How to Plan an Open Bar for a Wedding

Most wedding guests appreciate an open bar. That's why they are such popular options at modern weddings. Open bars allow guests to refill their drinks over and over again without having to pay. They generally also offer a wider selection of alcohol than a typical catering package may provide. If you want to give your guests freedom and choices at your wedding, you should learn how to plan an open bar.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

1. Find out if your caterer offers an open bar as part of its optional services. If so, choosing this option will save you a lot of work and planning. Before choosing the open bar option, make sure it fits into your reception budget.
2. Decide what types of alcohol you will offer at your open bar and how many bottles you will need. Plan for the widest possible variety of choices in order to please the greatest number of your guests.
3. Select two or three friends or family members to tend bar. The people you select should have some skill in mixing drinks and a knowledge of what goes into the more common drinks.
4. Plan for alcohol in your reception budget. If you're designing your own open bar, you'll have to buy the alcohol yourself.
5. Buy inexpensive plastic glasses or cups for your guests to use at the open bar. You should also buy a large supply of small cocktail napkins, a few jars of olives and cocktail onions, a selection of fruit juices for virgin and mixed drinks and a large bag of rock salt for margaritas.

Tips & Warnings

• Designate three to five wedding guests to keep an eye on other guests and make sure they aren't getting too drunk or becoming obnoxious. Your watchers should also be prepared to take the car keys from people who they deem too drunk to drive and to find volunteers to take those people home once the wedding reception is over.
• Find out in advance if your reception venue allows customers to bring in their own alcohol. If yours doesn't, you'll need to make alternate arrangements or find a different venue.
• In some states, you can be held liable if you provide alcohol to someone who drives drunk and causes an accident.
• Be aware that selecting the open bar option with a caterer can be expensive. Even though guests are able to refill their drinks as often as they like without paying, this does not mean those drinks are free. You will be the one picking up the bar tab.

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