Refreshments – Getting in the Spirit

Alcohol can be an enormously expensive part of your reception if you don’t control consumption and place some limits on what is served. If you are choosing an on-premises location, it will be factored into the overall cost. If you are managing it yourself, you need to get the necessary permits and arrange for the staff to manage the bar. In addition, be aware of the legal liability you can incur if guests are over-served and an accident happens. After you consider these factors, the cost-savings from an off-services location where you assume this responsibility may be less than what you think.

Keep These Things in Mind

If alcohol consumption rates are low, it’s better not to have a cash bar which is commonly used as a deterrent to heavy drinkers.

Some guests will prefer it to wine or liquor so consider stocking the bar with some nice imports or specialty types from smaller brewers.

Don’t forget the non-drinkers so make sure the bar has a variety of soft drinks for these guests and children.

In-house Service Options

In-house services have several ways by which they charge for alcohol. It’s affected by what’s served, how long the bar is open and how it is served. This can vary with location so determine which methods are available before you book your space. Here are some typical options they can offer.

Open bar. This is a good option if the guests are not expected to drink much. You will be charged for what is consumed with an additional fee for opened bottles of wine and champagne. Liquor charges will commonly be charged by the tenths of bottles consumed. Your guests perceive this option as the most generous and may be considered the required option for a high-end wedding where social pressures are high. It’s not the way to save money.

Limited open bar. This is a balance between cost and generosity. It places certain restrictions on the type of alcohol they can order at no charge. If they choose something else, they pay as they go.

Cocktail reception style where alcohol is part of the package price for an hour or two and then charged by consumption after that.

Inclusive with the food, which will add considerably to the overall bill but may be the least expensive option if you have a number of heavy drinkers. This service will usually include wine service with the meal. You will usually be provided with a list of wines from which you make a selection. If you choose this option, be sure to determine how many of your guests are under age or are non-drinkers as this will affect the price.

Servers can be used to regulate the time that alcohol is available and keep control on the quantity. They commonly serve from trays or take orders from guests and can speed-up or delay delivery to adjust consumption levels. It is a good way to control consumption for guests that are known for "putting back" a few too many.

Cash bar. Guests pay for what they consume based upon a predetermined rate. If you choose this option, be sure that guests are made aware in advance.

It is assumed that the house will provide servers and staff to tend the bar so if you have concerns about long lineups around the watering hole you may want servers to serve guests from trays. It adds a touch of elegance and may satisfy guests that may otherwise need to make several trips to the bar. Some reception locations will allow you to bring in your own wine but will charge a corkage fee (the cost for opening and serving) of a few dollars a bottle. If you add it up, it may not be much cheaper than having it provided by the house.

Stocking and Managing the Bar

If you choose an off-premises location such as your home or rent a hall, you have many more options as to how you stock the bar. Reception halls, banquet facilities, clubs and most other locations that host parties have a liquor license that allows them to sell alcohol on the premises. You may still need to purchase your own permit, which the hall manager can help with. Serving staff and a bartender are also a responsibility unless this is already provided by the caterer. If you are doing it yourself, you can still choose a format where guests serve themselves or provide waiter service.

The legal liability rules affecting those that serve liquor have changed so be aware of these in advance. This means that you will need to assign someone to monitor the consumption levels during the evening and discreetly but firmly handle those that are drinking to excess. This also means that you should have a plan in place to get guests that have been drinking home safely. Amongst your guests you will have some people who do not drink who may also be willing to act as designated drivers.

Here are some suggestions for managing the bar:

• Hire a bartender. It is unfair to assume that a guest will take over this job and that they will necessarily know what to do. If you’re serving liquor and fancy drinks you need someone with the knowledge to do the job. Ask the liquor store or outlet where you are buying from if they have any names.
• Buy more than you think you need. It is better to have some leftovers than run out early in the evening.
• If you are serving white wines be sure that they are properly chilled. If you are purchasing liquor or making your own wine, they will be able to suggest the best serving temperatures. This may require you to bring in your own means of chilling which can be as simple as coolers and tubs filled with ice. Otherwise order it pre-chilled.
• Offer a variety of non-alcoholic drinks. Even those that are consuming alcohol will likely want to watch their consumption and may prefer some of the sparkling juices and non-alcoholic refreshments.
• Be sure to allow for the non-drinkers including children – Virgin Caesars, and Shirley Temple’s are popular.
• Don’t forget garnishes such as celery for the Bloody Mary and lime for Corona.
  Check the bar facilities for the
  necessary tools such as tongs and ice buckets. If there are in short supply, bring in your own or rent them.

Money-saving Suggestions

Liquor can be a very large part of the cost of your reception so anything you can do to reduce the cost can significantly impact your budget. Here are some simple suggestions to make this happen.

• Be sure that you can return unopened bottles for a refund – an option provided by Liquor Control Board stores and many retail outlets.
• Open wine and liquor, as needed. You don’t need a lot of opened untouched bottles at the end of the night, which cannot be returned.
  Ask the people from whom you are purchasing wine for suggestions. They can commonly suggest domestic brands that are comparable to imported wines and are commonly much lower in cost.
• Although there may be some savings when purchasing large bottle sizes, you may be left with a large quantity of leftovers that you cannot return so buy some of both when this option is available.
• Keep track of what you purchased and what was consumed to prevent a disappearing surplus.
• Most red wine drinkers will drink white wine but it does not commonly go the other way. If you need to err on the side of quantity, buy more white than red.
• If you can’t afford to offer an open bar, forget the hard liquor and limit your selections to wine and beer. It’s better to have a few good selections than a wide variety with lots of leftovers at the end of the day.
• If you are using an on-premises location and alcohol is included in the service, be sure to tell them how many non-drinkers and children there are in the crowd so they can adjust the price accordingly.
• Switch to a morning wedding and a reception brunch. Guests are less likely to consume large amounts of alcohol before noon.
• Use servers to keep a limit on the amount consumed. This has the secondary benefit of keeping the heavier drinkers from consuming too much.
• If you can’t afford to provide alcohol, do without or simplify the offering to wine and beer but don’t charge for it. The cash bar should not be seen as a moneymaker and in some cultures, it would be seen as an insult to ask guests to pay.

Making Your Own

Homemade wine and beer have moved upscale with the introduction of better ingredients, refined processes and expert assistance from the providers. It can also save you a bundle if you are able to take the limited amount of time it now requires. This said, don’t even consider it if you can’t deliver the quality. We’ve all received bottles of homemade wine that never had more than the first mouthful consumed.

You’re best to go to a recognized shop that can help you with the initial selection and has a process in place that can assure good results. As with bottled wines you can choose the degree of sweetness, colour and overall taste. If you are not a wine connoisseur, but you know what you like, take along an empty bottle of your favorite, which can be used to narrow the selection. Wine shops commonly apply their own name to
wines so if you are unsure, ask them what it is similar to.

Here are some popular wines offered by local wine making shops.

White

• Bourgeron Blanc – a dry, medium bodied burgundy style.
• Chardonnay – appeals to a lot of people, medium-bodied with rich oak flavours and a hint of pear and apple.
• Riesling – a flowery bouquet, complex fruit and cinnamon flavours, dry.

Red

• Vieux Chateau du roi – classic Wine tastes can differ so rely on French-style with lots of body, dry with a deep colour.
• Merlot – soft, medium-bodied, generously fruity and medium-dry.
• Pinot Noir – a classic red burgundy, supple with spicy fruit flavors, dry.

Wine tastes can differ, so rely on the advice of the shop as to what types suit the largest number of people. They can also tell you how many bottles to allow for a specific number of guests. Remember to make at least one batch of both white and red to suit everyone’s tastes.

The wine making process generally requires 4 – 6 weeks from start to finish, dependent on the type that you choose. It is a simple process and takes no more than a few hours of your time. In addition to making the initial selection and setting up the batch, you need to allow time to bottle the wine, which will vary with the quantity. When deciding when to start, add a few additional weeks. Wine continues to age after it is bottled, so a few extra weeks or months will improve the taste. A standard batch yields about 30-750 ml bottles.

The finishing touch can be an individualized label or cap bearing the couples name and date and even pictures. Most shops offer these add-ons or you can purchase labels from commercial printers. Small bottles labeled this way are a nice thank-you to guests.

Guests are probably consuming less alcohol than a few years ago so you may have room in your budget to serve higher caliber wines with the meal.