey, lemon juice, soda water

• Cocktail version: Add gin or vodka

• Why it works: Refreshing, unexpected, and a total conversation starter

  
  

🍉 Watermelon Mojito Mocktail

• Mocktail: Watermelon purée, fresh mint, lime juice, soda water

• Cocktail version: Add white rum

• Why it works: Light, hydrating, and beautifully vibrant in a clear pitcher

  
  

☕ Cold Brew Old Fashioned

• Mocktail: Cold brew coffee, orange bitters, simple syrup, orange peel

• Cocktail version: Add a shot of bourbon

• Why it works: Elegant and energizing; perfect for brunch or evening events

  
  

✨ Bonus Tip: Create Your Own Signature Cocktail

Want a drink that’s uniquely you? Here’s a quick recipe builder:

1 part spirit, 2 parts mixer, something fruity or herbal, and a fun garnish.

Name it after the guest of honor. Boom—instant Instagram moment.

Need help curating a drink menu that matches your vibe and your guest list? That’s what I do best.

🍸 Reach out to book coordination or party prep support today. I’ll even help you test the drinks. For quality control, of course. 😉

What Does a Day-of Coordinator Actually Do? (Spoiler: It’s More Than Just ‘The Day Of’)

The Myth of the “Day Of”

Let’s clear this up real quick: A “Day-of” Coordinator does not just show up on the wedding day, Starbucks in hand, and wing it.

If we did, you’d notice. (And not in a good way.)

Truth is, the work of a Day-of Coordinator starts weeks before the big day. We’re like the human equivalent of duct tape, espresso, and that one bridesmaid with a color-coded binder—except we’re pros.

🗓️ So... What Actually Happens Before the Wedding Day?

Here’s what AK Events does in the days and weeks before your wedding:

• Intro Call or Coffee Chat: We connect to go over your vision, vendor list, and any wedding nightmares you’ve had that involve missing pants or runaway llamas.

• Timeline Creation: A super-detailed, minute-by-minute timeline crafted with all your vendors in mind; so everyone knows where to be, when to breathe, and when to hit the dance floor.

• Vendor Confirmation: I reach out to every single vendor, yes, even the florist’s second cousin who’s delivering centerpieces, to confirm arrival times, needs, and backup plans.

• Venue Walkthrough (if available): I learn the space like the back of my hand so I know where your Grandma should sit, where the DJ can plug in, and where that one groomsman is likely to sneak off for a nap.

  
  

💍 Now Let’s Talk Wedding Day Duties

Here’s what I’m doing while you're sipping champagne and getting your lashes done:

• Set-Up Supervision: Making sure tables, signs, favors, and décor are exactly where they belong (even if we’re using a hot glue gun at the last minute).

• Vendor Management: Greeting and directing every vendor like a wedding bouncer who’s also incredibly organized and polite.

• Timeline Enforcer: Ceremony at 4? We’re lining people up at 3:52 and cueing music at 3:59. (We run a tight, joyful ship.)

• Problem Solver: Did the cake arrive leaning left? Did someone forget the rings? Did Aunt Linda lose her purse? Handled it. Quietly. Professionally. You’ll probably never even know.

• Guest Whisperer: Need help finding the bathroom? The seating chart? Their dignity after too much Fireball? I got it.

• Emergency Kit Access: Bobby pins, safety pins, tide pens, deodorant, snacks, duct tape, and yes—tampons. I come stocked.

• Tear Down Coordination: While you’re dancing the night away, I’m coordinating final vendor pickups and packing up your sentimental stuff like a wedding-day ninja.

  
  

💡 So Why Hire a Day-of Coordinator?

Because your mom shouldn’t be running around in heels directing traffic. Because your maid of honor deserves to be in the moment. Because YOU shouldn’t be worrying about anything except soaking in every second.

I’m there so you can actually enjoy your wedding.

🥰 Final Thoughts

A “Day-of” Coordinator isn’t just for the day-of. It’s a planning partner, a crisis manager, a timeline queen, and a professional go-with-the-flow-er wrapped into one.

If you’ve ever said:

“I think I can plan it all but I don’t want to be in charge that day…”

Hi. I’m your girl.

📩 Let’s talk about what AK Events can take off your plate—so you can focus on the cake instead.

🎁 Party Favors: Yay or Nay for Weddings, Showers, and Graduation Celebrations?

Let’s talk about guest favors—you know, those little “thanks for coming!” trinkets that have become a staple at everything from weddings to baby showers to backyard grad parties.

But here’s the honest truth: do your guests actually want them? And more importantly—do you really need to provide them?

💭 Where Favors Even Came From

Historically, favors were a sweet little thank-you to guests—sugar cubes, almonds, something meaningful from the hosts. But over time, we moved from thoughtful tokens to mass-ordered knickknacks no one knows what to do with.

(If you’ve ever left a wedding with a custom koozie that doesn’t fit your cups… I see you.)

👰 Not Just a Wedding Thing Anymore

Once reserved for weddings, favors are now popping up at:

• Bridal showers

• Baby showers

• Graduation parties

• Birthday bashes

• Even retirement parties

The pressure is real—especially when Pinterest makes you feel like every guest needs a monogrammed candle and a hand-poured soy wax thank-you.

Spoiler: They don’t.

💸 Let’s Talk Budget

If you’re already stretching the budget to feed folks, provide drinks, and offer entertainment—favors can fall off the list guilt-free. No one’s leaving your event thinking, “Ugh, I didn’t even get a mini lotion jar shaped like a baby foot.”

Focus your funds where they’ll matter most:

• A solid guest experience

• Great food

• A fun atmosphere

• Maybe better chairs. (Seriously—never underestimate comfortable seating.)

🧠 But If You DO Want to Give Favors...

Make it worth the guest’s time (and your money). Favors work best when they’re:

• Edible: Cookies, candies, mini s’mores kits—always a hit.

• Useful: Bottle openers, chapstick, reusable bags, even pens.

• Local or themed: A nod to your hometown, your culture, or the party theme.

• Donation-based: Make a contribution to a cause and leave a card explaining why.

Bonus points if it can double as decor or place cards.

🚩 When Favors Flop

Here’s the tea: If it ends up in a junk drawer, it’s probably not worth your time or money.

Things to avoid:

• Anything personalized with your name (your guests don’t want a magnet with your wedding date)

• Trinkets that don’t have a clear use

• Bulk buys that feel generic or last-minute

🎓 Favors at Graduation Parties

This one’s newer on the scene—and while you can offer favors at a grad party, you absolutely don’t have to. A heartfelt thank-you, good food, and some solid photos of your grad’s journey go a lot further than a bowl of plastic sunglasses.

If you do go the favor route:

• Tie in the grad’s personality (mini notebooks, quote cards, stickers)

• Keep it light, fun, and affordable

• Don’t stress if not every guest grabs one—they won’t

🍼 Same Goes for Showers

Baby and bridal showers have made favors almost expected, but again, you get to decide what’s worth it. Want to do a cute “tea for two” bag or a tiny bottle of bubble bath? Go for it. Feeling overwhelmed and already making 200 deviled eggs? Skip it. No one's unfriending you over a lack of organza bags filled with pastel M&Ms. Promise.

🙌 Final Thoughts

Favors are optional. Thoughtfulness is not.

If you want to give your guests something memorable, great—just make it meaningful, useful, or edible. And if it doesn’t make the cut? That’s fine too. Your presence (and open bar?) is the present.

Need help planning a party with or without favors? AK Events is here to help you skip the stress, avoid the overkill, and make sure your guests remember the experience—not just what they carried out in a tiny gift bag.

📩 Contact Me | 🎉 Let’s plan your chaos-free celebration