I'm planning my wedding and having trouble how do you go about having a bar at your wedding?

Question

This is my first wedding so I don't know do the caterers usually do this or who should I contact about setting up and open bar at my wedding?

Answer 1

You should when you set up your reception site ask who is responsible for the bar... If its a restaurant they generally set-up the bar/bar tender.. *However ask about a "corking" fee- this is very important since you will be charged for open bottles of wine/liquer... Only have opened on a need basis.. That is DO NOT have the bar tender open 3 bottles of vodka or gin all at once have them opened on a "NEED" only basis. Sometimes it can cost $100's extra in "corking" if the bartender opens too much stuff ! At our reception hall we brought our own liquer/beer.. My husband worked at a bar and he bought liquer there for base price and we were able to return what wasn't opened. We bought our beer from the local wholesale club and were able to return anything NOT opened.. So, we saved about $500 just on returning.. I would also suggest not buying anything too fancy for mixed drinks.. Top shelf is NOT necessary.. Good luck

Answer 2

you need to check with your venue and see what their guidelines are on this first and foremost. Lots of places won't let you have a bar period, and I know where we had our reception at wouldn't let you sell it, (or cash bar style) but it was ok as long as it was open bar. Definetly make sure you don't need a temp. permit or anything like that. Ask your caterer if they can handle the bar, and if they don't they probably can suggest someone who can....wedding vendors are ussually good about suggesting other vendors.

If they can't then do you have a friend who has bartending skills? This is the approach we took b/c my husband used to be a bartender so he had several friends who were awesome at it. Our venue offered a portable bar but you could use tables and that sorta thing, and we just bought everything from a local liquor store. Since we were buying in bulk, we got a discount, we floated a couple kegs, and the friend who did the bartending worked for tips (and he made a fortune off it!) so we didn't have to worry about paying him. It ended up being VERY affordable. I wanna say it was around $350-$400 for 150 people....a lot better than if we had hired outside people to handle it.

Answer 3

We are having our reception under a white tent on the St Lawrence River, we will be hiring a caterer for the food and a local bartender my fiance is friends with to work a table bar - we'll talk to him before hand and find things on the list on sale in the coming year. The left overs will either be returned or used for a future party. Liquor lasts. A lot of couples waste tons of money on open bars - the mark up is crazy at hall - though they do a lot for you - it is easier, but costly. My fiances brother-in-law used to own a bar - so we know how much some places are ripping us off. It's the beginning of our lives. The more money we can put towards beginning our lives together - the better. Make your wedding and reception nice, but be frugile.

The wedding industry knows we are all new at this.

Congrats and Good luck!

I picked up Bridal Bargains - great book!

Answer 4

You should probably ask your caterer if they will provide alchohol if you wish to have it at your wedding. They would probably have all of the necessary equipment (bar, taps for beer, bartenders, etc.) Also you may want to check on how expensive the alcohol is before you have an open bar. At our wedding we decided to go with host provided beers (2 types on tap) and wines and saved probably a thousand dollars over the cost of a completely open bar. However, you may be on a different budget than what we were.

Another thing to keep in mind about having a bar is that the reception hall that your wedding will be at may require additional security or atleast one security guard for your party if you have alchohol. So you may want to check with both your caterer and reception hall about the alchohol.

Congratulations and good luck!!!

Answer 5

if your recpetion is at a venue that doesnt already have a bar and you already have a caterer in mind... ASK THEM. They are the best source. Even if they dont set up bars, they are probably so used to the question that they know somebody to refer you too.

There are tons of things you are going to feel like you dont know, but it eventually all comes together. I would go to a barnes and noble or borders and pick up a big, thick wedding planning book. They are going to have all kinds of ideas and little things to think of that you might not remember to plan for

congrats.

Answer 6

Congratulations!

Definitely talk to the hall and/or caterers who will be preparing the food for your wedding. Ask them what they provide and what they don't in regards to a bar. Many places offer this service for you and it's included in the fee. Others may have businesses they work with that can give you a discount on liquor and will provide the staff to tend bar for you.

Good luck!

Answer 7

it all depends on the location of your reception.

most places, if they are serving the dinner, will have bar options. if you are having it catered, like your reception is in a backyard tent and you have caterers coming in, then i would recommend having kegs and wine. that way you can pay one of the caterers to man the wine bar and the guests can serve themselves at the kegs.

really, it will depend on the location.

planning a wedding is like putting together a puzzle. you usually start with the outside edges of a puzzle, right?
well, planning a wedding, you usuallly start with your ceremony location and your reception location.
then, you fill in from there.

many reception and ceremony locations will also have vendor lists of vendors who they are accustomed to working with. like DJs, photographers, florists, etc.
if they are used to working together, then that will help even more!
imagine a DJ playing at a new location and not knowing where to plug their equipment into! or a photographer not following certain rules at a new church.

so, start with your locations, pick your date, reserve and officiant and fill in from there:)

Answer 8

It depends on where you are having the reception. If it is at a hotel or restaurant, they usually handle it. If you have a caterer at another place (such as a park, hall or private home) where there is no food service offered, then talk to your caterer about how to do it.

Answer 9

Depending upon the venue for the reception you choose - either you go with their cost for an open bar, or some will allow you to bring in your own liquor - which is cheaper.

Answer 10

Look at your contract for your reception hall, sometimes they will offer a bartender but no alcohol so you have to supply this. Or check the contract for your caterer. If not check the phone book for bartenders that will help.