In many cases, brides can expect to spend nearly half of
their wedding budget on the reception alone. However, they rarely understand how much they are spending on each invited guest. Want to know just how big that
number is? Add up your estimated total for food & beverage (starting with
pre-ceremony cocktails), venue cost, equipment rental, every piece of decor,
flowers, music, cake, servers...everything. Then, divide that total by the
number of guests you anticipate hosting. That number is how much you are truly
spending on each guest, not the per plate cost your caterer quotes you. For
example, if your total estimated reception cost is $12,800 for 100 people, you
are spending $128 per guest. If nothing else does, that number alone should help you streamline your
guest list.
When you want to maximize your wedding budget, it is
important to understand and manage all of the costs for what you are
planning. Left unattended (literally) the bar is one area that can wreak havoc
on maintaining budget control. If you decide that you do want to serve alcohol
at your wedding reception, here are some tips that will help you keep costs
down:
- Understand Your Venue's Alcohol Policy - Some venues will only allow you to use their bar and their licensed bartenders. Find out what package options are available and if they meet your needs before signing a contract. The convenience may be worth the extra cost. If you are allowed to bring in your own alcohol, be sure that there are no penalty fees to have the venue serve it. This can add up to $15 per bottle to your tab. In some cases this may cost you more than the wine. Important, know who is providing the ice
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Serve Wine and Beer - You can save quite a bit by offering your guests just wine and beer. If you want something more personal, consider adding a signature drink to the menu. Some bartenders will create one just for you and it can be pre-mixed ahead of time for quick service or on display at cocktail hour
-
Hire a Bartender - Even though you will pay the bartender, he/she will pay for themselves by maintaining controls on individual consumption. In a self-serve bar, guests may waste and/or over pour. A bartender also makes other money saving options elegant , like serving from a keg rather than passing out individual beer bottles
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Enlist the Expertise of Local Wine Stores - There is nothing wrong with joining the local wine club to get insider information on unadvertised specials. This is the move of a savvy bride. Find out if your liquor/package store offers case discounts on wine, beer and champagne. Also, make sure they will let you return unopened bottles of wine and champagne before you order
- Consider Early 'Last Call' - When figuring out how much alcohol to buy, you will need to take into account the number of hours the bar remains open. If service cuts off 30-60 minutes before the end of the reception, you not only save that consumption cost, you help to limit the danger for guests who insist on having "one for the road"
Keep in mind that these tools are designed to make sure you
err on the side of abundance, not saving. I recommend that you go through your
guest list and subtract those you know do not drink from the total count.
Keeping tabs (you should be used to my quirky puns by now) on
your bar expenses is a smart way to maintain your overall budget. Enlisting one
or more of the above tips can save you hundreds, if not, thousands of dollars.
Now, who won't drink to that?
