Cocktail Party Venues Wellington for Every Occasion

Are you planning a cocktail party in Wellington? It's a great choice! Wellington has a lively food and bar scene, beautiful harbourside views, and many classic and modern venues. Whether you're organising a corporate event, a birthday party, or a brand activation, Wellington is the perfect location for a stylish and memorable gathering.

Types of Cocktail Party Venues in Wellington

Wellington offers diverse venues for cocktail parties, from intimate gatherings to larger celebrations. Here are some popular options:

Rooftop Bars & Terraces

For those looking to impress with city or harbour views, rooftop venues offer a spectacular backdrop, especially during golden hour. These venues are great for summer evening cocktail parties and often come with stylish setups and curated drinks lists.

Cocktail Bars & Lounges

Wellington is home to many chic, hidden cocktail bars that provide a cosy yet upscale setting. These venues often specialise in bespoke cocktail menus and are ideal for smaller guest lists and themed events.

Restaurants with Private Dining Rooms

Many of Wellington's top restaurants offer private spaces or full venue hire, blending delicious canapés or grazing platters with tailored drinks packages. This option is perfect if food is a priority, and you want a balance between social mingling and gourmet bites.

Hotel Function Spaces

Hotels provide more formal, flexible spaces that are perfect for corporate cocktail events or charity galas. Most hotel venues include in-house catering, AV equipment, and event coordination, making them a convenient all-in-one option.

Not sure where to start? Check out thisguide to planning your next cocktail party.

Catering Tips for Your Cocktail Party

Catering is crucial for your cocktail event. Here are five key tips to keep guests satisfied and impressed:

1. Serve a Mix of Canapés and Grazing Options: Provide a variety of small, bite-sized foods for guests to enjoy while socialising. Offer a mix of cold and hot options, and set up grazing boards to encourage shared snacking during the event.
2. Create a Signature Cocktail: Work with your venue or bartender to design a unique cocktail for your event. It reflects your theme, branding, or taste, adding a memorable touch for guests.
3. Offer Dietary-Friendly Options: Clearly label vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, and allergy-friendly choices to ensure everyone feels included.
4. Balance Alcoholic and Non-Alcoholic Offerings: Not everyone drinks alcohol, so offer interesting mocktails, infused waters, or artisanal sodas along with your cocktails. This makes your drink list more appealing and inclusive.
5. Stagger Food Service: Avoid serving all food at once. Instead, time your catering in waves—this keeps guests engaged and ensures there's always something fresh to nibble on throughout the evening.

For more food and drinks tips, here are some of thebest questions to ask your event caterer.

Plan Your Wellington Cocktail Party Today!

Discover and book the ideal cocktail party venue in Wellington with VenueNow. Peruse secluded lounges, breathtaking rooftop vistas, and dynamic waterside bars. Receive personalised advice and book the ideal spot for your event—all under one roof. Begin your search today for a memorable cocktail party!

How much do cocktail parties in Wellington cost?

Based on VenueNow's historic data, on average, Wellington cocktail party venues cost between 75 to 110 NZD per person. For example, an event for 100 people could cost between 7500-11000 NZD. Costs may differ based on your food and beverage requirements, AV requirements, event date and time and the type of venue you decide to book.

What should I consider when comparing Wellington cocktail party venues?

There are a number of different factors you should consider when comparing Wellington cocktail party venues. Firstly, you should review the standing and seated capacity of the venue to see if they can fit your attendees. Next you should review the costs associated with hiring the venue such as venue hire fees, food & drink packages, additional costs such as audio-visual equipment, and whether there is a minimum spend to hire the venue. Other important factors include the location, aesthetic, amenities and facilities of the venue to understand if the venue fits all of your requirements. A great way to do this is review the venue's listings on VenueNow and review their function packs attached to the page.

How do I find and book Wellington cocktail party venues?

Finding and booking Wellington cocktail party venues is easy with VenueNow. Simply follow these steps: (1) Enter your location, event type and number of people into VenueNow's search engine. (2) Narrow down your search results by adding filters such as your event date and time, preferred room layout and budget. (3) Once you've found some venues you're interested in, visit the venue listings and send your enquiry via VenueNow. The venue will receive your enquiry immediately and respond to you within 24 hours via email. We recommend contacting 3-5 different venues to ensure you get the best price. (4) Venues will respond with a quote via email based on your requirements, and may suggest alternate dates when they can host your event. (5) Once you're happy with the quote, you can confirm your booking with the venue, pay your deposit and start planning your event.

How far in advance should I book Wellington cocktail party venues?

On average, VenueNow customers book a venue 90 days in advance of the event. In some cases you are able to find venues that are available at short notice, however, availability for your preferred date and time may be limited. For large corporate events or weddings, we recommend booking your venue at least 3-6 months in advance, to ensure plenty of venues are available and you can lock in the best price for your requirements. Larger events also typically require additional planning with your attendees as well as any suppliers that may be required for the event.

Can VenueNow help me find Wellington cocktail party venues?

We sure can! Not only can you find and book venues via on VenueNow yourself or using our Match AI feature, our team of Venue Booking Experts can help you find the perfect venue, collect quotes from multiple venues on your behalf, negotiate the best price with venues and book venues, all for free. Simply send us your event brief and our team will be in contact with venue recommendations within 24-48 hours.