looking for beverage caterer / bartender

RachelR1977+RB

hey all - so, for my March 2016 wedding we're having a buffet supplied by a south suburbia sandwich shop (italian beef, and OMG SO TASTY) but we'd like to have an open bar.  Since we're not using a regular caterer, I guess we'll need to use like a beverage caterer?  Are those a thing?  I've googled it and i get mixed results.  

the other option we have is to just buy a shitton of booze (pretty much just PBR and well liquor) and hire a bartender - are there bartender services? 

.... i'm SO tempted to just put all the booze out in tubs with ice & a mixers table and let people go to town (it's all 21+ at the wedding/reception) but my suggestion got totally shot down.  and while i get that it might not look good, I also like easy.

any suggestions or recommendations on what you might have used would be so helpful.  thanks!

Knottie1446513632

I'm actually curious about this too.

RachelR1977+RB

So, my dad found a bartender - actually the venue had a 'beverage caterer' that they use, so he went with them.  Turns out that Indiana has some weird rules about the licensing required for bartenders and that narrowed the list down to a very very short one.

the weird thing is that they have said that closing the bar for an hour during dinner is required, although i'm not sure if that means required by that service or required by indiana.  regardless, he'll still have soda and water service during that time so an hour without beers won't kill anybody. even if it does suck.