Wedding Celebration Bar Options - Open, Partial or Paid?
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Considered one of the most romantic venues in the KwaZulu Natal Midlands, weddings at Granny Mouse are truly spectacular. Everything you could possibly need is based on-site, from the idyllic chapel with panoramic views over the Caversham Valley, a reception venue catering for up to 120 guests, a culinary team ready to create your unique wedding feast to surprise and delight, to a pastry chef to sculpt your perfect cake. The dedicated team is ready to assist you.
“Our Mouse House offers the very best in opulent accommodation coupled with old-world charm and service, embedded into the ethos and foundations of this historic hotel” says GM Sean Granger. “And our serene and picturesque location along the Lions River combines country ambiance with modern comforts.”
Whether or not the guests are big drinkers, virtually all wedding receptions have a bar of some type. But when you’re planning a wedding, the options can feel overwhelming. Open bar or cash bar? Do you opt for a drink package, or pay by consumption? And what about signature cocktails?
The team at Granny Mouse would like to offer up some advice when it comes to open, partial or paid bars:
Open Bar
An open bar is a setup where guests don’t pay for any of their drinks, and the hosts foot the full bill. Guests can walk up to the bar and order whatever they have—whether that’s a full selection or more limited. The term “open bar” can encompass quite a lot. If the wedding is in a hotel or restaurant, an establishment that has a bar, your options are broader. If it’s an outdoor wedding, or what’s called a ‘white box’ (where you bring everything in yourself) you might be a bit more limited, depending on your caterer.
There are two main ways that open bars are priced:
Pricing by Consumption or Bar Packages
Pricing by consumption means that the hosts are paying for the number of drinks ordered; the more the guests drink, the higher the tab will be. This is a good option if most of your crowd aren’t big drinkers.
Bar packages, on the other hand, will charge a fixed price per guest.
They’re a good option if you’re having a long cocktail reception or overall livelier party and your group likes to drink. If most adults aren’t drinking, it doesn’t make sense to pay per head. But if they are, a bar package is often the better deal. Importantly, the hosts also know the cost upfront.
Open bars generally include spirits, as well as beer and wine. Many catering companies will have different tiers of service and price them accordingly.
Signature Cocktails
Some wedding couples serve signature cocktails as part of a full open liquor bar; others opt for wine, beer, and specialty cocktails only, which can simplify the workflow of the bar and keep your prices under control. There are two kinds of specialty cocktails. One is a classic cocktail that has meaning for the couple. Where it can get more premium is if you want a mixologist to design a signature cocktail just for the event.
Beer and Wine
A bar that just serves beer and wine is a great option for people who want to have some sort of alcohol available at the wedding, but don’t see themselves cocktail-focused. It’s also a great option for daytime or lunchtime weddings and will usually save the hosts a substantial amount of money. There are plenty of ways to make a beer and wine bar sophisticated, especially at an intimate event, where a wine pairing dinner could be a really elegant option. Many remarkable weddings have beer and wine only, where the spirits really aren’t missed.
Dry Bar
Some wedding couples choose to forgo alcohol altogether, whether for religious or cultural reasons or just because of the atmosphere they want to create. Serving only non-alcoholic drinks will result in significant savings. Some hosts, while choosing not to serve alcohol, might allow guests the option to bring their own drinks, though that may be venue dependent.
Cash Bar
At a cash bar, guests pay for their own drinks, just as they would at a bar or restaurant. Having a cash bar can save the hosts a great deal of money, but does set a different tone for the event, and puts a number of additional burdens on the guests. Starting a tab, tipping, or having to close out a credit card can all add up to long lines and slower service. Cash bars make the most sense when the majority of people at the wedding aren’t drinking, but there might be a few who will want a drink. That way, the option is available to them, but it’s not a focal point of the celebration.
Hosts should keep in mind that at some venues, even if guests pay for the drinks themselves, they might shoulder a fee to staff the bar on-site; it all depends on the location.
Pricing
Relative pricing for wedding bars is pretty intuitive; the more options you give guests, and the more premium those options, the more you’ll pay. And figures are all over the map. A small-town venue is likely to charge much less than an exclusive hotel, even if the bar packages are quite similar.
In general, alcohol is approximately 20% of a wedding budget, but that, too, can vary widely. As with any part of wedding planning, it’s all about choosing what matters most to the couple. In the end, pricing is only one factor in determining the best bar for your wedding—for the guests, for the party, and for the wedding couple themselves.
To arrange your wedding reservations, email banqueting@grannymouse.co.za
Article Courtesy of www.sanda-marketing.com
