Servers delivering drinks/No walk up bar

Re: Servers delivering drinks/No walk up bar

• JCbride2015 member

  

  April 2014

  emz101 said:

  Hey Ladies,

   

  I was just informed by my venue that for our bar there is no kind of walk up service and it is all ordered through and delivered by the servers. While I think this is kind of strange with an open bar the servers will constantly be going back and forth, has anyone ever experienced this before? How has it worked? As well is there any proper way to inform guests of this so they aren't walking up to the bar themselves? FYI I do not have a wedding website or facebook and majority of my guests are not close friends, more family friends and relatives.

   

  Thanks

  Hmm.  So there will be a physical bar, but the guests cannot use it?  I would make very sure with the venue that they will have plenty of servers so your guests are not waiting around for a drink.

  
  

  Our engagement party was limited open bar in a private room of a restaurant, so the servers were going back and forth for drinks.  I did hear one or two complaints though that we could have used an extra server for drinks, which is what made me think of the above comment.

  
  

  I think the best you can do is spread the word verbally.  If it's mostly family, just have the parents aunts/uncles whoever start mentioning to people.  It's not really a big deal and people will figure it out when they get there.

  
  

  
  

  
  

  "I'm not a rude bitch.  I'm ten rude bitches in a large coat."

  
  

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• Maggie0829 member

  

  April 2014

  As a guest that would kind of annoy me. I would have to find a server, place my order, then wait while that server is stopped X number of times by other people, then wait for the drink orders to be filled, then have the server make his way through everyone to then deliver the drinks and hope that he doesn't forget who is who. I guess I could see this working for a very small wedding, but anything over 50 (and that is pushing it) and it is going to be a cluster.

  
  

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• tammym1001 member

  

  April 2014

  I think you definitely need to talk to the venue about how this usually works and how many servers you will have. My venue has a dedicated server for every table so they wouldn't have a problem with being stopped by other people or not being available, but if you have 20 tables and 5 servers I could see this being a huge problem. I think if people have to wait too long they are going to walk up to the bar whether they are supposed to or not. 

  
  

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• Maggie0829 member

  

  April 2014

  I think you definitely need to talk to the venue about how this usually works and how many servers you will have. My venue has a dedicated server for every table so they wouldn't have a problem with being stopped by other people or not being available, but if you have 20 tables and 5 servers I could see this being a huge problem. I think if people have to wait too long they are going to walk up to the bar whether they are supposed to or not. 

  I can see it working while people are sitting at their tables, but what happens after dinner?

  
  

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• emz101 member

  

  April 2014

  Well I am not having a dance at all and it is a Sunday wedding so after dinner I am sure there will just be mingling then people will probably start trickeling home after 10pm.

  @tammym1001: Ya I think I will ask my venue how it normally works when I go down to talk to them tomorrow, my venue is an expensive fancy restaurant so I am sure they will have at least 1 server per table.

  I just really want to save my guests embarrassment of walking up to the bar to be told to go sit down.

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• BlueBirdMB member

  

  April 2014

  Super weird.  I mean if you aren't having dancing, I guess this could work.  Just like having a meal at a restaurant.  I don't see that it would be a problem although I might be confused.  I do like a having a server though!

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• banana468 member

  

  April 2014

  I really like this option. It's also better for the old school guests, particularly the ladies who will not go up to a bar. If your venue is used to this, I don't think it's an issue. Guests need to be greeted by the staff and advised that they can order drinks from their server in person.

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• carliealissa member

  

  April 2014

  Well, if it's just at a restaurant and there's no dancing, it would kind of seem weirder to me that they would have to get up and go to the bar for a drink.  This way they are just going to be served drinks by their server, like any other time they are out to eat at a restaurant.

   

  

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• thelastdreamer member

  

  April 2014

  Based on the type of the reception you are having, it doesn't seem that weird.

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• emz101 member

  

  April 2014

  After talking with my venue today, they told me that my guests can go up to the bar if they choose but servers are on hand to take drink orders. I am glad my guests have both options in the end.

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• gg&ld14 member

  

  May 2014

  I'm used to servers at weddings. It's the normal thing where I'm from, even in dance weddings with 400 people. I works absolutely fine if you have enough servers JUST FOR DRINKS (1 per table or 1 for 2 tables works as well). 

  It all depends of the quality of service provided by the staff; I've gone to weddings where I haven't even ordered a second drink and one magically appears in front of me.

  If you have enough servers you will be fine.

  

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• Fairyjen1 member

  

  May 2014

       I wouldn't find this odd since it's in a restaurant. I mean, I usually order my drink at my table and have it brought to me when I eat dinner at a restaurant. I know I could go up to the bar if I wanted, but I  usually just order from my server. 

  
  

      If it were in a banquet hall I might find it more unusual, but in a restaurant I probably wouldn't even think of it.
  

  
  

       

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