Super Easy DIY Party Drink Station

August 12, 2016 0 Comments

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This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and The Coca-Cola Company. All opinions are mine alone. #tastehydration #CollectiveBias If you have a party coming up and you’re running out of time to make that perfect party drink station, don’t worry! I have it covered! I’m going to share with you a cheap, easy, and quick way to put together a festive and fun drink area that works for indoor or outdoor party spaces!

Create a DIY Party Drink Bucket:

Those chrome drink buckets are SO cute but I can’t always find what I’m looking for and some are outside my party budget. However, I can get the same results for less money with a bit of crafting.

What you’ll need:

Pick up a cheap plastic party bowl with handles on the sides. If you are expecting a larger crowd, you may want to pick up 2 or 3. These are as cheap as $1! Next, grab a can of silver metallic spray paint. I got one for about $3. Then, take an old cardboard box and cover your garage floor. Spray paint the plastic bowls. Use 2-3 coats to ensure even and thorough coverage. Let them dry outside for about 30-45 minutes.

Before:

After:

Selecting Your Drinks:

You’ll want to select your drink of choice. To save time, go with something that is already made. I like to think of something that will work for all of my guests for both taste and functionality. Vitaminwater is a great choice and is available in a variety of flavors which allows guests to have a few options. Not only does vitaminwater taste amazing, but it’s also an excellent source of vitamin b and c and it contains electrolytes–a perfect choice for warm summer days!

Chilling Your Drinks:

No guest loves a warm drink at a party, so keeping that in mind, I’ve come up with a few simple tricks to help keep drinks cold for your party. First, when choosing something like vitaminwater that is available in individual bottles, you are a step ahead of the game. Put the bottles in your freezer for 30-45 minutes before the party to chill them before guests arrive. You want them to be cold but not totally frozen. Next, when you serve the bottles in the drink bucket, put the drinks in first and then pour in the ice. I used to always put the ice in first but I discovered when you do it last it covers more of the drink instead of just chilling the bottoms of the bottles. Note: Because these drink buckets are spray-painted, I lined the bottom with plastic wrap to help keep the paint from bleeding and it seems to do the trick! You will notice a bit of condensation on the outside. If you let it dry a bit longer this should be minimized. I also avoided spraying the bottom of the bowl so that way when I set it on something it doesn’t leave any marks on tables or furniture.

Adding Flare:

Depending on your party guests, some people may enjoy drinking out of the bottle while others prefer to drink from a glass. I find that getting ice is sometimes a pain and causes people to wait in line. Skip that step and set your glasses out on a platter, pre-filled with ice, so your guests can just grab and go. Add a decorative cup with party straws in case your guests prefer straws. It also looks more festive! Check your local home decor stores for drink-themed decor pieces to set in your display area. I love colored glass bottles and they are perfect for decorating a drink station. It also adds a vertical element to the table. Have extra bottles? Stack them up next to the drink bucket. As guests take their drinks, you can refill the bucket. This also adds a vertical element to your party space instead of serving everything at one level. Keep in mind if small children are attending, it may be better to line the drinks up on a wooden crate instead so the pyramid doesn’t get knocked down.

Where to Buy vitaminwater:

Vitaminwater is available almost everywhere. For a party, you’ll definitely want to get a variety pack from Sam’s Club. They are located near the back of the store with all the bottled drinks. A 20-pack of vitaminwater was less than $12! I would plan to provide at least 2 per person in case your guests want a “refill,” so you can plan accordingly. The variety pack I got includes the following flavors: XXX Acai-Blueberry-Pomegranite, Squeezed Lemonade, and Rise Orange. I love that it has less than 4 carbs and less than 1% sugar but still has such amazing flavor!