Bartending vs Alcohol Catering

knottie3babf06281cf9d92

Hi all! I am planning a wedding for next May and my fiancé and I are having a hard time deciding whether or not to buy our own alcohol and hiring someone to bartend it (venue requirement) or have an alcohol caterer who prices it per person. We’re having around 175 people and I know for a fact at least 40-50 won’t be drinking. Any advice out there/ what you found worked best? Thanks!

maine7mob

The easiest thing is to find a caterer who will price per drink. That will also be the cheapest, since so many of your guests won't be drinking alcohol. Is this an option at all? Even if your caterer says they only do a per person price schedule, it might help to push back and ask for a per drink rate. You can settle up at the end. We did this for our daughter's wedding and it worked out very well.

Otherwise, it will be far less expensive, though more of a hassle, to buy the liquor yourself and hire a professional bartender. In this case, you may want to just do beer, wine, and a few specific cocktails, as well as some good non-alcoholic drinks. Most liquor stores will allow you to return any unopened bottles for a refund.

I would not do a per person rate in your situation. You will be gouged and you will pay a fortune!