The Different Types of Glassware for Events

Selecting the perfect glassware for your event is one of the most important steps you’ll take in creating an elegant, cohesive experience. Glassware is more than functional. It’s a design element, a statement piece, and a core component of your guest’s experience. Curated Events offers the options you need to elevate your next event.

Common Glassware Rentals for Luxury Events

Depending on the type of event you’re planning, you may want to offer a range of beautiful, carefully curated glassware options for guests. Consider a few of the most commonly found options for elegant events.

• TIP: Don’t underestimate the importance of your glassware. After all, your guests will likely have one in their hands the entire event! 

Long-stem Glassware

Noted as a requirement for any fine dining experience where red and white will be served, long-stem glassware is a critical choice.

Flute Glassware

Flutes are even more elegant, often for a more sophisticated dining experience. They are an ideal (and necessary) glassware option for sparkling wine and champagne.

Cocktail Glassware

There’s nothing quite like enjoying the perfect martini or Cosmo in a cocktail glass. The beautiful shape of these glasses helps any drinks served “up” to be enjoyed fully.

Rocks Glasses

Smaller in stature but just as important, rocks glasses are necessary whenever you plan to serve liquor or anything that’s served “on the rocks.”

Pilsner Glassware

Pilsner glasses are an essential choice for any event serving beer. These tall, larger glasses have a refined shape, perfect for beer.

Short-Stem Glasses

Most often, your table setting will include a short-stem glass at each place setting. These are typically used for water or tea, or other types of non-alcoholic drinks.

Coffee Mugs

After a long night of dancing and having fun, there’s often the need for some coffee. While you may not consider coffee mugs a must for your glassware needs, they are going to be used by your guests.

Need advice on which one is best for you? At Curated Events, we make the entire process as easy and refined as possible. Let us answer your questions and create a successful event.

Fabulous Glassware Goes Further

While each of the glassware options listed here offers a specific function, the glass itself can be as unique, ornate, or simplified as you need it to be. Consider, for a moment, the need to elevate your event. A simple champagne flute may seem elegant enough, but adding some bit of uniqueness to it will further elevate the experience.

• Choose a style that you love – whether a simple round look or a dazzling crystal style
• You can choose colored glasses. A bit more edgy and unique, there’s something special about these, especially when they coordinate with your theme or color scheme
• Specialty glasses take things a bit further with ornate patterns and colors

What Special Glasses Will You Include for Your Event?

Let your creative style come through in the classes you select. Here are some ideas to help you personalize your experience.

Footed Goblet Glasses – Sophisticated, but Historical

Goblets are the perfect choice for water glasses, tea, and even some types of beer and liquor. To elevate this just a bit, consider footed goblets, which offer more of a statement piece.

French Tumblers

Sipping from a French tumbler creates a bit more of a special feel to any drink. You’ll love the fine crystal-like detailing often on these glasses.

Stemless Glasses

If there’s a risk your guests may spill a bit more often, or you want a bit of a more refined look, consider stemless glasses perfect for their lower center of gravity. They’re more modern than your average flute.

Rimmed Glasses

Pair your gold or silver-rimmed glasses with your plates and serving items for an exceptional look. These glasses help to bring the elegance of refined glassware to the event.

Cut Crystal

Perhaps the highest level of sophistication comes from the use of cut crystal glassware. Quite the sparkling choice, it has a luxe look that’s hard to beat.

How Many Glasses Do You Need for Your Event?

Having enough glasses is critical. There’s no one in the back to wash and prepare them for a second use. That’s why you need to have plenty.

Most of the time, it’s best to have no less than 1.5 glasses per person for the first hour of the event. Then, you should have another 1 glass per person for every hour after that.

Let’s say your event will have about 200 people. For the first two hours, you’ll need to have 300 glasses. Your event will go on for three additional hours. That means you’ll need to have 600 additional glasses. That means you’ll need about 900 glasses for the event.

Unsure of how many glasses and which type to purchase? That’s where Curated Events can help you. Reach out to us for guidance based on the type of event you’re planning.

Pair Your Glassware Choices with Your Event Style

Every detail of your event matters to you – and it should. With the ability to select from such a large number of glassware types and options, it can become a bit overwhelming to know what to rent and what to skip. It’s also easy to get a bit carried away.

• TIP: Too many glasses will just make storage difficult. Don’t overwhelm your bartender and servers with so many options they can’t keep things straight.

Some Glass Are a Must

Some styles of glasses are designed to provide a very specific purpose. For example, the unique design and shape of a martini glass are aimed at keeping drinks cold. The same applies, for the most part, to pilsner glasses. They actually enhance the temperature, helping to keep that tall beer from going flat. Flutes are a must for champagne because they allow for plenty of headroom.

Style Matters

When choosing glasses, make sure the overall style of your event comes through. For example, if your event is high sophistication, you don’t want colored glasses that take away from that feeling of elegance, but metallic-rimmed glasses will enhance it.

Matching Across the Board

Most often, you’ll want the style of glasses you use to be fairly matching. That is, choose the same style of glass for your flutes, wine glasses, and tableware when possible. For most people, this is easy to do. Even with the most elegant of events, simple, clear, high-quality glasses tend to be the popular option, even with a bit of etching or cutting into them. However, if you’re going to do colors or metallic rims, be sure to create a cohesive look across all styles.

How Much of Each Glass Do You Need?

Work closely with your staffing team to create a plan for drinks. It’s often hard to know what people will drink at events. However, those behind the bar have a good idea of what is requested the most often and can help you tailor that to your event.

There’s no doubt white wine glasses and red wine glasses (which really do not have to be different from each other) are going to be essential choices. You may also need a significant number of goblets for each table’s water glasses.

There’s no benefit to having more glasses of one particular drink than you have in servings. At the same time, you don’t want to run out of glasses and have a case of wine that’s ready to be used.

Create a Guest Experience They’ll Remember

As you consider the stemware and barware for your event, make thoughtfully curated decisions. Choose items that are meant to improve guest experiences, not make it more difficult for them to enjoy their drink.

Hard-to-hold glasses, such as those that are simply very large or those that are so delicate they break easily, do not work well in most events. Glasses that don’t fit what’s being put into them are also a turn-off. Something strangely shaped may make it more cumbersome to enjoy that cocktail. Get people talking about how lavish and luxe your event is right down to the glassware.

Expect the Help You Need from a Team That’s Passionate About Details

Who knew stemware would be just a big component of your decision-making process? At Curated Events, we work closely with you to ensure you have access to the very best materials. Every detail makes an impression on your guests.

Turn to Curated Events for the support you need in picking and planning each detail of your elegant affair. Contact us today to learn more about the services we offer.