Inauguration cocktail reception: organising the reception for your new offices
Office inauguration, launch, move: which cocktail reception format to choose, how to run the evening and what budget to plan for 40, 80 or 150 guests.
For an office inauguration cocktail reception, the best-suited format is a reception of 8 to 12 canapés per person over two hours, from 6 pm to 8 pm, that is €29.90 to €40.90 excl. VAT per guest at L'Écrin Traiteur. Your guests come to see the premises and meet you: the reception should go with the tour, not interrupt it.
How to run an inauguration?
| Time | Moment | What is served |
|---|---|---|
| 6:00 pm | Guests arrive | Drinks, first savoury canapés |
| 6:30 pm | Speeches and tour of the premises | The buffet stays self-service |
| 7:00 pm | Heart of the reception | Filling savoury canapés, seafood canapés, live station |
| 7:45 pm | End of the evening | Sweet canapés, hot drinks |
Keep the buffet self-service during the speech: that is when half the guests are still arriving.
For the guest list, invitations and the countdown schedule, see our guide organising a company inauguration. Here, we focus on the cocktail reception.
Which format to choose?
- 8 canapés if the inauguration lasts an hour, in the late afternoon.
- 12 canapés for the classic two-hour format: it is the most requested in quotes.
- 16 canapés if the evening goes on and takes the place of dinner.
What budget for an inauguration?
| Guests | L'Invitation (8 canapés) | La Réception (12 canapés) | La Célébration (16 canapés) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 40 guests | €1,196 excl. VAT | €1,636 excl. VAT | €2,076 excl. VAT |
| 80 guests | €2,392 excl. VAT | €3,272 excl. VAT | €4,152 excl. VAT |
| 150 guests | €4,485 excl. VAT | €6,135 excl. VAT | €7,785 excl. VAT |
2026 prices, excluding drinks and delivery (€29 excl. VAT in Paris and nearby towns).
How to place the buffets in an office?
Put them where you want the guests to go: one point at the entrance, another at the far end of the premises. Guests follow the buffets, and the tour happens on its own. Avoid corridors and the area around the lift.
Which live station to mark the event?
A live station gives the evening a meeting point: fresh salmon carving, a mini burger station or a mocktail bar run by a bartender. See our live food stations and our canapé ideas.
Guests from all backgrounds
An inauguration brings together clients, partners, neighbours and teams: you do not know their eating habits. Our whole menu is halal and pork-free, and our bar is alcohol-free, with a 0% sparkling drink for the toast. Nobody has to single themselves out. See the guide to the alcohol-free cocktail reception.
Ask for a quote
Give us the date, the address and the number of guests expected: quote within 24 hours, delivery and arranged platters in Paris and Île-de-France. Ask for a quote or see the cocktail reception packages.
Frequently asked questions
Which cocktail reception should you plan for an office inauguration?
A reception of 8 to 12 canapés per person over two hours, at the end of the day, with the buffet self-service during the speech. At L'Écrin Traiteur, plan €29.90 to €40.90 excl. VAT per guest.
What budget for an inauguration cocktail reception for 80 guests?
€2,392 excl. VAT for 8 canapés, €3,272 excl. VAT for 12 canapés and €4,152 excl. VAT for 16 canapés, excluding drinks and delivery.
What time should you hold an inauguration?
From 6 pm to 8 pm: late enough for guests to have finished their working day, early enough that they do not expect dinner.
An event in Paris or Île-de-France?
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