Bar options!

[vsc]

So, we had thought to only do beer and wine for our open bar, and the venue is now quoting the same price for a glass of wine and a glass of liquor.

I always thought no liquor = cheaper bar bill but now I'm thinking it might not be the case? Should we just go ahead and add liquor? Or is it just that the number of drinks will go through the roof with liquor?

We have no idea how much people will drink, of course. We've been toying with options to contain the bill since it will be a 8 hr party.

What have you guys done to keep your bar costs in check?

 

[sillyberry]

Are you looking at a consumption bar or a per-person bar? Be sure to ask exactly what is covered - a simple rum and coke might cost one thing, but if your guests order martinis it might be another. Just be sure to get all the details in writing!!!

Right now we're doing beer, wine, and a signature drink, but I really need to remember to call the caterer and inquire about adding a full bar...

 

[vsc]

This is a consumption bar, but our venue is strange as they are quoting us one flat price per drink for liquor, one price per glass of wine, one for beer etc - So we choose what will be offered withing reason, but then it'll be one price, it sounds like.
I was kinda baffled when I saw the liquor = glass of wine price, my first reaction was "well then, I'll be drinking martinis all night!" (especially since the wine at that price will be pretty mediocre...)
My only worry is that it's easy to down 3 appletinis in a row, not as easy as say, 3 glasses of wine. I don't know what actually happens... I want people to have a good time but not get too drunk!

 

[vc10um]

vsc, because your party is so long (8 hours! wow!) I might suggest splitting up the time. Offer a list of signature drinks (friends did a "Something Old, New, Borrowed, and Blue" Martini Bar, as an example) and liquors with mixers for the first four hours or so, and then switch to beer and wine only until last call.

 

[4ever]

Are you sure a martini will be the same as a rum and coke? There are more shots in a martini. So it is priced per glass (including mixers?) or per shot?

I won't be offering spirits because a) I don't want to pay the extra cost and b) I don't want people to think "wooo cocktails!" and get wrecked.

 

[sonnyjane]

Are you sure a martini will be the same as a rum and coke? There are more shots in a martini. So it is priced per glass (including mixers?) or per shot?

That is my question too. Make sure you clarify. To them, "liquor" likely means vodka and cranberry, or rum and coke, etc. The weddings I've been to that had a bar didn't have the capabilities to make ANY drink like an actual restaurant bar would have (for example, no apple martinis), they just had a selection of hard liquors (gin, vodka, rum, whiskey) and a selection of sodas/juices for mixers.

 

[vsc]

vc10um - We're starting in the early evening and having the venue with no set ending time, so we have to be prepared that at least some people will stay until last call at 2am (and honestly, if the party is still going, it will be awesome!). We've thought of maybe having liquor only for the cocktail hour and wine/beer afterwards, but it might just be too much extra logistics to decide.

4ever - that's what surprised me too! I might check if we do decide to have any at all, but I'm also thinking about the "whoohoo, free cocktails!" effect... I'm really afraid that people would go overboard.

SonnyJane - You have a good point, and that would make perfect sense. Most of the weddings I've been to were dry or beer&wine or beer&wine + cash bar - so I've never had a liquor drink at a wedding! I'll inquire.

On a side note, if any of you guys are having a bar billed on consumption, how do you make sure you're not being overcharged? Is there any standard as to how it's done? I mean, as far as I understand, the bartenders will be keeping count. Our venue owner is quite informal in his dealing with clients and I wouldn't want to look too untrusting (since we get some extra stuff out of his good will...).

Thanks!

 

[sillyberry]

vsc, I really like vc's idea of switching from an 8-hour open bar (particularly with such an adorable cocktail theme!) to cocktails earlier and beer & wine later in the evening. But you know your guests best - are they doing to be "woohoo cocktails!" kind of people? You likely can also specify parameters with the bar -- no shots, no cocktails with more than 2 shots of liquor -- if you want to keep people from pounding booze too quickly.

Most importantly - ask questions. Just smile and ask exactly what is covered by liquor, ask how the bartenders keep track of consumption, ask anything you desire. Ask questions until you are totally satisfied with the responses. You're not being untrusting, you're being smart. Even if the venue owner is informal, it's better to get everything straightened out up front than to be angry after the wedding when you're hit with a bill that you totally weren't expecting.

 

[sonnyjane]

On a side note, if any of you guys are having a bar billed on consumption, how do you make sure you're not being overcharged? Is there any standard as to how it's done? I mean, as far as I understand, the bartenders will be keeping count. Our venue owner is quite informal in his dealing with clients and I wouldn't want to look too untrusting (since we get some extra stuff out of his good will...).

Thanks!

So, as far as being billed on consumption, I used to work in event planning and one of our hotels that we used frequently would charge by consumption. They didn't charge by how many drinks were poured (that'd be a nightmare to count). Instead, they charged by how many bottles they had to open. The only big downfall is that if they had to open a brand new bottle just to pour one final drink - you get charged for that whole bottle. As far as being positive you're not being cheated, I guess you could ask for the empty bottles at the end of the night!

A recent wedding I attended made the drinks with those mini bottles like you'd find on airplanes - I had never seen that before. Also an interesting point about that wedding was that it was an open bar during the first four hours of the reception, but during the last 2 or 3 (can't remember), it switched to a cash bar. The idea was, according to my friend, the bride, that 1) it wouldn't get too expensive and 2) that people would not want to pay and hopefully sober up before heading home. That's fine and dandy, the only thing I found tacky was that the DJ announced before the cut off "Hey everyone, we are switching to cash bar in 10 minutes so make sure to get your last free drinks now!" and there was a mad rush to the bar.

The bottom line is that people DO tend to celebrate at weddings, especially if you have friends like mine! When I'm invited to a wedding and see that it is "open bar", I don't go crazy, but I guess I also don't assume that when it says "open bar" the bride and groom really would prefer if I stuck to a two drink max, know what I mean? If you have even the slightest fear that people are going to go crazy, I'd stick with just beer and wine if that makes you feel more comfortable as far as budget goes. If your venue is open to it, I do really like the suggestion of beer, wine, and one or two signature cocktails though if you don't want to do full open bar. I can get on just fine at a beer/wine wedding, but there are a few people that don't drink beer or wine.