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[lovepirate]

Well we have formally decided to do an open bar, we will have it *by donation* actually. So, we are prepared to pay for it all. I know that BC liquor will help me with the amounts needed, but we aren't sure how many drink options we should do. We're thinking:

beer (one or two kinds?)
red and white wine
coolers (one or two kinds?)
......
is that ok?
Should we have hard liquor too...I'd like to but i'm a gin drinker, so i don't know what to get for everyone:

vodka?
rum?
what else?
nothing?

Please let me know what is reasonable, and what you, as a guest would want to have...
Thanks in advance girls.

[Beautiful]

I'm not much for drinking however its good to have different choices like you said one or two of each should be good enough.

[goodtoglow]

How many guests will you be having? Most liquor stores have pamphlets you can have that give suggestions - try the liquor boards website.

[platinumcheetah]

We're having a very small wedding so we're going for an open bar as well. Here's what going to be there:

Hard:
1 Bottle of Khalua
1 Bottle of Rum
1 Bottle of Vodka


Wine:
1 2 litre of White Wine
3-4 Bottles of Red Wine

Beer:
1 Case of Stella Artois
1 Case of Okanagan Springs 1516

Mixers:
2 Bottles of Coke
1 Bottle of 7-UP
2 Litre of Skim Milk
1 Jug of Cranberry Juice (for crantinis)

I think that about sums it up....I just want to have alot of variety, and we can just take it all home after, what ever is left over....because we're having another reception/party a couple of months down the road.

[lookin4ideas]

Has anyone found anything online about how much booze you should have and the kinds "they" recommend? I was on a great search last night but then our cable went out & I can't remember where I had gotten to....

[lookin4ideas]

Here's what I have found:

• 1 bottle of wine for every 2 people; you need 2 bottles of white for every 1 of red
• Beer 1 case for every 4 people or a keg = 220 beers and a pony keg = 150 beers
• 1 750ml bottle of hard alcohol = 20 - 24 drinks

So what the above means to me is (based on 90 guests) we need:

30x bottles of white wine
15x bottles of red wine
1x pony keg
20x 750 ml (26'er) hard alcohol

From what I have read below the most popular hard alcohol we need is:

7x 750 Vodka
4x 750 Rum
3x 750 Gin
2x 750 Scotch
2x 750 Kahlua
1x 750 Vermouth

Is anyone buying booze for shooters? I don't want anyone falling down drunk but am wondering if we should supply: tequilla, flavoured tequilla, Jager and fireball - what do you think?

Now I need to figure out mix! That'll be the next post.


Below is from a website & is based on 100 people

Beer: 9 Total Cases

• 3 Domestic cases
• 3 Imported cases
• 3 Light cases

Wine: 5-8 Total Cases

• 3-4 Chardonnay cases
• 1-2 White Zinfandel cases
• 1-2 Cabernet Sauvignon cases

Champagne

• 1-2 cases

Hard liquor

• 5 liters vodka
• 3 liters gin
• 2 liters rum
• 2 liters scotch
• 2 liters bourbon
• 750ml vermouth
• 3 liters kahlua

Others to Consider (1 liter of each)

• Bailey’s Irish Cream
• Grand Marnier
• Amaretto
• Sambuca
• Brandy
• Frangelico
• Chambord

If you are responsible for setting up the entire bar, be sure to include the following:

• Ice
• Milk
• Glassware
• Lemons
• Limes
• Cherries
• Olives
• Lime juice
• Lemon mix
• Orange juice
• Cranberry juice
• Soda water
• Tonic water
• Coke, diet coke
• Seven up, ginger ale
• Straws
• Cocktail stirrers
• Coolers for beer, etc

[lookin4ideas]

So I figure for mixed drinks (hard alcohol) and non alcoholic drinks we will just use dixie cups anyway in order for everyone to have 4 pops / juice we need to buy 100 x 2 liters GROSS!!!

Here's the list that we've compiled:

Pepsi x 20
Diet Pepsi x 5
Sprite x 15
Diet Sprite x 5
Ginger Ale x 10
Soda Water x 5
Tonic Water x 5
Cranberry Juice x 10
Orange Juice x 10
Fruit Punch x15

Do you think that, that's enough diet pop? Also does anyone know of such a creature that is caffine free?

Do you think that 2x 4 liters of water is enough?

[tanya777]

to figure that all out. I'm personally not having an open bar. Too many people; too much cost in our case. We are icluding 1 white and 1 red wine bottle on each table and probably 1 drink ticket each. I'lll try to see if i can find anything on line to help you out. Yet you seem to be on the right tract. About the diet pop if there is a lot of girls or anyone with health issues (diabetes) consider maybe adding more. And about the caffenie you can buy pop that is low sodium and caffeine free. I buy it all the time.

[lookin4ideas]

We're not having an open bar either but it is up to us to provide the alcohol / mix. I think drinks will be $3 each, enough to cover the cost of the booze. Non alcoholic & the wine will be free. As much as I would like to cover it all I don't want to go into more debt so that people can get plastered....

[K8park]

I really didn't like the idea of a cash bar, so we have decided to compromise. We will provide all the alcohol, but it is limited to beer and wine (maybe coolers too, we aren't sure yet). I may have an alcoholic punch available too as our "signature drink", as I've seen some good recipes I can't wait to try. ;o)

There are many problems with the full open bar for us - one is the cost, two is the wide range of hard liquors needed plus all the various mixers and garnishes. We will have a qualified bartender, so mixing them wouldn't be a problem, but I think just having a few simple options will also keep the line moving quickly so one bartender should be enough (for our 70-100 guests - we haven't finalized yet!). In addition, we will have a few family members who like to partake, if you know what I mean, so I am hoping that just providing beer and wine will slow down the process. We will likely also have a champagne toast, there will be wine on the tables, and of couse lots of non alcoholic drinks available.

Does anyone know if renting a keg for beer is an option (or if you have to be a business) or if any of the wineries sell wholesale?

[lookin4ideas]

Hi K8Park.

I am not that well versed in it yet but my sister just bought a beer & wine making place and I think you can make you own Keg or Pony Keg of beer and rent the equipment from any beer/wine making place and or the liquor store.

They've only had the business for 3 days so once she settles down a bit I can ask her and let you know what I find out.

[Miche]

We're having a limited open bar. We are serving:

-wine (red, white, blush, champagne)
-beer (probably Stella and two domestics)
-an alcoholic and punch
-a non-alcoholic punch and pop
-we might rent a margarita machine or offer a specialty coffee

Our favour is going to be a shooter in custom made "I got smashed and Michelle and Rudy's wedding' shooter glasses.

We're not offering any other shots or mixed drinks because I don't want people getting too hammered (I have way too many young guys in my family and I've seen what they can do with a bottle or two or tequilla)

[Nicole-BRIDE TO BE!!]

We Are Going To Have Wine On The Tables- I Bottle Or 2 Of Each. Also We Will Pre Pay $1000 Or $1500(havent Decided) For The Booze(beer Coolers Hard Liquer Etc.) After That Is Spent The Guests Are Responsible For Their Own Drinks. My Fiend Did This Last Weekend At Her Wedding And We Never Paid For A Drink Until About 1 Am. Ther Groomsman Also Each Pitched In $100 As A Surprise At The Wedding So That Was An Extra $500. Great Idea So You Can Stick To A Budget

What Do You Think???

[Vie]

We've decided to do an open bar, but our venue allows us to bring our own liquor so we are still saving money, plue we won't be paying any corkage fee. As well, we will have 2 bottles of wine ( red and white) per table and a champagne to go with the cake.
Over all, our total liquor budget for 100 people is around $650 - $700.

[neely]

this is a great thread! I am planning my wedding next June with a guest list of 160 and am toying between an open bar or cash bar with partial monies paid by us to keep costs down to a minimum.
BTW the wedding shooter as a favor is fabulous!