Event Planning Guide - Bar and Beverage Planning

Serving alcohol at an event (particularly at a pre-dinner function like a reception) provides a great opportunity for guests to socialize, and is often a welcome addition. However, cost and liability are two things that need to be seriously considered. Make certain you (and your event planner, caterer and bar staff) are familiar with local laws pertaining to serving alcohol at events, especially if you are hosting an outdoor affair.

Next you need to decide how you will purchase the liquor you will be serving and how it will be served. These are your options:

• By the bottle: This applies to wine, beer and liquor and makes the most sense from an economic standpoint when you are serving large groups of people. Decide which brands you want to have available, based on your own taste and budget, and make sure mixers and garnishes are included in the price.

• By the drink: This means you pay for every drink consumed, and can quickly become expensive. Consider distributing drink tickets to stay within your budget. That way, when a guest runs out of tickets, the remaining cost is theirs to bear.

• By the person: When you choose this option, you pay a set price per person, within a specific time period. This would only be a good option if you have a lot of control over the turnout of the event.

• Cash bar: This is the most inexpensive option, because the only cost you incur is paying for the bartender and/or servers or cashiers. As a general rule, one bartender can adequately serve about 75 people. In some cases, the bartender fee can be waived in exchange for a minimum amount sold.

• Open or Hosted bar: This means you are responsible for the entire alcohol bill for the bar, so this is obviously the most expensive option. If money is no object and the invited attendees are conservative and responsible drinkers, this is a great option, particularly at an event where the purpose is to show your appreciation for your guests. However, having an open bar is often an open invitation to excessive (and expensive) drinking. If you do decide to have an open bar at your event, make sure you consult with the bar staff ahead of time about what types and brands of alcohol will be available, and what the appropriate serving sizes are. This can help curb some of the costs you will incur.

• Waiter-served drinks: This is the perfect option if you are only serving wine or champagne, and the event is somewhat brief (like a reception). Choose local wines to help curb costs, or opt to purchase the wine yourself from a discount wine merchant (the venue or bartender may still charge a corkage fee.)

There are some final things you should consider if you are serving alcohol at your event:

• Plan for transportation (or even a hotel room) in case guests become intoxicated

• Be aware of the legal drinking age and consider how you will avoid allowing minors to consume alcohol

• Find out if you need to purchase any additional insurance in case of any alcohol-related accidents

• Remember that some states prohibit serving alcohol at certain times or on Sundays

Event Solutions can assist you in determining the right solution to alcohol service at your event, in order to insure the safety, comfort and enjoyment of all of your guests.

Ready to see what Event Solutions can do for you? Call us at 800 850 9979 or click here!