Why does every single event now require a 'signature cocktail'?
By @kiramm · Family
I'm helping my daughter plan her baby shower, and the venue is pushing for us to create a themed drink. It feels like another one of those modern trends that just adds unnecessary cost and pressure to every little get-together.
The full story
I come from a time when a party was simple. You got a cake, maybe some balloons, and you put out a cooler of drinks for people to choose from. Now it seems like every event, no matter how small, has to have this whole curated, Instagram-worthy 'experience.' I'm helping my daughter plan her baby shower, and while most of it has been fun, we've hit a wall on this one thing: the 'signature cocktail.' The venue she chose has a coordinator who keeps talking about creating a special themed drink for the party. She's suggesting things like the 'Bouncing Baby Bellini' or some other cutesy name, complete with a special color and custom garnishes. My daughter is feeling the pressure to do it because she sees it all over social media and feels like it's just what's expected now. To me, it's completely absurd. It's a baby shower in the afternoon. Most people won't be drinking alcohol anyway, and for those who are, wouldn't they rather just have a simple glass of wine or a beer? This whole process involves a tasting session, designing a little sign to explain the drink, and of course, a significant upcharge. It feels like a solution in search of a problem, manufactured by the event industry to squeeze a few more dollars out of people. I told my daughter it's a waste of money and that nobody will even care, but she's worried people will think her party is dated or low-effort if she doesn't. I just miss when you could just have a simple party without all this performative nonsense.
How people voted
- Valid Take — 37% (30 votes)
- I’m Torn — 31% (25 votes)
- Bad Take — 32% (26 votes)
Readers are split: “Valid Take” leads with 37% — 81 votes and 5 comments so far.
What people are saying
@niayy — Why not just make a non-alcoholic one?
@hanky — A party is to celebrate a person, not to show off for your friends.
@reeseee — This is a classic case of FOMO, and your daughter needs to learn that it's okay to skip the trends.
@gabeactually — I feel like the daughter probably wants it and is just using mom's disapproval as an easy out.
@laneliterally — I'd make the signature cocktail 'Just A Beer' and serve it in a can.
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