The 101 on wedding bevvies
Shot by Joseph O’Sullivan
Forever a topic of discussion with my couples is just how many drinks they need for their wedding, and how they go about it. So, as we come in to the silly season, I thought it might be time to hit you all with a bit of a planners guide in collaboration with our friends (and fellow cocktail extraordinaires) Nikki and Toby of Eaton Drink Co. to wedding bevvies so that nobody is rushing to the supermarket to stock up as the night gets wild!
Drink allocations:
Eaton Drink Co. say for a standard 8-10 hour event (mostly weddings), if you allow one bottle of wine per person plus 6 beers this will usually do the trick, plus bubbles if you are serving it. Breaking it down they would tend to gather information like friends vs family, age of the client and their family/friends, time of year - i.e. May events are likely to serve more red wine than bubbles/white.
Here’s how I would tend to break it all up if you were going down the BYO track:
As a teeny disclaimer and as Eaton stated, do make your best judgement based on who your crowd is and what they tend to sip on.
Half a bottle of bubbles per person
Half a bottle of sauvignon or whatever your most popular white will be
A quarter to a half bottle of red per person (if there are red drinkers)
A quarter of a bottle of another white/rose/blend
4-6 Beers per person
Soft Drinks/Mixers, and always the golden H2O
Where do we buy from?
There’s a common perception that BYO is the cheapest route to go down, when in actual fact, sometimes opting for a drinks package via your caterer or venue is absolutely the way to go. Think about your crowd, and weigh the options up.
Keep in mind too, the ‘cost’ of your time and effort spent collecting the beverages, hiring the chiller trailer, packing it, having someone deliver it to the venue, collecting it the next day and doing the day-after dump run to get rid of all the bottles. If you aren't afraid of mucking in and doing some work it can be a good option, but these are things to think about.
If you’re heading down the BYO route, do you purchase from a supplier that will buy back leftovers? Or opt to buy as your favourites crop up on special? Lots of suppliers do what’s called ‘sale or return’ on unopened bottles/closed boxes. If this is something you opt for, be specific to your beverage service supplier/caterer in advance of your event about whether you would like wine to be placed on each table and also how the end of night discussions should go.
Here’s an example: If you’re closing the bar at 11:30 PM, what do you want to do at 11:15 PM if someone asks for a glass of red and this means you have to open a full case of wine which you could have returned for the sake of one glass to be consumed? Some clients ask us to say we are out and there are plenty of other options, whereas others are happy to have leftovers for the aftermatch celebrations or summer holidays.
My top tip? If you’re having a drinks menu, find out from your stationery/signage designer what the deadline is to get this information through.
We’ve got the drinks, what’s next?
Storing your drinks to keep them cool is naturally super important - Nobody likes chewing on a warm beer! If your venue doesn't have sufficient refrigeration space then a chiller trailer is a must.
On the topic of cooling things down, you’re also going to need to think about ice (ice baby). Check with your caterer/service provider if they will supply this or if you need to - It’s always something left off the list!
My top tip is to ensure you load the chiller in advance and turn it on - A full chiller trailer should be stocked 48 hours in advance, and powered up to ensure everything is nice and cold.
If you’re having a marquee wedding you'll need either a generator or tap into a buildings power to get things chilling. Just ask your hire company for help on the size as it will depend on the other pieces of equipment you are running throughout the night.
Lastly, be sure to send a list of your beverages to your service provider in advance so they know what you are serving and can make sure you have the right glassware - They will often use this time to also recommend anything that may need to be added to the list.
Eaton Drink Co. suggest you think about or ask your beverage server if there is an order to packing the chiller, IE if bubbles are served first, they should be stacked by the door so they can be easily accessed on the day.
Cleaning and empties
One of my pet peeves as a planner is seeing empty glassware hanging around so prompt service is so vital to ensuring a clean, tidy event space. If glassware needs to be cleaned during the evening, you'll need a water supply and space to do this, as well as space to clear empties too.
If you are supplying glasses yourself and not through your caterer/service provider, check if they need to be washed or rinsed before being returned. Most catering companies providing bar service will only have allocated rinsing in their quotes, not a full wash and polish.
Marquees can be tricky if there is no kitchen or bar facility (sometimes known as a back of house marquee). It’s often a case of finding a way of working the event space to strategically place a table/kitchen marquee for the catering and beverage team to work out of to clean glasses and of course store their gear out of sight.
Eaton Drink Co. always reminds their clients to think about their staff too, and to consider what the weather could bring - sun/rain, they need some shade too and recommend umbrellas or a tree for shade in summer as it’s hard work standing at the bar all afternoon in full sun.
For those empties, you’re most likely going to need a bunch of big buckets, especially if your wedding is on private property or held in a marquee. Just check with your caterer first as to whether they have anything they tend to use themselves. Some caterers can also quote to dispose of the empties for you, otherwise, the buckets are easily loaded on a trailer for you to take to the dump in the days following.
The 2-1-0 on glassware
It goes without saying, but never forget water glasses! I will personally tend to opt for a higher glass so that the fancy beer drinkers in the crowd have the option of a glass if they wish - It’s like a two-for-one!
You’re going to need more glasses on hot days as guests tend to have a drink and put it down rather than hanging onto one glass all night long.
Oh, and if you’re getting fancy with spirits/cocktails, you’ll need more glasses for that!
Ensuring you have a buffer of glassware is really important. If you’re working with your caterers on the glassware supply (highly recommend) they will be able to advise you of the correct numbers.
The extra somethin’ somethings
Corona crowd? I hope you have your lemon and lime cutting skills locked down! Lemons and limes are a really great little addition to spirits in the evening too, as well as sprucing up your water.
If you’re serving spirits you’re going to need an ice supply, as well as ice to keep drinks chilled at the bar, especially if the chiller marquee is not nearby! A minimum of eight bags would be where I’d start in the ice department.
To serve drinks before the ceremony, or not?
It really doesn’t hurt either way, but I would suggest thinking about your crowd and how much they’re likely to drink.
Pre-ceremony, a water station is often plenty and it's also a great way to ensure glassware and bottles don't make their way into the ceremony space and showing up in the photos.
Eaton Drink Co. suggest you grab a box of water bottles on special and throw them in the chiller by the door for easy access. Anyone asking for or needing water you can hand a bottle to and ask them to keep it out of the ceremony site, rather than hire an extra glass per person which may not be used. Of course, it depends on your viewpoint on this.
Hired help
More often than not, hiring friends and family as bar staff poses more of a problem than a solution. If you’ve ever worked in hospo you’ll remember just how exciting it was being behind the bar for the first time, and often those 'staff' are not willing to do the glass rounds or clean the empties for recirculation which can cause issues.
My top tip? If the budget allows, leave beverage service and glass hire to your caterer. By keeping it with one vendor you’re streamlining the duties and setting clear expectations around who does what for the evening. Some caterers will allow self-service from a set time, meaning the glassware can be collected or dropped off over the following day/s.
Switching things up and getting fancy:
Think about starting the cocktail hour with cocktails of course! You can make them low alcohol (30ml spirit pours) - It adds a level of sophistication to your event and means you don’t have to worry too much about mixing different drinks. This means you can hold off on the champagne, beer wine for afterwards and save the spirits for once the party gets going.
Lead by Toby, Eaton Drink Co. specialises in handcrafted cocktails and specialises in the drinks side of things for the company. He has represented NZ in global cocktail competitions and now owns bars and restaurants churning out some epic cocktails right here in the 03!
Eaton Drink Co.’s Tip? You’re probably not going to want to go from hard spirits to wine or beer, so build it up and if you’re supplying spirits or port, have a limit on how much you supply and potentially look to pair it with an item from the dessert or supper spread ie: have a cheeky glass of port with cheese, or cold brewtinis (espresso martinis) with dessert!
Entertaining with drinks
Using your drinks to bring a level of entertainment to your event can be a super cost-effective double-whammy!
If you are going to have cocktails, think about bringing in an epic mixologist to create quality cocktails your guests will remember! Sold on this idea and wondering who the heck to ask? Eaton Drink Co. will have you sorted!
Do you have a need for an outdoor or mobile bar? Drinks caravans like The Thirsty Caravan are so on-trend this season and set to make a statement bar area. They can be manned either by their own staff, or some offer a ‘dry hire’ option which allows your caterer to bring their team in, or however is running your bar!
With that said, us kiwis love a good excuse to let our hair down, but do always drink responsibly team!
Until next,
