Consumption Bar Budget advice?

[Alyssa]

my wedding is next Friday and we are planning on having a consumption bar. we have 35 guests (including us) + 2 vendors + 1 baby.

 

our crowd is split between heavy drinkers, light drinkers and people who don't drink at all, hence the reason we went with the consumption bar.

 

i am considering wine and beer only with a signature hawaiian drink like Mai Tai's - they will do 1 gallon of Mai Tais for $95 - they say they get 18 drinks out of (that sounds like a lot to me but maybe i pour heavily lol) it.

 

also, question about wine - i was considering choosing a nice white by the bottle and a nice red (maybe like a charddonay and a merlot) - is this annoying b/c you wouldn't be able to order a pinot grigio or cabernet?

 

i am starting to think we didn't budget enough $$$ for the bar and freaking out

 

do you have any other advice for ways to save $ / cut costs?

[hanna]

I think what you have planned is great. Would be cute to come up with a cute name for your signature drink, some sort of a play on your names. That way it is more special. I think on white and red is fine, and chardonnay and merlot are good choices are they are really popular.

[starchild]

How many of the 35 don't drink at all? By light drinkers do you mean 2-3 drinks max? Just trying to figure out how many real drinkers you'll have.

 

18 drinks/gallon seems like a lot to me too...maybe they go heavy on the ice LOL

 

As for the types of wine 2 choices is enough IMO, I've been to plenty of events where there are only 2 wine options. If you need to save $$ I wouldn't add it there.

 

And holy shit your wedding is next Friday?!? Where did the summer go? Do you have butterflies yet?

[Alyssa]

Quote:

Originally Posted by starchild How many of the 35 don't drink at all? By light drinkers do you mean 2-3 drinks max? Just trying to figure out how many real drinkers you'll have. 18 drinks/gallon seems like a lot to me too...maybe they go heavy on the ice LOL As for the types of wine 2 choices is enough IMO, I've been to plenty of events where there are only 2 wine options. If you need to save $$ I wouldn't add it there. And holy shit your wedding is next Friday?!? Where did the summer go? Do you have butterflies yet?

Yes Jamy i am feeling it now! we leave on Sunday night and have a wedding to attend on Sat night so things are Fing crazy!!!!

ok - as for drinkers:

don't drink (so need softdrinks / water) approx $3 per
6

light drinker (2 to 3)
8

medium drinker (4 to 7)
8

heavy drinker (8 to 10+)
14

[Kristy!]

I will have a similar problem as about half of my family doesn't drink, but FI's family definitely does.

 

I'll be honest. I'm a white wine drinker and I tend to get frustrated that Chardonnay is always the white wine selected where there is only one choice. I would recommend chosing something different than the typical merlot and chardonnay. Maybe a pinot grigio and a chianti? It's just something a little different, but not way out there.

 

The signature drink is a good idea. I'm not sure about 18 per gallon either, but maybe they use little glasses. Maybe you could do a virgin sig. drink as well to give the non-drinkers something special. (Even though my mom doesn't drink, I know she likes to have a little umbrella.)

[tvt]

I think picking a white and red is a great choice and an easy way to limit your bar costs.

 

IMO when I pick wines for an event I always pick a Merlot and a Pino Grigio. You'll please almost everyone with those types of wines.

[Kathie]

I agree on the pinot grigio instead of the chardonnay. I think the merlot would be okay but the chianti or a shiraz would be nice also.

[starchild]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alyssa Yes Jamy i am feeling it now! we leave on Sunday night and have a wedding to attend on Sat night so things are Fing crazy!!!! ok - as for drinkers: don't drink (so need softdrinks / water) approx $3 per 6 light drinker (2 to 3) 8 medium drinker (4 to 7) 8 heavy drinker (8 to 10+) 14

Okay I always go with the high estimate to be safe, so I see that as 24 + 56 + 140 = approx. 220 alcoholic drinks.

Those won't all be mai tais, so you have to figure in the beer/wine proportions. I would say at least 8 gallons of mai tais...not sure if that is the right amount but even at 15 drinks/gallon that would cover 120 drinks. $95 x 8...yikes! I hope they are giving you a good deal on beer/wine because the people who don't drink hard will probably make it up with those. And again I chose the high end of approximate drinks per person, a lot will probably be less and a few may be more. This is confusing and costly! Is it too ghetto to sneak in some twelvers of beer? LOL

[Alyssa]

oh jeez - i think we really underestimated shit.

 

i personally hate pinot grigio b/c it is so fruity and sweet so i prob won't choose it in case i want a glass of wine lol

 

i appreciate everyone's comments!

[Nrvsbride]

Alyssa just take into consideration that people tend to drink differently when they are at weddings and especially when they are on vacation. They may drink more just b/c they are in Hawaii. But let's hope they stick to their usual.

 

I think the white wine/red wine is a good idea but I personally would get pinot instead of a chardonnay. I don't like wine but I throw plenty of parties and James is a bartender and we find that most girls like pinot not chardonnay. And two people have already responded to your thread and said they prefer pinot so I would go with that.

 

I love the signature drink idea. If you do need more drinks would it be so bad? Maybe if it goes over it won't be so bad. I can't remember if your going to allow beer? Personally I love beer but I think most people don't drink it. They tend to like fancy drinks or wine. So I think you may not need it.

 

~Jamy its never too ghetto to get a 12 pack! LOL.