|
|
|
Stocking
Your Own Bar |
| |
If you’re planning a wedding in a location where you're
making the bar arrangements, it can be mind boggling. How
much liquor should you buy? What kind do you buy? Can you
return the unopened liquor?
If you have the ability to stock your own bar, it can save
you lots of money!
Choose a reputable company that will consult with you and
help you select the right wines, champagne, etc. for your
guest list and menu. In addition, be sure they don't charge
for delivery and most importantly, that they will credit you
for any unopened wine and spirits. Think about your guests,
are they beer, wine, or hard liquor drinkers? This will help
you to determine quantities. Remember, the choice is up to
you as to what you serve. Maybe you want to have a cocktail
reception with just beer and wine. Maybe you want to serve a
specialty drink like a Mimosa or Bloody Mary for a early
afternoon reception.
If you’re having a champagne toast, find out if the guests
will see the champagne being poured. If not, it's a good
place to save some money by selecting an inexpensive brand,
since most people just sip for the toast! It may enable you
to spend a bit more on the wines you'll be serving with
dinner.
Set a budget for liquor. A good liquor company will work
with you to stay within your means. There are thousands of
wine choices at different price points, so you can find one
to fit your budget. In addition, you can choose between "top
shelf" liquors or "house pour" liquors (i.e. Absolut vs.
Smirnoff).
When trying to determine how much to buy, you should ask the
company you select to provide the alcohol, to make
recommendations and help you to determine the appropriate
amounts. Here is a chart to help determine the amount of
liquor to buy.
Be creative - instead of offering your guests the typical
run of beers, try to include some of the newer micro-brewed
beers. You can still offer the old stand-by's for those
guests who are committed to "their" brands, but you'll be
pleasantly surprised by the feedback you'll receive on being
somewhat adventuresome!
Consider an international coffee bar during the dessert
hour. If you do, you'll want to be sure to serve Kahlua,
Bailey's, Tia Maria, Grand Marnier and other cordials that
your guests will enjoy with coffee.
Check into liquor liability coverage. Does your caterer
provide coverage? If so, find out how much. You may find
that the hall carries some coverage and it will be important
to determine their role.
The best part about putting together your own bar is that
you can save a tremendous amount of money! Brides and grooms
can keep their costs low, often under $8 per person for the
entire evening! Not bad when you consider what it would cost
at a hotel!
Liquor guidelines
for 100 |
|
|
|
|
