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Every
person has his or her own picky palette, so it's quite a challenge to
satisfy all of your guests' beverage preferences. Sticking with broad,
universal selections is the key to making everyone happy. We suggest these
tips for selecting beverages to satisfy your guests and for hiring a professional
to make it easier for you.
Choosing
Which Beverages to Serve
- Consider
the type and theme of the event.
- Determine
the type of guests who will be attending.
- What
type of food will be served?
Wine
Selections
Go
for the mainstream choices rather than trendy selections:
- Chardonnay
- White
Zinfandel
- Cabernet
Sauvignon
- Merlot
Serving
Beer
Keep
these selections general as well:
- One
domestic regular brand
- One
light domestic brand
- A
popular import or micro beer selection
- Non-alcoholic
beer brand (optional)
Non-Alcoholic
Keep soft drink selections on hand:
- Cola
- Lemon-lime
- Sparkling
water
- Make
sure regular and decaf coffee as well as sugar and creamer are available.
Serving
Sizes
- Beer,
mixed and soft drinks should be served in 12 ounce glasses.
- Wine
should be served in 6 ounce glasses.
- Champagne
should be served in 3 ounce glasses.
Placement
of Beverage Service Area
- The
service area should not be located near the entrance in order to give
guests a chance to enter and exit the room freely.
- Food
and beverage areas should be separate to allow maximum traffic flow.
Estimating
Costs
- When
estimating the amount of alcohol to be consumed, assume that every guest
will drink 1.5 alcoholic beverages during every hour of the event. (Source:
Southwestern Distributing, Memphis, TN) Ex: 150 guests x 1.5 drinks
x 3 hours = 675 beverages.
- If
hiring a bartender, ask if they base prices on cost per unit or estimated
total cost.
Money-Saving
Tips
- Champagne
has the highest cost per portion, so opt for limiting the service to
such times such as during toasts.
- Save
up to 50% on wine by serving bulk wine in liter carafes.
- Hiring
a professional bartender is actually more cost-effective than recruiting
friends and family. Bartenders are familiar with portion control and
will ensure less waste.
- Purchase
your products from a beverage service or liquor store that will allow
you to return unused products.
- Consider
disposable glassware -- it requires less storage space and is available
in more upscale designs.
Source:
Hospitality Networks -- www.eventplanning.com
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