What does bar service include?

Choosing the best bar service for your wedding depends on your budget, your guests and the type of wedding you want. When it comes to your wedding you’re probably getting all kinds of advice, but alcohol is a personal choice. As the hosts, you and your partner should provide food and drinks that are appropriate for the time of day. But alcohol is purely optional. How much you provide is up to you. 

If you want a low key celebration with a champagne toast and maybe a bit of wine sipping, go ahead and plan that. If you’re having a longer reception, you might want to have more drinks for your guests. Or maybe you’d love to have a fun, party atmosphere. If that’s what you want for your wedding, make sure your budget includes some drinks for your guests.

Once you’ve decided how much alcohol you want to serve, you can start to think about what type of bar service you’d like to have at your reception. There’s a few different ways to configure your bar service. If you’re using a caterer talk to them to find out your options. Most will offer a host bar, an open bar or a cash bar.

What Does Host Bar Mean?

A host bar and open bar get confused a lot. You’re paying the bill for both, but with a host bar the bill is calculated based on drinks that your guests order. The bartender will keep track of the drinks ordered and you’ll be charged for each one at the end of the night. Sometimes, instead of charging per drink, the caterer will measure the bottles at the end of the night. You’ll pay for drinks based on the amount of liquor that was consumed. If you’re offering a host bar, make sure the method and the prices are outlined in your contract.

What Does Open Bar Mean?

An open bar is similar to a host bar - you’ll pay for all the drinks. The difference is in the way that you’re charged. Instead of paying for individual drinks, you’ll pay an hourly fee for each guest, regardless of the amount of alcohol consumed.

Most caterers will offer a few prices for a bar package. The lowest price will be a smaller selection with generic alcohol. If you choose a higher priced package you’ll get more selection and premium alcohol stocked at your bar. Choosing an hourly package makes it easy to do the math and make sure you’re on budget.

Pros and Cons of an Open Bar or Host Bar at Your Wedding Reception

Pros of a Host Bar or Open Bar: 

People love free drinks! If you want a fun, party atmosphere at your reception an open bar is a great way to get people dancing and mingling.

Cons of a Host Bar or Open Bar: 

People love free drinks! Some of them might overindulge. Depending on your guests, this could lead to some hilarious photos or some major regret. Another problem with an open bar is that people are sometimes wasteful. If they’re not paying, they’re more likely to put down a drink and forget about it. Then go back to the bar to order more.

Is a Host Bar Cheaper Than an Open Bar?

You should choose your bar service based on your guests and the type of party you want. If you have a lot of non drinkers, a host bar would be a good choice. You’ll only pay per drink, so it could be the less expensive option. The only problem is that you won’t know the final price until the end of the night. 

If your guests are going to party and dance for longer, they’ll probably drink more. In that case, an open bar would be a better choice. The hourly fee might seem high, but you won’t be surprised with a bigger bill than you expected.

What Does Cash Bar Mean?

A full bar is available, but each guest will pay for their own drinks and tips for the bartender. Typically the bar will be provided by the caterer or venue you’re working with.

How Does a Cash Bar Work?

A cash bar is easy to plan - and easy on your budget. Once you set it up with your caterer, they’ll have the bar and the bartender ready to go at your wedding reception. 

Before you decide, check if your caterer asks a minimum amount for your cash bar. Some caterers will need a guaranteed minimum. That means that if your guests don’t spend a certain amount you’ll have to make up the difference. It’s not necessarily bad, just check your math ahead of time so you’ll know if your guests are likely to cover the minimum. Then make sure you understand the numbers in your contract before you sign it.

Some people also wonder if this means literally cash only. The answer is no - most catering services and wedding venues allow the guests to use credit or debit cards. We just use the term cash bar to let the guests know that they’ll need to pay for their own drinks.

Pros and Cons of a Cash Bar at Your Wedding Reception

Pros of a Cash Bar: 

Your budget will thank you. A cash bar will save you a ton of money. People will be less likely to overindulge. Depending on your guests, this might be a good thing.

Cons of a Cash Bar:

Some guests might not be happy about having to pay for drinks. If you want a free flowing dance party, it might not happen without an open bar.

Other Options For Your Bar Service

With The French Gourmet Catered Bar Service, set up includes ice, cocktail napkins, straws, and all necessary equipment to facilitate the beverage service for your guests.

Contact Us at 858-488-1725 to have us setup the perfect bar for your event.

You can add bar service to any of our catering service styles.

For your safety and piece of mind, The French Gourmet is fully insured and licensed to provide and serve alcoholic beverages.

For your protection, when alcoholic beverages are served at an event, we will follow the guidelines of the Responsible Hospitality Coalition and observe the laws of the State of California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control. Our bartenders are LEAD certified. We are prohibited to serve minors and guests who appear to be intoxicated.