Booze on the big day - BYO or venue-provided?
Working out how to handle the drinks situation on your big day is a challenge faced by all - bring it yourself or let the venue cater?
“How much will I need to ensure everyone is adequately hydrated?” If that question can trouble even the great Russel Coight, you know it’s a tough one.
To calculate the amount needed, there are two magic formula’s below - if you ‘just can’t’ with the math and want to jump straight into it, feel free to skip.
The magic formula #1
Harry, mate, that infographic is overwhelming. Is it quicker to scroll back up to the skip option, or scroll down to the main content?
Look, it is overwhelming, but with a quick BODMAS refresher here, you should be fine.
Or you could just include another skip hyperlink?
I have also included a full breakdown of how it works below.
Did I stutter?
There is also a quick reference table below for your convenience.
Not the question I asked.
Take this then pal, you earned it.
Anyway… let’s unpack the formula for you:
Determine the number of guests: G
Estimate the average number of drinks per person: D (typically 2 drinks for the first hour and 1 drink for each additional hour)
Calculate the duration of the event in hours: H
Calculate the number of drinks needed: N = G x (2 + (H - 1) x D)
Example:
Let's say you have 100 guests (G = 100), the reception will last 4 hours (H = 4), and you estimate that each guest will consume an average of 1 drink per hour after the first hour (D = 1).
Using the formula, the number of drinks needed (N) would be:
N = 100 x (2 + (4 - 1) x 1) N = 100 x (2 + 3 x 1) N = 100 x 5 N = 500 drinks
Keep in mind this provides only a rough estimate and may not account for variables such as individual drinking habits (looking at you Uncle Mike), non-alcoholic beverage consumption, or the specific types of drinks being served.
A handy table is below :)
You didn’t want to start with that?
:)
The magic formula #2
Estimate the number of guests: This is your starting point. Make sure to consider only the adults who are likely to consume alcohol.
Calculate drinking time: The length of the reception is key to determine the amount of alcohol to be consumed.
Consider consumption rate: On average, a guest will consume one drink per hour. Some may drink less, some more, but this is a good average to base your calculations on.
Break down by type: Not all your guests will consume the same type of alcohol. As a general guideline, you can break it down like this: 50% of guests will drink wine, 20% will drink beer, and 30% will drink mixed drinks. These percentages can vary depending on your guests' preferences - and so too can the formula!
So, to calculate the number of drinks needed, you can use this formula:
Total Drinks Needed = (Number of Guests) x (Number of Hours) x (Average Drinks per Hour)
And to break it down by type:
Wine: Total Drinks x 0.50 Beer: Total Drinks x 0.20 Mixed Drinks: Total Drinks x 0.30
Lets get into it!
As you plan your dream wedding, there are many important details to consider, but, some would argue, the most important one is how to manage the bar at your reception (like its not but it kinda is, you know what I mean?). While some couples opt for venue-provided alcohol services, others choose to bring their own booze (BYO). Let’s explore the advantages and disadvantage of BYO verses venue catering at your wedding reception.
BYO
Advantages
Cost effectiveness
As I’m sure you have worked out, when the wedding bells ring, so does the cash register.
By bringing your own alcohol, you unlock the door to budget-friendly options like sales, bulk discounts, or even wholesale prices. Imagine toasting champagne that actually says ‘Champagne’ on the bottle or surprising your guests with an exquisite selection of premium gin and whiskey. This puts control of your budget completely in your hands, and you can pour the savings into enhancing other aspects of your big day.
And the cherry on the cocktail? Some places allow you to return unopened bottles, trimming your costs even further (and allowing you to over estimate!). So with a BYO bar, you're not just celebrating your love - you're also toasting to smart savings.
Flexibility
Imagine the excitement of playing master of ceremonies for your own, personally curated bar at your wedding reception. Choosing the BYO path gifts you that opportunity.
With the freedom to handpick every single bottle of wine, beer, and spirit, you become the architect of your own drink menu. Does your heart skip a beat for a local brew? Or do you hold dear a certain vineyard's wine or a distillery's smooth spirits? This is your chance to not only showcase those choices but to invite your guests on a delightful journey through your personal favorites, sharing a slice of your story, one drink at a time.
Creativity
Going the BYO route ushers in an prime opportunity for you to turn the drinks menu into a canvas for your imagination. Ever dreamt of custom-crafted cocktails or unique signature drinks that mirror your unique love story, your quirky tastes, or your carefully selected wedding theme? This is your chance.
These distinctive concoctions aren't just refreshing beverages; they are memory-makers, personal statements, and ice-breakers. They inject an extra shot of 'you' into your celebration, sparking conversations among guests and engraving your wedding into everyone's memory, one delightful sip at a time.
Quality
Stepping into the BYO territory is an open invitation to raise the bar on quality. By choosing your own alcohol, you're in the driver's seat, ensuring that every beverage served at your reception is one you know, trust, and are proud to share.
If your circle is more about "a drink is a drink" and won't bat an eyelid over a Gordon's Gin mixed with Schweppes Tonic, that's cool. But if you're the type to savor the finer blends, like the exquisite pairing of Four Pillars Gin with Fever Tree Tonic, then BYO is your golden ticket.
Quantity
Along with the excitement of curating your own bar comes another undeniable benefit - mastering the perfect quantity. With BYO, you're not just in charge of what's served, but also of how much. Gone are the fears of wasting good grog or overspending on bottles that won't be opened.
With a good estimate of your guests' consumption (aided by the magical formulas above), you can purchase just the right amount of alcohol to keep the good times rolling. Too little and you risk a dry party, too much and you're left with an oversupply of booze. But with BYO, you get the quantities just right.
And let's not forget the fact many places will take back unopened bottles, making your BYO bar not just fun, but also incredibly smart and efficient. Because why spend more when you can spend smart, right?
Disadvantages
It’s more work
Venturing down the BYO path isn't without its challenges, and chief among them is the added workload it brings. Amidst the whirlwind of wedding planning, you'll also have to add 'master of booze logistics' to your ever-growing list of responsibilities.
Sourcing your chosen drinks, sealing the deal, arranging their safe transportation, and ensuring proper storage - these tasks aren't just time-consuming, they require a considerable chunk of effort too. And the rabbit hole goes deeper - think about the additional rentals you might need: the chic glassware to serve your drinks, the ice buckets to keep them chilled, the bar supplies to keep things running smoothly. And let's not forget how quickly these extra elements can turn into a mountain of expense and effort!
So, while BYO might sound exciting and liberating, remember it's also a little like being your own event manager - exhilarating, but definitely more work. Don't let the charm of it make you underestimate the dedication it demands!
You need people to serve
Drinks don't pour themselves. So, if you decide to steer your wedding reception down the BYO route, you're also signing up for the task of finding those trustworthy souls who will staff the bar.
Whether you decide to hire professional bartenders or nominate your reliable (and hopefully, sober!) friends or family members, this duty is not without its challenges. It's an extra layer on the planning cake and can often hike up your overall costs.
If you choose professionals, you're looking at the nitty-gritty of checking their experience, ensuring they are properly licensed, and verifying their insurance coverage. If you decide to rope in friends or family, remember, you're pulling them away from the dance floor and asking them to trade their champagne flutes for shakers and strainers.
While BYO might seem like a delightful sip of freedom, remember - you'll need some helping hands to actually serve up that freedom
Your preferred venue may not allow it
Picture this: you've selected the perfect bottles, arranged the best bartenders, even predicted the precise quantity. But just when you thought you've dotted all the i's and crossed all the t's, there comes a curveball - your venue might just have a different script in mind.
Some venues place restrictions on outside alcohol, potentially dampening your BYO spirits. These rules can range from a complete no-no on bringing your own beverages to charging 'corkage fees' for every bottle opened.
Before you get too carried away with the thought of your personally-curated drink menu, remember to delve deep into your venue's fine print. Calculate any potential fees and factor them into your planning, because the last thing you want is for your carefully selected bottles to become unopened keepsakes due to venue restrictions.
You have to ‘manage the stock’
Venturing down the BYO path doesn't just put you in the shoes of a master bartender or savvy purchaser, it also thrusts upon you the hat of a diligent stock manager.
Ensuring your bar keeps flowing without a hitch, that the bottles keep popping without running dry, and that there's no surplus gathering dust at the end of the night, is quite the balancing act. It demands meticulous planning, superior organisation skills, and a keen understanding of your guests' drinking habits.
Imagine slipping away from the dance floor every now and then to check if your party still has enough fuel, or finding yourself wondering if your booze will last the night instead of losing yourself in the celebration.
Choosing BYO isn't just about deciding what drinks to serve; it also means keeping an eye on your supply levels throughout your big night. It's an added responsibility that could serve up a cocktail of stress on an evening that should be all about enjoyment and celebration.
You could be liable
It's one thing to get your guests in high spirits, and quite another to deal with the consequences of those spirits. Herein lies one of the sobering truths about going BYO - the potential liabilities that come along with it.
The fun of handpicking your drink menu comes with a significant caveat - you could be held responsible for any alcohol-induced mishaps during your reception. From dealing with tipsy guests who've overindulged to navigating the serious legal issue of underage drinking, or even unforeseen alcohol-related accidents, the potential pitfalls are significant.
Before you toast to the idea of BYO, make sure you fully understand your legal obligations. It's all shits and giggles until somebody giggles and shits - and the after-effects of the party start knocking on your door. Ensure you're prepared to handle any potential liabilities that could come your way when you decide to pour your own party.
BYO tips for success
Estimate your alcohol needs before you start buying.
Research your venue's corkage fees or restrictions before deciding on BYO.
Ensure proper storage, such as coolers or refrigeration, is available for perishable items like beer and white wine.
Delegate tasks to friends, family members, or a day-of coordinator to help with alcohol logistics.
Clearly communicate your expectations to your bartenders regarding drink recipes, service speed, and responsible alcohol consumption.
Keep track of any rented equipment and return it promptly to avoid extra fees.
Venue catered
Advantages
The beauty of convenience
Imagine this: a picture-perfect wedding reception where the drinks flow seamlessly, and you're not fretting about where they've come from or if they'll run out. Sounds good right? Well, this is the magic of opting for venue-provided alcohol.
By having your venue cater your beverages, you're effectively cutting yourself some slack in the whirlwind of wedding planning. Gone is the need to scout for the perfect deals, transport them safely, and worry about their storage. All of that is handled by professionals who do this day in and day out.
With the beverage logistics lifted off your shoulders, you can channel your energy into crafting other beautiful elements of your wedding.
The professional touch
Opting for venue-provided alcohol services is like handing over the reins of your wedding plane to a seasoned pilot. Their experience and expertise in managing drink services at events come as part and parcel of the package.
Professional bartenders know their way around these exact events like the back of their hand. They're equipped with more than just skills to mix a great cocktail; they bring along essential elements like glassware, ice, and those tiny garnishes that add a touch of class to every drink. They're masters of ensuring a smooth and pleasurable experience for your guests.
You’ll be sipping your favorite cocktail, knowing it's been crafted by an expert, while you bask in the warm glow of your wedding festivities. With a professional at the helm of your bar, you're free to enjoy your celebration to the fullest.
Ease of payment
It is certainly more straightforward painting your wedding budget with broad strokes rather than getting lost in the nitty-gritty details. That's the beauty of including alcohol costs in your overall wedding package when opting for venue-provided services.
This approach saves you from juggling multiple vendors, each with their own invoices and payment timelines. Instead, you get a neatly bundled package, making budgeting and payments a breeze.
Choosing this route means trading a potential maze of expenditures for a straightforward, organised way of handling your wedding expenses. It's like having a built-in wedding planner just for your bar, streamlining your financial commitments so you can focus on the other joys of your upcoming nuptials.
Liability coverage
When the venue oversees the bar, they typically shoulder the responsibility for any alcohol-related liabilities. This means they're on the lookout for potential issues like overconsumption, underage drinking, or any alcohol-related accidents that could occur during the festivities.
It's like having a vigilant guardian overseeing your celebration, ensuring that everything runs smoothly and safely. This coverage offers you invaluable peace of mind, so instead of fretting over potential issues, you can immerse yourself in the joy of your special day. The venue and their trained staff handle the liabilities, leaving you free to bask in the love and laughter of your reception.
No set-up/ pack-up
Choosing a venue to handle your alcohol services means they take on the task of setting up and tearing down the bar area. No moving around bulky boxes of booze, no worries about the arrangement, and certainly no late-night pack-ups. It's all done for you, smoothly and professionally.
The result? A stress-free experience where every detail, right down to the aesthetics of the bar, adds to the enchantment of your wedding reception.
Disadvantages
The price of convenience
While there's no denying the allure of the convenience and professionalism that comes with a venue-provided bar, this comes at a price. And quite often, it's a higher one compared to going the BYO route. The reasons? Markups, service fees, and the dreaded 'minimum spend' policy.
In the world of weddings, venues tend to apply a handsome markup on alcohol, which can result in a heftier bar tab than you'd see with BYO. Plus, the service fees for handling all those bar logistics can add up quickly. But the kicker is the 'minimum spend' some venues require on alcohol. This could mean you're paying for bottles that your guests never even pop open, pushing your costs even higher.
Limited options
While the convenience of venue-catered alcohol is hard to dispute, it certainly comes with a key drawback: a restricted selection of bevys. This could pose a challenge if you have specific tastes or wish to curate a unique drink menu that reflects your personalities or wedding theme.
It's a bit like wanting a rainbow but being offered only primary colors. Sure, they're beautiful, but they may not be the perfect match for your dream vision. With venue-catered alcohol, you may find yourself making compromises on your drink menu or having to shell out extra to source specific brands or beverages.
And what about your most discerning guests? You know the ones - the aficionados whose first question is, 'what have you got,' when they order a whiskey. Chances are a Johnnie Walker Red wasn't quite what they had in mind.
Restrictions and minimums
Choosing a venue-provided bar can sometimes feel like being handed a map of restrictions and minimums to navigate. These unforeseen rules can suddenly transform your carefully planned budget into a precarious tightrope walk.
Some venues wield the scepter of beverage minimums or place a velvet rope around certain types or brands of alcohol. These restrictions could push your expenditure needle towards the red zone or clip the wings of your creative vision for personalising your bar offerings.
It's crucial to understand the fine print before you sign on the dotted line. Be sure to peruse your venue's policies and contract terms meticulously to avoid any 'I didn’t see that coming' moments or letdowns. After all, surprises are delightful when it comes to gifts, not so much when it involves your wedding budget or the choice of drinks you can offer your guests.
Your palette, their canvas
You've planned every detail of your wedding with painstaking care - from the floral arrangements that mirror the bouquet you imagined to the playlist that's just the right mix of sentiment and celebration. But when it comes to the drink menu, are you prepared to hand over the paintbrush?
It can feel like swapping your artist's palette for a paint-by-numbers kit. You may find that your opportunities to add personal flair to your drink menu or curate custom cocktails that truly reflect your journey as a couple are somewhat curtailed.
Sure, some venues might be flexible, willing to weave in a few of your special requests. But often, these adjustments come with their own set of strings attached, be it additional costs or logistical hoops to jump through.
Less personalised service
There is a high chance your venue is churning out events like clockwork, week in and week out. In such an assembly-line of festivities, the bartenders may not have the bandwidth to familiarise themselves with your particular wants and needs. They'll serve, but can they serve with the flourish of knowing Uncle Bob’s whiskey-on-the-rocks order by heart? Or notice when your best man, Chris, has tipped past his jovial best into tipsy territory?
These finer details, this level of personalisation might get lost, creating a more generic bar service, less tailored to you and your guests' unique tastes and needs. This could create a stark contrast if you envisioned your own hired bartenders or trustworthy friends, who are invested in your day, staffing the bar.
Venue-provided booze tips for success
Discuss drink preferences and requests early on.
Ensure clear understanding of your drink menu and service expectations.
Verify licensing and insurance of venue-provided bartenders.
Review venue policies and contract terms.
Plan for adequate bar service.
As we bring down the curtain on this intoxicating exploration of BYO vs. venue-provided booze, let's remember, the best part of any wedding reception is the joy, love, and celebration that's being shared. And the right bar service can undoubtedly enhance those experiences.
Choosing between BYO and venue-provided alcohol is no small task - like navigating a wine list with an overwhelming variety of options. Both pathways have their unique charm and challenges, and ultimately, your decision will boil down to what best aligns with your wedding vision, priorities, and budget.
Opt for BYO if cost-effectiveness, flexibility, and personalised touches take center stage in your dream reception. This approach, though requiring more work and responsibility, rewards you with a truly customised experience.
Conversely, if you crave convenience, a professional touch, and stress-free logistics, then the venue-provided route will serve you best. Though potentially pricier and less flexible, the ease and expertise that come along make for a seamless, enjoyable celebration.
Above all, remember this - whether you're clinking a craft beer you brought yourself or toasting with a glass of venue-provided champagne (or sparkling wine :) ), it's the love, laughter, and shared memories that make your reception truly sparkle. So, choose the option that allows you to be fully present and enjoy your special day to the fullest. Because at the end of the day, it's not just about the booze on the big day, it's about the cheer it brings! Cheers to making the best choice for you and creating a celebration that’s just as effervescent as the champagne being poured.
With ample consideration of these factors, good mathematics (sorry) and strong pre-planning, your reception will undoubtably be one for the ages!
