One of the most common misconceptions about the wedding bar service is not thinking that it will be something your guests will remember. From what we’ve seen at the 150 weddings we’ve hosted at The Veranda, the bar stands out just as much as the food (and its service!) Rest assured – we’ve got the hook up on all things bar for your wedding day! After picking the brain of one of the most talented bartenders we know, Sharon Montgomery of Lil Fox Bartending (she’s the bomb!) gave us the scoop on what is trending for 2014, common bar-related questions as well as worthy tips of a bartender with over 25 years professional experience. Get ready, grab your pen, and take notes – this is some good stuff!
Let’s start with two commonly asked wedding bar questions and provide you with some answers:
Q. At the average wedding reception, what is the most served liquor?
A. You’ll always go through the most vodka, followed by rum then whiskey.
Q. How much alcohol do I need to buy for the bar at my wedding?
A. These rules of thumb will help get you started:
- A case of wine will yield 48 wine glass pours
- A case of champagne will yield 72 flute glass pours
- A 1/2 barrel of beer will yield 164- 12oz. beer glass pours
Overall, when determining which alcohol to serve, try not to offer so much variety that you overwhelm your guests – because there is a thing as too much. You want your guests to grab their drink and get back on that dance floor – not be tied up at the bar looking at the array of alcohol staring them down! Stay simple and go with your gut instinct. You know your friends and guests better than anyone.
{ Photos courtesy Karrn Frost Photography, Jennifer Mayo Studios, Ben Pancoast Photography }
As for what’s trending in 2014 for wedding bars:
- Having a Gentlemen’s Bar! Although out of the norm, they were a popular hit with the men this year. One phrase: Bacon-infused whiskey drinks. It’s a way to show off the groom’s personality and add a masculine touch at the reception.
- Out of the box bar setups like martini bars and mojito bars.
- The end of summer/beginning of fall popular cocktail – hot apple cider with Captain Morgan’s Spiced Rum.
- The end of fall popular cocktail – hot chocolate with Pinnacle Whipped Vodka.
- Be sure to check out more wedding bar trends that are staying on board in 2014 here!
Tips you can trust from a professional bartender:
- If the reception is going to start early, you may want to think about closing the bar during dinner hour to give your guests a chance to pace themselves before the real celebration begins.
- Have a universal mixer. Sharon’s famous go-to mixer is a special combination of orange juice, cranberry juice, pineapple juice, and cherry juice. Keeping it universal ensures the ability for it to be served with vodka, gin, white run or spiced rum. The kids at the reception will also love the mixer as a non-alcoholic punch or to act as a kitty cocktail.
A few things to avoid to ensure a great wedding bar:
- Stay away from serving hard liquor like Jaegermeister with energy drinks. People tend to think they can drink more than they really can.
- If your guests enjoying drinking shots, limit the amount of shots the bartenders are to serve thru out the evening so the reception doesn’t get out of hand!
Hopefully now that we’ve overloaded you with information, you’ll have some unique ideas of your own to make your bar service stand out and leave your guests talking long after they leave.
To reach out to Sharon of Lil Fox Bartending, you can email her at: jshar1159@aol.com
Cheers!