A great reception is a joyful celebration of the couple. With delicious food, opportunities to mingle, and a full dance floor, you can provide your guests with a great party to honor your love and commitment. One element of the evening you’ll need to consider is the bar. What variety of drinks should you serve? How much will you need?
At Kafe 421, we have helped many couples put together a wedding reception their guests rave about. Here’s our expert advice on how to plan the perfect wedding bar for your special event.
Determining Guests Preferences: Building the Perfect Bar Menu
A reception is a time to celebrate together, and one of the things you can do to help that happen is to provide drinks they’ll love. When you’re calculating how to stock the bar, there are a few guidelines you can use to ensure you meet all your guests’ preferences.
It’s best to offer a variety of drinks, including wine, beer, and cocktails. To calculate how much of each type of drink to provide, shoot for about 25% of the bar offerings to be wine, 25% beer, and the remaining 50% cocktails. The wine selections should be about half red and half white wine varieties. Be sure to have plenty of non-alcoholic choices as well, both for those who don’t drink alcohol and for guests who want to pace themselves between drinks. Remember, these are general rules of thumb, you know your group best. Be sure to share your insight on your group with your beverage service manager so they can ensure they’re properly stocked for your event!
To decide the number of alcoholic drinks you provide, there are a few factors to consider. People generally have about one drink per hour. If you calculate how much that will cost, and it’s more than your budget will cover, you can reduce costs by limiting the types of drinks you provide. Offer a few types of beer and wine, and stick to a signature cocktail to keep the expense in check. You could also opt to have an open bar for the first few hours, then switch to a cash bar.
Custom Created Cocktails: Adding a Personal Touch
One fun option for your wedding bar is to create a custom cocktail that’s what you like to enjoy on a night out or that mirrors your favorite flavors. If you have a specific drink in mind that’s meaningful to you as a couple, perhaps you can tweak it to make it more personalized. An example might be a jalapeño margarita as a nod to your shared love for all things spicy.
To help craft the perfect cocktail, it’s a good idea to work with an expert in the subject, such as a professional mixologist. Our team at Kafe 421, has the expertise to guide you in pulling together a delicious custom cocktail.
The Importance of Professional Beverage Catering
Regardless of how you decide to offer your guests drinks, it’s a good idea to bring in a professional beverage caterer such as Kafe 421. They will take care of all the details, so you don’t have to worry about them on your special day. Your caterer knows exactly how to handle the bar setup, including the licensing and permits you need to have by law. They can handle any last-minute issues that may come up and quickly adapt so your reception doesn’t miss a beat.
Leaving the bar to an expert team of bartenders and staff will ensure that your guests will get their drinks with the kind of seamless service that elevates an event.
Creating the Perfect Wedding Bar with Kafe 421
The perfect wedding bar is a great way to round out your guests’ experience at your reception. At Kafe 421, we love to help couples put together the event of their dreams, and we can help you make your reception shine. Not only can we create the perfect bar setup, but we can also put together a flawless array of appetizers for your cocktail hour, serve a delicious dinner, and provide sweet treats your guests will adore. For more information about how we can make your wedding memorable and enhance your special day, contact us today!