Beverages

Photo © Roy Katalan

No matter what kind of party you're planning (retirement, birthday, anniversary, etc.), you will probably offer your guests something to drink. Since your reception is essentially the biggest party of your life, you want to make sure there are a variety of beverages available to your guests. Some beverages you may want to offer at your reception include:

• Wine
• Beer
• Mixed drinks
• Carbonated beverages
• Coffee
• Juice
• Liquor

The facility that is hosting your reception will often provide the drinks and the bartenders for an added fee. Talk to your party planner about the cost of the drinks and bar staff. Are you being charged for drinks by the number of guests or by the actual amount of drinks consumed? The site will probably offer several different options. A "dry" wedding, which includes no alcohol but juice, coffee and carbonated beverages, instead, will be your least expensive option. A sensible alternative may be offering wine and beer in addition to non-alcoholic beverages. Most couples offer an open bar with all of the above-mentioned drinks included along with liquor and mixed drinks.

If your reception facility does not provide beverages, you will need to purchase them about two-three days before your wedding. The personnel at a liquor store can assist you in determining how much to buy and what types of liquor you may need. Make sure you hire someone to serve the drinks if an employee of the site is not provided. The person should be knowledgeable in mixed drinks and trustworthy enough to handle the job.

Make sure you have a good variety of beverages to satisfy all of the people on your guest list. The beverages will compliment the food and entertainment in creating a unique and memorable reception that your guests will remember for years to come.