We would like to have a free bar, however, I do not want raving drunk people after a few shots. I have completely barred straight shots of any kind of alcohol. I was thinking more like a list of mixed drinks. I know I could drink “sex on the beach” at a bar all night and only get buzzed. I have a bartender on hand, but because she knows so many mixed drinks I am having a hard time narrowing it down into a list. Any suggestions?
If you have a good professional bartender, she has (or should have been) taught when the right time is to cut someone off from further alcohol. Limiting the types of drinks will not necessarily by itself prevent overconsumption, regardless of your own experiences. One can become just as impaired on fancy drinks as on anything else. In fact, you’re likely to be sicker afterwards as well.
If you’re really concerned about overconsumption, have the free open bar for a specified limited time, and a cash bar after that. However you decide, you should definitely instruct the bartender to NOT server alcohol to anyone who’s gone too far with it. I don’t know what the laws are in Illinois, but in lots of places, if a person leaves your reception with a snootful and gets in an accident or otherwise causes problems, YOU could be held responsible.
Your best bet is to limit what people have to drink - if you don’t want people drinking shots, then don’t serve mixed drinks. For instance, sex on the beach has vodka in it; if the bar has vodka, what is to prevent someone from having a shot of it? Keep your menu limited to champagne, chardonay, merlot, and two types of beer.
Well - chances are you already know who is likely to overindulge; you might want to set a trusted sibling/cousin/friend/co-worker to keep an eye out. If someone has a drinking problem, or is simply out to get drunk, they will do so no matter what you offer.
As for doing shots; if you request that the bar only has one or two shot glasses, for use of the bartender whist mixing drinks, and you specifically tell the bartender not to pour shots, you’ve probably done all that you can. Oh yeah - don’t buy tequila. That’s just asking for it.
Watered-down cocktails and light wines. I’d say beers, but that’s kinda trashy.
If you are going to have a full bar, I think it would be very tough to try to limit folks’ choices. For example, let’s say I just want one alcoholic drink the whole night, a stiff gin on the rocks. I’m going to be denied my one drink unless I accept a mixer?
I agree with the suggestion that the bartender cut folks off, or water down drinks for folks who are getting overserved. Or you could limit the hours the bar is open.
If you worry about the hard stuff, I see no problem going with beer and wine. But rumor has it some folks have found ways to overindulge with those substances…
Whatever you do, please do not commit the unpardonable sin that is a cash bar!
Nope there will be no cash bar, and had never heard of one until recently. The bartender I am using also did my sisters wedding, and that was an affair of about 300 people. She monitored everything, but that did not stop my always slightly drunk relatives from going to the bar up the streetsigh.
There will be a keg of Millers I think, and I was thinking about having wine and champagne instead. Is that good?
We didn’t serve hard liquor at our wedding. It saved us a chunk of change and it kept people from getting too wasted. We got a keg from a really good local brewery and 2 cases of wine. A friend worked at a winery and was able to get us an employee discount. He picked it out for us, too, a nice mix of reds and whites.
I’m not sure what the custom is where you’re from, Deadly, but around here, folks really don’t expect liquor at a reception. Beer and wine is considered sufficient, and at many weddings, you’re lucky to get booze at all. Lime sherbet punch is the order of the day for lots of church weddings. People may not miss the bar if you don’t have one.
EHHHHH?! WTF!!! Weddings without alcohol!!! This side of the pond, not only would people miss the bar, they’d probably never speak to you again…it’s a whole other world…
I’m guessing you don’t have a lot of Southern Baptists in the U.K., GorillaMan. They can be lovely folks, but they don’t throw the kickin’-est parties.
How and why and in what universe is beer trashy? Bad beer is trashy, I suppose, but a good local brew (as was mentioned earlier) is classy in my book.
As for the OP, I went to a wedding recently and everyone was very well behaved with a fully-stocked open bar. I drank amaretto drinks all night (four in five hours) and a glass of wine.
Have responsible people watching for suspicious guests and any professional bartender will NOT serve a drunk guest.
Congrats, btw.
We got a keg and several cases of champagne. It was our wedding, not a free for all drunkfest for a bunch of people I didn’t know.
Just my opinion here, but if you are thinking of limiting to certain mixed drinks only, why have a bar at all? Outlaw drinkers are still going to get just as drunk and people being people, will talk about your rule behind your back till the day you die, and not in a good way, even if they only drink beer. Your bartender knows so many drinks because so many people have preferences on what they like to drink. To tell me I can not have a shot of rum, which I may like, but can only have a rum and coke, which I may hate, comes across as very bad form to me. Denying me rum in any form though, is not a problem.
I’m not trying to be nasty, really. I just think that if you are that worried about what people should/should not be drinking, you might not want to have a bar at all. Of course this depends on who the guests are, but even while it might be transparent to you, your bartender and the people on “drunk watch” (always a good idea at any reception) could be in for a lot less fun than they should be just explaining the rules on why they can’t have a shot of tequila but can have a tequila sunrise.
oops…
I’m not sure if I’m misreading your question or not, but if you don’t want to serve straight shots, then limit it at that, period. Don’t try to make a list of what is acceptable or not among mixed drinks. Just a “no neat” rule. Some drinks are stronger than others, but if you try figuring out everything down to alcohol by volume, you’ll go nuts.
Congrats and don’t let the parents run the wedding!!! 