Custom cups go hand in hand with party drinks. Whether your beverages are alcoholic or non-alcoholic (ahem, it’s zero proof now), wine or beer, ranch water or a classic old fashioned, the drinks you serve are a reflection of your personal taste, and the tone you’re trying to set with your event.
If you’re new to ordering custom party cups, or simply want to make sure you’re doing it right, we’ll walk you through the process step by step, from choosing the right style to placing your order with confidence.
Step 1: Choose the Right Party Cup Style
Before customizing, start by selecting the cup that best fits your event and beverage needs. Think about when and how the cups will be used.
Cocktails and receptions: Frosted plastic cups are by far our most popular style when serving wine, soda and cocktails.
Multi-day, outdoor events: Stadium cups are casual, fun, durable, and have plenty of space to showcase your design.
Late-night get togethers: Shot glasses fit right in with your cheers and are dishwasher safe to take home for shot glass collectors.
Brunches and morning gatherings: Paper hot cups are insulated and stylish while serving coffee, tea and hot chocolate during cozy events.
Each style offers a different look and feel, so choosing the right base sets the tone for your design. Browse our full Custom Cups Collection where we offer several party cup styles to choose from.
Step 2: Decide How You Want to Customize
Once you’ve selected your cup, it’s time to personalize! For Your Party offers flexible customization options designed to work for both beginners and experienced planners. The FYP Customizer is your gateway to total personalization.
Should I Use the Default Style?
In many cases, you might love the default options of your cup. We work hard to find the best combinations our customers choose the most and we present these options to you first. When you choose your cup, you might be perfectly happy with the cup’s pre-selected color and print options, and you can simply add your personalization to the template on the product’s page.
This is the fastest, simplest way to complete your order and many of our customers enjoy ordering exactly this way.
What’s special about ordering with For Your Party is that we give you creative freedom to go way beyond those default styles!
How Do I Customize it More?
When you want to go deeper into your personalizations:
On the product page of your chosen cup, select “Customize More” to bring your choice into the customizer.
Choose from our incredible range of cup colors and print types to match your party theme.
Browse our graphics or upload your own artwork.
From here, you can even switch your chosen cup to a different type of cup to test your design across surfaces.
When uploading your own artwork, it’s helpful to review our Custom Art Guide before ordering to ensure the best print quality.
Step 3: Decide Whether You Need a Digital Proof
The online preview shows placement and layout so you can visualize your final product. While previews are highly accurate, it’s important to remember that materials, ink, and finishes can affect the final appearance slightly.
Consider adding a digital proof to your order if your design includes:
Logos
Foil stamping
Detailed artwork
Brand-specific colors
A digital proof allows you to review a PDF version of your design before it goes into production. We can take a look at your order during this stage to make sure it meets your intended vision. This option is especially recommended for:
First-time orders
Corporate or branded designs
Complex layouts or artwork uploads
Keep in mind that proof approval adds time to the production timeline, so factor this into your planning if your event date is approaching. Our FAQ page explains how previews and proofs work, along with what to expect during production.
Step 4: Place Your Order & Plan Your Timeline
Our custom party cups are produced in-house here in Chicago, which ensures we give your order the best quality and consistency possible, but it also means timelines matter.
Order earlier for weddings and large events.
Build in extra time when requesting a proof.
Review production and shipping details before checkout.
For detailed timing expectations, including rush options and shipping methods, refer to our FAQ page or reach out to us if you’re having trouble.
Step 5: Reordering Made Easy
If you’re hosting multiple events or need consistent branding, reordering custom party cups is simple. Once your artwork is on file, repeat orders help ensure uniformity across future celebrations. You can also apply your design across party favors, bringing your design over to matches, napkins, can coolers and more.
This is especially helpful for:
Corporate events with consistent logos
Annual celebrations or recurring parties
Business, such as restaurants or bars, that will restock supplies over time
Custom Cup FAQs
How many custom cups do I need?
As a general rule, we like to say 1-3 custom cups per guest. Even though most of our cups (except for styrofoam and paper/hot cups) are reusable and dishwasher safe, accidents happen! 1-3 cups per guest leaves some room for guests throwing cups out and misplacing them. Ultimately, you’d like your custom cups to be a fun keepsake, so you don’t want to pressure people to keep them by ordering too few. We’d also recommend 4-5 per guest if you’d like to use them for home entertaining, and really want to make custom cups part of your style!
How much liquid do these custom cups hold?
See the below custom cup volume chart! We do sometimes get questions about why a 12 oz cup has an 11.1 oz flush fill volume, and it’s a question of how our distribution partners sell them to us. Also, we have to label them as conventional beverage sizes so you can find them and start your journey to custom cup heaven—who here has ever actually searched for “11.1 oz cup”?
How do I choose based on my beverage?
With so many custom cups to choose from, selecting a style can be the hardest part! We like to think about it in terms of two questions: what kind of alcohol am I serving, and what kind of party am I throwing? As a rule of thumb, less than 12 oz for wine, cocktails, or drinks on the rocks; 10-20 oz for beer or less boozy mixed drinks; and more than 20 oz for soft drinks or water.
Another of our most popular custom cup questions is specifically what cups we recommend for beer versus wine. This is such a popular question that we figured it should get its own mention. For beer, we recommend 12-20 oz cups, and for wine, we recommend 5 or 9 oz! We also typically recommend stadium or foam cups for beer (though frost flex works too), and frost flex cups for wine. Of course, that’s just a jumping off point, so get creative!
Custom Party Cups Are Worth It
Custom party cups help tie your event together. Whether you’re hosting an intimate gathering or a large celebration, personalized cups add a polished, cohesive touch guests notice and appreciate. Order party cups that feel intentional, stylish, and easy to customize, starting with the Custom Party Cups Collection. Explore your options and begin creating a design that’s uniquely yours.
