How to deal with the Alcohol?!

[april diamonds]

I need some opinions!

FI and I have these really great caterers that are totally open to doing pretty much whatever want. In this case, since FI and I are not very big drinkers AT ALL and alcohol isn''t really that important to us, we asked if we could provide the alcohol ourselves entirely (so that we can purchase from wholesaler and then return anything that is unused!). We would save $10 per person by doing this, which with a guest list of about 200 people, is saying we don''t think our friends and family can drink $2000 worth of alcohol. The regular option is that the extra $10 per person gives us a premium open bar for 5 hours (which I think is a great deal, EXCEPT we dont'' think people will drink that much). I think that we''re figuring we could save around 1500 by providing our own alcohol.

So the dilemma I''m having is, if we provide the alcohol ourselves what kind of alcohol should I get?!? I know nothing about mixed drinks so I don''t know what I should buy. And I''m afriad if I just go with some basic wine and beers people will be disappointed for those people who would want to get mixed drinks. But I don''t want to have to go and buy a whole premium bar of alcohol even if I can return the unused because it''s a lot of work to get it to and from the wholesaler to the location.

I was thinking maybe I could have a selection of wine and beer and then one or two signature cocktails. That way people who want alcohol but not wine or beer can get it. I also know that a DRY wedding would seem strange and that wasn''t really our goal. (none of this includes the champagne toast, we will absolutely be having one of those during the reception)

So I suppose my questions are:

1) If I buy alcohol, is it ok to just have wine and beer? If so, WHICH wines and beers should I get?
2) Do you think a signature cocktail is a good idea? If so, WHAT signature cocktail??
3) Should I just forget the idea and pay the $10 per person and have the premium open bar for 5 hours?

Sorry I know this is long, but any ideas/input/opinions are appreciated!!

 

[Pandora II]

I am providing my own alcohol as well.

I have ordered only wine - none of my lot are big beer drinkers to be honest.

We went with a very good Prosecco - Italian champagne-style sparkling wine, which is much nicer than a so-so Champagne and a fraction of the price, so if people want to drink it all day they can!

Then good Italian Red and White wine.

I worked on the calculation of 2 glasses a head for the cocktail hour, half a bottle for the meal and 2 glasses after the reception, working on the basis of 5 glasses to a bottle. I use this calculation for corporate events as well and have never run out of alcohol yet!

For 120 people I ordered 80 bottles of Prosecco, 50 bottles of Red and 30 bottles of White (white drinkers will also be fine with Prosecco, and more people like red with food or in the evening.)

A lot of my friens have done the same, just having wine and I''ve never seen any complaints!

I told FI that if he or any of his team want Vodka or similar they will all just have to get themselves a hipflask each - and keep a big bottle in someone''s car!

I''m also doing lots of nice non-alcoholic things. I don''t drink and I get sooooo bored with orange juice or orange juice!

 

[LAJennifer]

Date: 8/22/2007 11:44:04 AM
Author:April Diamonds
I need some opinions!

FI and I have these really great caterers that are totally open to doing pretty much whatever want. In this case, since FI and I are not very big drinkers AT ALL and alcohol isn't really that important to us, we asked if we could provide the alcohol ourselves entirely (so that we can purchase from wholesaler and then return anything that is unused!). We would save $10 per person by doing this, which with a guest list of about 200 people, is saying we don't think our friends and family can drink $2000 worth of alcohol. The regular option is that the extra $10 per person gives us a premium open bar for 5 hours (which I think is a great deal, EXCEPT we dont' think people will drink that much). I think that we're figuring we could save around 1500 by providing our own alcohol.

So the dilemma I'm having is, if we provide the alcohol ourselves what kind of alcohol should I get?!? I know nothing about mixed drinks so I don't know what I should buy. And I'm afriad if I just go with some basic wine and beers people will be disappointed for those people who would want to get mixed drinks. But I don't want to have to go and buy a whole premium bar of alcohol even if I can return the unused because it's a lot of work to get it to and from the wholesaler to the location.

I was thinking maybe I could have a selection of wine and beer and then one or two signature cocktails. That way people who want alcohol but not wine or beer can get it. I also know that a DRY wedding would seem strange and that wasn't really our goal. (none of this includes the champagne toast, we will absolutely be having one of those during the reception)

So I suppose my questions are:

1) If I buy alcohol, is it ok to just have wine and beer? If so, WHICH wines and beers should I get?
2) Do you think a signature cocktail is a good idea? If so, WHAT signature cocktail??
3) Should I just forget the idea and pay the $10 per person and have the premium open bar for 5 hours?

Sorry I know this is long, but any ideas/input/opinions are appreciated!!

Honestly, I would go with option 3. We only had 26 adult guests at a lunch time reception with no dancing. Of the 26 adults, only slighly over half drink alcohol at all. I didn't think they would drink that much. I was wrong. There were over 90 alcoholic drinks ordered and our bar bill was over $1000. With 200 guests, you could get in way over your head with providing your own alcohol. To answer your other questions, it is ok to have just wine and beer - but I think you would have to buy a lot of it for 200 people.

 

[crystalheart1]

LA JEN - Did you confirm that amount was actually ordered??? It sounds like your guests that drank would of had to have 6-7 drinks each - that would of been impossible. It sounds like they padded the bill, alot!!

It probably would of been around 20 drinks at the most..which should of only been a couple hundred dollars.
I don''t know - something doesn''t sound right.

Also,,, the $10.00 extra a person is not bad at all.... for drinks.

Fiqure out what wine and beer would cost.

 

[Gypsy]

With 200 guests?

I wouldn't risk doing my own alcohol. People drink at weddings. You'd be surprised. Take me. I normally drink maybe glass of wine or two once a month. At a wedding though, depending on if I'm staying at the hotel, how I'm feeling, and whose wedding it is... I'll have a cocktail or two at the cocktail hour. Wine with dinner, then a nice after dinner drink. SO... say I get two champagne cocktails, one glass of wine with dinner, and a Bailey's on the rocks after dinner. Plus the champagne toast. I am by no means drunk-- I've had 5 drinks in 5 hours... but my bar list far exceeds what you'd *think* I'd drink based on my everyday life. And I'm a girl.

My uncle had 75 guest and did his own alcohol, estimated WAY over what ANY of us thought he'd need. And ended up with two extra bottles of champagne, half a bottle of red wine, two bottles of white wine, a 1/4 bottle of vodka, some amarreto, a little Bailey's and some minor mixers left over. If 10 people had decided to get just ONE more drink each, he would have run out.. it was embarrasing enough that he had underestimated the rum and gin.

And his guests? NOT drinkers. Half were practicing muslims.

 

[Gwyn]

Date: 8/22/2007 11:44:04 AM
Author:April Diamonds
I need some opinions!

FI and I have these really great caterers that are totally open to doing pretty much whatever want. In this case, since FI and I are not very big drinkers AT ALL and alcohol isn''t really that important to us, we asked if we could provide the alcohol ourselves entirely (so that we can purchase from wholesaler and then return anything that is unused!). We would save $10 per person by doing this, which with a guest list of about 200 people, is saying we don''t think our friends and family can drink $2000 worth of alcohol. The regular option is that the extra $10 per person gives us a premium open bar for 5 hours (which I think is a great deal, EXCEPT we dont'' think people will drink that much). I think that we''re figuring we could save around 1500 by providing our own alcohol.

So the dilemma I''m having is, if we provide the alcohol ourselves what kind of alcohol should I get?!? I know nothing about mixed drinks so I don''t know what I should buy. And I''m afriad if I just go with some basic wine and beers people will be disappointed for those people who would want to get mixed drinks. But I don''t want to have to go and buy a whole premium bar of alcohol even if I can return the unused because it''s a lot of work to get it to and from the wholesaler to the location.

I was thinking maybe I could have a selection of wine and beer and then one or two signature cocktails. That way people who want alcohol but not wine or beer can get it. I also know that a DRY wedding would seem strange and that wasn''t really our goal. (none of this includes the champagne toast, we will absolutely be having one of those during the reception)

So I suppose my questions are:

1) If I buy alcohol, is it ok to just have wine and beer? If so, WHICH wines and beers should I get?
2) Do you think a signature cocktail is a good idea? If so, WHAT signature cocktail??
3) Should I just forget the idea and pay the $10 per person and have the premium open bar for 5 hours?

Sorry I know this is long, but any ideas/input/opinions are appreciated!!

Am I reading this correctly? For $10pp you get 5 hours of open bar???

Man, I wish I lived where you did. Most places around here are 20pp for first hour, 15pp for second and 8pp-10pp for every hour after that. Consumption bars are not much better because drinks are $10+. Damn Los Angeles!

Back to the question....

A bottle of wine holds about 4 glasses. If only half your guest drank (100) and they drank 1 drink an hour (5 drinks per guest) You are looking at 500 drinks. That is 125 bottles of wine. Even if you got wine for less then $10/bottle, you are looking at $1250.00 right there. If you made say a fifth off those drinks champage (champagne holds about 8 glasses) you would be looking at 13 bottles of champage and 100 bottles of wine which is still over $1000.00. And that is based off extremely conservative numbers considering, when open bars and weddings are involved, most people splurge

Why not just pay the 2k (I honestly think you will end up iether paying that or more if you buy liquor on your own anyway) and allow your guest to chose what they want to drink and eliminate the hassle of having to figure out what to buy, shop around for cheapest vendor, deal with returning unused portions..... I mean, enough goes into planning these things already

That is just my two cents though I may be biased, most of my circle and family are big liquor drinkers and a full open bar is the norm.

 

[Gwyn]

I just spoke to my sister who just had her wedding in Western Massachuetts and got some stats on her alcohol bill.

Drinks were about $5 a peice. She had a wedding of about 130 and their consumption bill was a little over 4K based off consumption.

 

[april diamonds]

Thanks for the opinions!

Gypsy - I see your point. That people I would not normally consider to be heavy drinkers will drink more at a wedding since it''s well...a wedding and celebration and well FREE! But on the other hand, my older sister had 220 guests and invited much of the same crowd...probably 90% will be the same people. All family friends and relatives, and with 220 guests and an open bar she only tabbed a total of around $300 or $400. Which is why I am figuring we could save a lot by not having the premium bar.

Pandora - Thanks for the calculation. I will try to crunch some numbers, that is really useful.

 

[april diamonds]

Gwyn - Yes, $10pp for a 5 hour premium open bar! When I asked my caterer how much they would discount if I provided my own alcohol she said I''ll take of $10 a person, since we still need to charge for service of the bartenderes! I seem to be getting the same reaction from my other friends. They think that $10pp for 5 hours of premium open bar is fantastic.

Oh, and I''m holding my wedding in Rye, NY. My caterer is based in Plesantville, NY, both about 30-40min north of Manhattan. We were TOTALLY thrilled to find them, they''re prices are super reasonable and they are just so great to work with!

I think you guys make good points. Maybe even if I don''t reach $2000 in actual drinks the hassel of having to organize everything is a pain and I DO like the idea of allowing people to choose whatever they like to drink. When I DO drink I have pretty specific tastes (i only like super girly sweet drinks haha) so I wouldn''t even know what to choose if I limited my bar selection anyway...

 

[surfgirl]

We''re not drinkers either so I sympathize! I''d offer champs, white & red wine, beer. If you want signature cocktails (to cut down on how much alcohol and mixers you have to buy), I''d suggest one fruity cocktail and one clear cocktail. Like maybe two types of martinis? One dirty (for folks who like their booze unadorned), and one fruity (for those who like their booze to taste like candy!).

 

[LAJennifer]

Date: 8/22/2007 1:24:25 PM
Author: crystalheart1
LA JEN - Did you confirm that amount was actually ordered??? It sounds like your guests that drank would of had to have 6-7 drinks each - that would of been impossible. It sounds like they padded the bill, alot!!

It probably would of been around 20 drinks at the most..which should of only been a couple hundred dollars.
I don''t know - something doesn''t sound right.

Also,,, the $10.00 extra a person is not bad at all.... for drinks.

Fiqure out what wine and beer would cost.

I did. And its true. It was at a nice hotel in Hawaii - so drinks were expensive. I, myself, had 3 blended drinks (and I hardly drink). And for the record - the guests were all established professionals (no young, college aged binge drinkers). The biggest drinkers were my boss, FIL and the officiant. The $10.00 extra a person would have been a bargain for me.

 

[crystalheart1]

Oh... that makes sense... I just was concerned for you... Those mixed drinks don''t count

They go down waaay to easy