In this guide for setting up your bar cart for hosting, I’m sharing tips and essentials for creating a space that’s not only gorgeous but is practical too!
A bar cart is a worthwhile investment. I looove mine so much because it saves precious counter space and it can be wheeled anywhere to create an instant party! We’ve even used ours to set up a smores bar for outdoor entertaining around the campfire.
This is the exact one I have.
Alcohol & Mix
First things first: a bar cart needs booze. Add a few bottles and mix so that guests can create their own drinks. This helps to alleviate some of the hosting burden as you won’t spend your night keeping an eye on everyone’s glass and running for refills.
My hosting rule of thumb when it comes to cocktails: I serve the first one and after that, guests are welcome to help themselves.
You don’t have to put out every type of alcohol, instead start with what you know your guests (and you) like to drink and perhaps add a few other options. Not sure what they drink? I suggest having a bottle of red/white wine on hand, beer and pick some easy to mix spirits (personally I think vodka and gin work well, but you can choose what you like).
Joyful Hostess Tip: I like to prepare a “signature drink” and add that to the bar cart. This can be as simple as a pitcher of mango & peach sangria or setting up hot buttered rum cocktails.
Glasses
I have an obsession with glassware. It’s just so pretty and an easy way to take a simple drink and make it look super fancy. Think about the type of drinks you’re serving and set glassware accordingly (wine glasses for wine, champagne flutes for bubbly, rock glasses for mixed drinks- you get the idea)
Ice Buckets
A must for entertaining because it helps simplify hosting duties a.k.a. you won’t be running to the fridge/freezer every few minutes. I usually have a large ice bucket to keep wine/champagne chilled and another for ice cubes so guests can add to their drinks.
Bar Cart Mixing Accessories
There’s a plethora of stylish accessories that work double duty – they’re beautifully decorative and are practical tools for bartending.
Cocktail Shaker – for creating all sorts of fun drinks, this one really is a must.
Jigger – for measuring
Bar Picks – for garnishing cocktails with a finishing touch
Wine Accessories – wine opener, stoppers, decanters and a vacuum saver to keep wine fresh
Straws – paper ones come in so many colours and styles, they’re a super fun way to reinforce your party theme or add a burst of colour to your bar. I also like using stainless steel straws because they’re reusable and won’t go soggy if left in your drink for too long.
Bar Napkins –another inexpensive way to infuse personality into your bar cart.
Bar Décor – make your bar cart aesthetically pleasing by adding a touch of something decorative like; flowers, plants, books, framed bar art. These are items you can easily swap out to make it more seasonal, match your theme or just because you want to change it up. Check out the digital bar art printables I’ve created right here. They’re instantly downloadable so you can start decorating right away!
Joyful Hostess Tip: Set up the bar cart the night before. This way you can be sure you have everything you need in advance (and if not, there’s still time to run out and grab last minute items). Also if possible, set up the bar in a separate area from the food – spreading the goodies around encourages people to mingle.
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