Great Tips For Stocking A Bar
If you’re planning a wedding in a location where you’re making the bar arrangements, it can be mind boggling. How much liquor should you buy? And what kind do you buy? Can you return the unopened liquor? If you have the ability to stock your own bar, it can save you lots of money! Choose a reputable company that will consult with you and help you select the right wines, champagne, etc. for your guest list and menu.
In addition, be sure they don't charge for delivery and most importantly, that they will credit you for any unopened wine and spirits.
Think about your guests…are they beer, wine, or hard liquor drinkers? This will help you to determine quantities. But remember, the choice is up to you as to what you serve. Maybe you want to have a cocktail reception with just beer and wine. Maybe you want to serve a specialty drink like a Mamosa or Bloody Mary for a early afternoon reception.
Set a budget for liquor. A good liquor company will work with you to stay within your means. There are thousands of wine choices at different price points, so you can find one to fit your budget. In addition, you can choose between "top shelf" liquors or "house pour" liquors (i.e. Absolut vs.Smirnoff).
When trying to determine how much to buy, you should ask the company you select to provide the alcohol, to make recommendations and help you to determine the appropriate amount.
Here is a chart to help determine the amount of liquor to buy. Be creative - instead of offering your guests the typical run of beers, try to include some of the newer micro-brewed beers. You can still offer the old stand-bys for those guests who are committed to "their" brands, but you'll be pleasantly surprised by the feed back you'll receive on being somewhat adventuresome!
Consider an international coffee bar during the dessert hour. If you do, you'll want to be sure to serve Kahlua, Bailey's, Tia Maria, Grand Marnier and other cordials that your guests will enjoy with coffee.
The best part about putting together your own bar is that you can save a tremendous amount of money! Brides and grooms can keep their costs low....often under $5 per person for the entire evening! Not bad when you consider what it would cost at a hotel!
Suggested Liquor Amounts for 100 Guests
If you have the ability to purchase your own liquor for the bar...that’s great news because you can save lots of money! However, deciding what to buy and how much can be confusing. Here are some general guidelines for a suggested amount of alcohol based upon 100 guests:
Beer: Domestic 3 cases, Imported 3 cases, Lite 3 cases Total 9 cases
Wine: Chardonnay 3-4 Cases, White Zinfandel 1-2 Cases, Cabernet Sauvignon 1-2 Cases Total 5-8 Cases
Champagne 1-2 Cases
Hard liquor Vodka 5 liters Gin 3 liters Rum 2 liters Scotch 2 liters Bourbon 2 liters Vermouth 750ml Kahlua 3 liters
Others to Consider: (l liter of each) Bailey’s Irish Cream Grand Marnier Armaretto Sambuca Brandy Frangelico Chambord
If you are responsible for setting up the entire bar, be sure to include the following:
Ice, Coolers for beer, Glassware, Lemons, Limes, Cherries, Olives, Lime juice, Lemon mix, Milk, Orange juice Cranberry juice, Soda water, Tonic water, Coke, diet coke, Seven up, ginger ale, Straws, Cocktail stirrers/picks