Summer drinks: small event, big effect

Organising summer drinks starts with one choice: do you want to keep it as simple as possible, or do you give it a clear atmosphere? Both work. But the drinks events people remember longest always have a small concept behind them.

That concept doesn't need to be grand. Think of a tropical touch with fresh cocktails and soft reggae music. Or rugged and pared-back: a good beer on the roof, local snacks and a band playing quietly in the background. Or culinary: drinks around a cheese-and-wine table or a live BBQ station. One idea is enough to give the whole evening direction.

The atmosphere of summer drinks stands or falls on three elements. Light is the first: the long summer evening sun does the work for you, but as it gets later you want warm atmospheric lighting, not fluorescent strip lights, but pendants or lanterns. Music is the second: no thumping beats that make conversation impossible, but no awkward silence either. A DJ with mellow music, an acoustic guitarist or a well-curated playlist works wonders. Presentation is the third: even simple bar platters and drinks look festive when they're set up properly.

The invitation sets the tone. Don't send a standard Outlook calendar request, but a short and personal message that feels like a real invitation. People reading the invitation should give a little smile. Then you know the tone is right.

For smaller businesses up to 40 staff, an informal atmosphere is almost always best. For larger teams it pays to add a bit more structure: a clear start, a short welcome and a logical flow from bites to drinks.

The nicest venue for summer drinks is the one you already have: the office itself. A roof, a courtyard, a terrace or even a traffic-free car park. With the right setup you transform your own space into a pleasant summer backdrop.

Advantages of using your own venue: no hire costs, staff don't have to travel far, and you can lay out the space exactly how you want. All you need is a caterer, some chairs and tables, and the will to make something of it.

No suitable outdoor space? Then these are the best alternatives. Terraces and roof terraces in town are popular, but book early because they fill up fast in June and July. City parks are ideal for larger drinks events; with a council permit you can set up catering and play music. Note that you sometimes need to apply 6 to 8 weeks ahead. Beach clubs and waterside venues bring an instant summer atmosphere and are well set up for drinks formats, but you'll pay rent plus a minimum spend.

Our rule of thumb for summer drinks up to 60 people: use your own venue and pay attention to the details. Hire a good caterer, hang up some atmospheric lighting and put out nice tables. You'll have a drinks event that feels far more than a standard office gathering, at a fraction of the cost of an external venue.

Above 100 staff it pays to consider an external venue. Think of a boat on a city canal, a hotel roof terrace or the courtyard of a heritage building. The atmosphere of a place like that immediately lifts summer drinks to a different level.

Food and drink are at the heart of any summer drinks event. They largely determine whether the atmosphere lands. Give this serious attention. This is not the moment to cut corners on quality.

For drinks: the basics are simple. Beer, wine, soft drinks and a few special options. What makes summer drinks different is a summer touch: a fresh spritz, a cocktail station or a mocktail menu for non-drinkers. Count on three to five drinks per person at a three-hour drinks event. Make sure there's a welcome drink ready on arrival: a glass of bubbles sets the tone immediately.

For food, roving bar platters work better than a buffet at an informal drinks event. Bitterballen, satay, cheese and charcuterie, vegetarian bar bites: make sure something is always being passed around without people having to queue. Count on €8 to €15 per person for food at a three-hour drinks event. Want something more culinary? Consider a live cooking station: a chef cooking on the spot, for example an oyster station, a tapas bar or a soup stand. That immediately gives the event a different character.

Always pay attention to inclusivity: enough vegetarian and vegan options, not as an afterthought but as a full part of the offering. Note allergies at sign-up.

What to avoid: hot meals you have to eat with cutlery don't fit a drinks atmosphere. And too little food leads to early leavers. The rule of thumb: make sure people go home pleasantly full.

A corporate BBQ or summer drinks event costs roughly €75 to €125+ per person excluding VAT for 250 to 500 guests. For 500 to 1,000 guests, count on roughly €60 to €110+ per person. For 1,000 to 2,000 guests, roughly €50 to €100+ per person. For more than 2,000 guests, roughly €45 to €95+ per person. All amounts excluding VAT, including venue, catering, entertainment and production.

A BBQ or summer drinks event is usually shorter than an evening party, with catering tuned to the season. That's why the price per person is lower.

Honest answer: not always. Drinks for 25 staff on the office terrace you can sort yourself perfectly well. Book a good caterer and put someone in charge of coordination on the day.

But the moment the scale gets bigger (above 75 staff), or you want more than bites and drinks, an agency pays off. An agency thinks along on the concept, sorts the venue and catering in one go, and coordinates on the day itself. That saves you hours of research and phone calls.

Live Impact organises summer drinks for businesses with 50 to 500 staff. We know the best venues in Amsterdam, Utrecht, The Hague and Rotterdam (from roof terraces to courtyards) and we work with caterers that can combine drinks with entertainment. Our approach: one brief, one concept, one point of contact, full delivery.

The big advantage: on the day itself you don't have to sort anything. No phone call to the caterer, no worrying about the timeline. You're just there as a participant, not as the organiser.

The difference between a great summer drinks event and one that feels like an extended work moment is in the details. The timing of the bites. The quality of the music. The way guests are welcomed. More on what to expect from an events agency →

Summer drinks your staff still mention months later don't happen by accident. They happen with the right approach, the right venue and food and drink that hit the mark.

Live Impact helps you from concept to delivery. For 30 to 500 staff.

Call us on 085 401 40 14, send a mail to hello@live-impact.nl or send your brief via our website.

Seriously fun.