How to Host an Awards Night Party (spon)

***Disclosure-Sample product was received for review.  All opinions stated are my own based  on my own opinions.

Do you like to watch the awards?  I do.  Do you have watch parties?  We love guessing who the award winners are going to be, and enjoying the company of our friends.  We always wonder what really goes on.

Do you want to know what the stars are sipping on?

What does their award dinner consist of?

Well you too can host your very own ultimate at-home viewing party.  Thanks to Sterling Vineyards, the Exclusive Wine of the Oscars®, for sharing some insider tips:

This year, as the stars walk off the red carpet and into the Dolby Theater lobby, they will be greeted by their choice of Sterling Vineyards Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc, Napa Chardonnay,Carneros Pinot Noir, and Napa Cabernet Sauvignon. When the Awards are complete, 1,600 Academy guests will proceed to the Governors Ball, where more outstanding Sterling wines will be paired with the culinary creations of Chef Wolfgang Puck.

Food & Wine Pairings

·         You don’t have to be Wolfgang Puck to create a selection of items from the actual menu that will be served during the Academy Awards including homemade potato chips and assorted Wolfgang Puck signature pizzas.   

·         First, set out our Sterling Vineyard Wines next to the food display along with suggested pairings to take the guesswork out of it for your guests. 

·         Pair homemade potato chips with Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc. The lively acids in the wine will be a perfect complement to the chips.

·         Create your own pizza bar by purchasing pre-cooked pizza dough and setting out a bowl of sauce, shredded cheese, and a variety of both meat and vegetable toppings.  Each guest can then pick and choose to create their own personal pizzas.  To save time cooking, partially bake the crusts before everyone adds their toppings.

·         The meat toppings will pair well with the Napa Cabernet Sauvignon, the vegetable toppings with the Carneros Pinot Noir.

·         Set up a dessert bar perfect for pairing Baileys and coffee or a delicious “glamour shot.”  It’s an easy way for people to enjoy dessert during the commercial breaks.

Viewing Party Fun

•     Cheryl Cecchetto and Gary Levitt of Sequoia Productions, Renowned Celebrity Event Producers suggest:
•      Inviting your guests to predict the Oscar winners before the show via the Oscar party ballot that the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences posts on their website. The work is already done for you; all you have to do is click print! http://cdn.media.oscar.abc.com/media/2014/pdf/2014/nominees_ballot.pdf
•   The guest who selects the most winners correctly wins a prize which could include:
•   A copy of a nominated DVD or classic movies from the nominated actress/actor—i.e. Cate Blanchett in “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”
•   A bottle of Sterling Vineyards Napa Sauvignon Blanc
•   Set up a photo booth using Oscar posters as your backdrop to create a “step and repeat” and Instagram your photos using #theoscars.  Who doesn’t love some #selfie fun during commercial breaks?
•  Lastly, if you anticipate a lot of guests and you know some of the guests will prefer a quieter setting in order to hear the acceptance speeches in full, set up a secondary quiet viewing room for guests.

Décor

·         The Governors’ Ball will be dressed in hues of olive, rust, aubergine, turquoise, bronze with subtle splashes of glitter – use these colors as accents in your tablescape, napkins, and glassware.  

·         Organic, garden cut florals comprised of garden roses, hydrangeas, moss, birch, and wysteria will be used throughout the space. These florals are easy to find and make for great décor and scent throughout your home.  Guests will be impressed that you have inside access to what is being used inside the Governors’ Ball before it even begins!

Own the Oscars Bar

This year the Governors Ball is taking celebratory drinks to a new and very glamorous level. Sip the same cocktails as the stars with a:

·         Coco Light Martini: Combine 1.5 oz CÎROC® with 1.5 oz unsweetened coconut water, 1 oz pineapple juice, .25 oz fresh lime juice in martini shaker with ice. Shake and strain into coupe glass. Garnish with lemon twist.                 

·         Download more cocktail recipes that the stars will be sipping here:  https://transfer.taylorstrategy.com/message/jumyIRynO2d0776XFtDeKx

·         Don’t forget to be responsible host and set out water and other non-alcoholic beverages!

The Oscars are on Sunday, March 2 at 7 PM ET/4 PM PT on ABC.  Cheers to you and your guests.  Hope all your favorites are winners!