What are the laws about serving alcohol at a wedding when there are children comint to the receprion?

Question

We have arranged for someone to "act" as a bar tender to keep an eye on the things with alcohol. Is this enough?

I was told that we have to have a party or an event licence to have even champaign at the reception. Can anyone give me some real information?

Please real Answers and not some of these shmucks that just want points.

Answer 1

I can't believe that--you don't have to get a license to serve alcohol at your home, even if children are there...I believe you'd only have to concern yourself with that if you were charging your guests for their alcohol, but if they are your guests at a private event, I cannot imagine that would ben necessary.

Answer 2

Yes you will need someone with a bartending license to serve liquor
Here you can take the class for $16, and the license is $80, a lot cheaper than hiring a bartender from anywhere else.

There arent any specific laws for children at a reception and liquor. You must be 21 to drink alcohol period. Parents cannot allow their children to drink anymore. they changed that law awhile ago.
The only way someone under 21 can drink alcohol is if they are married to someone older than 21 and can provide proof (marriage licesne) that they are married, but some states dont allow that either. I dont know where you live, so its kind of hard to say.
If you are having a reception at a place that provides the liquor for you, then I dont think they would allow you to provide your own bartender.I'd check into the venue location for their rules.
good luck

Answer 3

Yes you have to have a licence to serve any alcohol at an event in a public location. It doesn't cost much. Depending on the venue, you can use friends as bartenders, but sometimes you must use their professional staff. That way, children are totally allowed to attend the reception, but of course they are not served alcohol. The buck stops with the person tending bar.

Answer 4

This just states that you are liable for your guests. And that would pertain to underage minors as well. You might not be held quite as responsible when the children are accompanied by their parents. You can't police the reception ALL night.
Still, if one of your guests get drunk, hurts someone onthe way way...you could have action brought against you.

You need to check for where you live as to whether you do need an 'event license' Here, some parks require it & many times it also depends on the size of the event.

http://www.legalmatch.com/law-library/article/weddings-and-alcohol-liability.html

Answer 5

Right, it depends on where you have your reception. For instance, my reception is at my familys house in a beach town. The city has laws in place that we have to file with them for some sort of license AND we cant serve alcohol after a certain time (their afraid of people walking out into the road drunk and getting smushed or something).

So with some more specific details mayby someone could help you. Is it at your house? Or at a hotel? Etc? Location? Otherwise, you just need to check with your venue and the city. Good luck!

Answer 6

There are laws about serving alcohol to a group of people. I don't know the exact figures. Contact the local City Hall, and ask for rules and regulations. Each community may be different. Above a certain amount of guests, you may need to apply for and get a temporary license for the day. It's wise to comply, with all the reporting going on.
Keep the hard liquor in cabinets, on counters, out of childrens reach, just like medicine. You'll need to check your own regions regulations.
Rent a hall and let them do it.

Answer 7

The best thing to do is check with the people at your venue. They can give the best, most accurate info for your area. We had my wedding at a Township Hall and the only thing my parents had to do was add a rider to thier homeowner's insurance. But the laws may be different where you are.

Your contact at your reception site should be able to answer all those questions, if they can't - or at least can't direct to the places to find the answers - I'd be concerned.

Answer 8

Well, it depends on the laws where you live, to be honest with you. It's also going to depend on where you have your reception as to what types of services are provided.

When I got married, the hall provided the bar staff to serve drinks at our wedding (which eliminated the underage drinking aspect!). We didn't have to have a permit for alcohol (as the hall had one), but we DID have to pay for security at our wedding - where I live, that's a law: if you serve alcohol, you need security. I believe the hall arranged for the guard(s), and we just paid the bill.

Again, liquor laws vary. Your best bet is to contact the hall where you're having your reception and ask them what you need to do to be compliant - trust me, they've done this before, and they're there to help you.

Answer 9

I never heard of this needing a licence to serve champagne at a wedding reception. I do not know where you are posting from but here we have weddings with liquor all the time with or without the presence of children. If alchohol is served it is expected that adults will know how to behave and know when to say when. No one gives alchohol to the children, there is generally soft drinks like soda or juice for them to drink.

Answer 10

As long as you think that your family or friends are not going to sue you or the company your fine. Most places if the parents allow will let the children drink. Been drinking since 6th grade!! German Irish family, and I was always allowed a small glass of beer or wine. And we never had a problem. My cousin all in high school are being allowed to have drinks for the toast- not a problem. It's really a "parental" thing and places just don't want to get sued cause everyone is sue happy today.

Answer 11

Well, it depends on the laws in your state. At my wedding, my caterer handled everything because he always uses the venue so he knew the laws and what we could and couldn't do. You might ask your caterer, they tend to know those things. If he/she is of no help, move on to the person who is responsbile for your reception hall. They will get in serious trouble if YOU do something illegal in it, so they'll want to put your best interest at heart...in a purely selfish way :) Ask them what the laws are and what you have to do.