Controlling Your Alcohol...Budget!!

Within the past two years, since the launch of Wedding-Club.com, I have received hundreds of questions regarding wedding planning. Questions on alcohol consumption during a wedding reception figure prominently. The concern is understandable. If not handled properly, your alcohol budget can take a major toll on your entire wedding bill. Here are a few money-saving tips to incorporate into your alcohol budget.

Time of Day
The time you plan to host your reception is a key in helping you gauge the amount of liquor to be consumed. Guests tend to drink less during a daytime reception; alternatively, the bar is a busy place at an evening soirée. Keep this in mind if you are planning a reception with a limited budget. An afternoon affair may be a great way to help you save a significant amount of wedding cash.

Know Your Guests
When planning your wedding, think about the guests you will be inviting. This is doubly true for an event with a heavy ethnic guest list - many cultures incorporate liquor into all celebrations. If your friends love to do vodka shots, make sure there are more than a few bottles ordered and shot glasses are well stocked. Also, think about the number of under-21 guests you will be inviting and let the bartender know that you give him full control to verify ages. This will prevent a large amount of alcohol from mysteriously disappearing throughout the evening as well as illegal underage drinking.

Purchase Your Own Liquor
Check with your reception facility about the policies concerning liquor purchase. Many places allow you to purchase your own alcohol but charge a corkage fee instead. Purchasing alcohol from a liquor discounter or wholesaler can lead to dramatic savings. Appoint your wedding coordinator or a member of the bridal party (best man, groomsman, bridesmaid) to check the amount of alcohol consumed and approve openings of additional bottles.

Designated Bar Times
Instead of having an open bar throughout the reception, designate a cocktail hour and close the bar during dinner. Serve red and white wines to complement the meal and after-dinner drinks in the later hours. If you choose to have an open bar throughout the event, consider closing the bar an hour before the end of the reception. This helps you control not only the amount you spend on your alcohol tab, but also the amount your guests will drink. Although the average for safe alcohol consumption is one drink per hour, there are many times when guests drink much more than that.

Omit An Open Bar Completely
Get creative with your alcohol by limiting what you serve. After the wedding, have everyone toast the great event with champagne and strawberries. Choose a delicious red and white wine to offer to guests for a fabulous accent to a meal - very sophisticated!

Get Insurance
Be realistic. If having an endless supply of alcohol for your guests is a priority, consider obtaining insurance for any mishaps that may occur due to possible rowdiness and intoxication. Any damage to the event facility, guest injury, or automobile accidents due to drunk driving can be covered under your wedding insurance policy. This precaution can save you thousands of dollars in the event of a mishap.

Final Thought
I think the days of an open bar being a necessity at a wedding have passed. Today's couples plan their wedding proactively and eliminate many items from the weddings of yesterday. I know of many couples that have omitted alcohol completely from their wedding because it wasn't a reflection of their lifestyles. Alternatively, I know of couples who will sacrifice other areas of their wedding so they can have enough money for an endless supply of alcohol for their guests. Whatever the case, remember that people are (or should be!) coming to your wedding to see a very beautiful time in your life take place... not for the open bar.

Wedding-Club.com Resources For Catering and Alcohol

• Catering Plus St. Louis - www.cateringplusstlouis.com
• Favazzas - www.favazzas.com