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How much $$$ should we plan for an open bar?

We're getting married at a venue where we will bring our own booze to serve to guests. We're having 120-140 people and I would like to offer an open, but limited bar. We're thinking about getting the standard selection of vodka, gin, rum, whiskey and tequila, plus a decent selection of mixers to give the bar tender some range. Then get a keg or two of beer and the right amount of wine for whatever that number of people specifies. We're having buffet dinner and I don't expect for us to plow through wine during dinner, but I'm not sure to be honest. Given this arrangement (us buying the booze), how much should we plan to spend to have a good party?

People talk about containing the cost of booze by limiting choice and having a few signature cocktails available. How does this save money? Does this just limit the possibility of having a bunch of half bottles left over at the end?

Mr John asked in Weddings about 1 year ago | Report

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  • Cori_ready_small
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    Cori Ready

    Prepare to spend around $1500 for an outrageously boozy fun fully stocked bar. I am making assumptions to create a budget for you.

    Like: 130 average drinkers with beer, wine and liquor for a 6 hour party. (This could be way more extreme that what you are thinking, but hey I'm a party planner so I LOVE A PARTY).

    A Keg serves 164 -- 12 oz servings. Each keg of something delicious like Manny's from Georgetown Brewing Company would be $149 per keg.

    Beer: $298

    Word to the wise, in our experience, WE NEVER need two kegs. That is SO MUCH BEER. But we often get two just in case, cuz when you're a pro, you NEVER want to run out. But, if I were you I would seriously just get one keg.

    61 bottles of wine aka 5 cases. 3 or 4 red and 1 or 2 white depending on what you are serving for dinner and the weather. You can incorporate champagne for toasts into the white wine calculation. You can go to Pete's or a wine wholesaler and get something decent for like $6 a bottle.I just called the awesome Pete's Grocery, they have tons of stuff in that range and need just one week to make special orders.

    Wine: $360

    16 to 32 bottles of liquor in fifths: gin (beefeater) vodka (smirnoff) whiskey/bourbon (jim beam) tequila (sauza hornitos or lunazal) rum (bacardi) triple sec. Washington State Liquor stores will accept returns on any unopened liquor.

    Go to Cash and Carry to buy bar supplies:

    tonic, soda, coke, 7 Up, OJ, Cranberry,

    salt sugar lemons limes oranges olives cherries

    bar towels: 1 per bartender plus 2 spare for each actual bar 2 corkscrews 2 knives and cutting board. shakers and muddlers

    Then you can make martinis, manhattans, basic vodka/soda/tonics.

    One 750ML bottle of liquor will get you 16-1.5oz servings. 4-5 drinks per person. Which is a HUGE amount would equal 35 bottles.

    booze: $700

    So there is a lot of estimation in this. But, hopefully it is helpful. Let me know if you have more questions.

    Signature cocktails limit the price and really limit the drinking. You only buy what is in the cocktail. Like if you do:

    Randy's Whisky on the Rocks and Renee's Cuba Libre

    You only buy bottles of Woodford Reserve, ice, Bacardi, Coke and Limes. WAY CHEAPER. But also, much less boozy. You can always do a cute specialized signature cocktail before the ceremony and then FULL BAR at reception or just advertise the Signature Cocktail on the bar and have a full bar anway.

    Cori Ready answered in Weddings about 1 year ago | Report
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  • 2959482589_d59a69c6e4_small
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    We spent about 2 grand for our 80-person reception. Our friends can really drink though.

    Jessica Baxter answered in Weddings about 1 year ago | Report
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  • Finn3goof_small
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    We had about 200 or so folks at our wedding. Many of them hard drinking types. Even though we bought the liquor through a pal who owned a bar and so got some decent prices the total cost was about $2K. That included beer, wine (from a friend's vineyard and so also a good price), all sorts of liquor, cups, mixers, garnishes, etc. We had several cases of vodka, gin, bourbon, scotch, rye, irish, etc. as well as a few top shelf selections for the first few drinks...

    Tom answered in Weddings about 1 year ago | Report
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  • Aiden_as_fire_cheif_small
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    Just be sure to have a lot of vodka. Seems everyone wants to drink it. At our wedding, we had gin, vodka, and Captin Morgans. The vodka ran out after like, 1 hour. All other alcohol took at least double the time.

    O. Monique answered in Weddings about 1 year ago | Report
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