DIY bar

scissotron

alright, we're going to do our own bar, and i am super stressing about having enough/the right kinds of alcohol and mixers.

our venue stipulates that we have to get our beer from them, which is fine cuz they bring the kegs, ice them, tap them and remove them after.

i want liquor and mixers as well, and i dont think we'll be having wine, oh, and we'll just be having champagne for the wedding party, so i think just a couple bottles will do there.

ive read on other boards and other sites that most people dont have enough mixers, so is anyone experienced with DIY bars? 

i was thinking we'd need : 

vodka

whiskey

rum

coke

cranberry juice

but i have no idea what else or how much!

thurmanpowell

Hey,

Check out my post about this in ettiquette.

I will say though that you shouldn't have any food or drink reserved for only the WP. I want champagne, and even though most people don't like champagne I'm going to serve it since I'm not going to drink it without having plenty to go around.

As for you mixers, I suggest you look into some different drinks with those liqours. You can make a Vodka/coke, Cranberry/vodka, rum/coke and wishkey straight with those options. That's not very much. For all that you might be better served with a couple signiture drinks.

scissotron

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_food-cakes_diy-bar-1?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:23Discussion:caa79f76-627a-4375-9e97-85e407a170c7Post:d151eacd-7a4c-4e88-9e9c-4d3f8fb17471">Re: DIY bar</a>:
[QUOTE]Hey, Check out my post about this in ettiquette. I will say though that you shouldn't have any food or drink reserved for only the WP. I want champagne, and even though most people don't like champagne I'm going to serve it since I'm not going to drink it without having plenty to go around. As for you mixers, I suggest you look into some different drinks with those liqours. You can make a Vodka/coke, Cranberry/vodka, rum/coke and wishkey straight with those options. That's not very much. For all that you might be better served with a couple signiture drinks.
Posted by thurmanpowell[/QUOTE]
whiskey/cranberry and whiskey/coke are other options that lots of people drink.  do you have any suggestions for other liquors or mixers?  thats kinda more of what i was asking, cuz those are all that i could think of, and the most versatile, but i for sure think i would need additional kinds of mixers.

afeliz79

You can google this question and get a great list of all the things you need. Here is one.

 http://www.barmixmaster.com/2006/05/planning-cocktail-party.html

But, I will agree with PP, you really shouldn't have champagne for the wedding party only. It's true most people don't drink it so, you really shouldn't need to buy all that many bottles.

thurmanpowell

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_food-cakes_diy-bar-1?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:23Discussion:caa79f76-627a-4375-9e97-85e407a170c7Post:7a7064c7-ff1d-4919-9c1c-7e7dcf5398ba">Re: DIY bar</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: DIY bar : <strong>whiskey/cranberry and whiskey/coke are other options that lots of people drink. </strong> do you have any suggestions for other liquors or mixers?  thats kinda more of what i was asking, cuz those are all that i could think of, and the most versatile, but i for sure think i would need additional kinds of mixers.
Posted by scissotron[/QUOTE]


Those combinations can be done, of course, but I don't think those are frequently requested drinks. Whiskey is generally drank straight or with minimal mixers so that one can savor the flavor (think mint julep, whiskey and seven, old fashioned, Manhattan). Mixing whiskey with coke is what one does at a house party when all the Bacardi is gone.

For example, not the most reliable but I goggled whiskey/cranberry and this was the top result :<a href="http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20090320155739AACv70i" rel="nofollow">http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20090320155739AACv70i</a>

If you guest won't drink whiskey straight I'd substitute it with something else. I believe you already had rum listed, right? Gin would be better and add tonic to your list of mixers.

scissotron

i was really just looking for a kinda "how many bottles of mixers for each bottle of liquor" kinda answer.

thurmanpowell

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_food-cakes_diy-bar-1?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:23Discussion:caa79f76-627a-4375-9e97-85e407a170c7Post:c88acfdf-ac70-44da-bfb4-859be7a20ed6">DIY bar</a>:
[QUOTE]alright, we're going to do our own bar, and i am super stressing about having enough/the right kinds of alcohol and mixers. our venue stipulates that we have to get our beer from them, which is fine cuz they bring the kegs, ice them, tap them and remove them after. i want liquor and mixers as well, and i dont think we'll be having wine, oh, and we'll just be having champagne for the wedding party, so i think just a couple bottles will do there. ive read on other boards and other sites that most people dont have enough mixers, so is anyone experienced with DIY bars?  i was thinking we'd need :  vodka whiskey rum coke cranberry juice <strong>but i have no idea what else or how much!</strong>
Posted by scissotron[/QUOTE]


Doesn't read that way.

scissotron

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_food-cakes_diy-bar-1?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:23Discussion:caa79f76-627a-4375-9e97-85e407a170c7Post:e75575a3-d238-46fe-afe8-56bbf918d9ba">Re: DIY bar</a>:
[QUOTE]How many guests will you be having? How long will you be serving mixed drinks?  You cannot serve your bridal party items that you are not serving other people. I would never drink my whiskey with a mixure, I only drink whiskey straight so dont assume people will use mixtures with all the drinks.  You can have a variety of juices to be mixed with the booze.  Also, 7up, pepsi, and ginger ale are always good mixtures.
Posted by snippet17[/QUOTE]
haha, i guess it wouldve helped to include that info.  oops.  there will be somewhere around 40-50 adults there total.<div>do you think cans or bottles of the mixers would be a better option?</div>

scissotron

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_food-cakes_diy-bar-1?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:23Discussion:caa79f76-627a-4375-9e97-85e407a170c7Post:0c583d09-7bad-4843-b2a1-2b12d8180176">Re: DIY bar</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to DIY bar : Doesn't read that way.
Posted by thurmanpowell[/QUOTE]
and what other types.  i suppose we should have gin, too.

NYCMercedes

Why are you thinking of champagne just for the WP? That is very rude. Why no wine? Wine was the most popular drink at our wedding.

thurmanpowell

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_food-cakes_diy-bar-1?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:23Discussion:caa79f76-627a-4375-9e97-85e407a170c7Post:70c8b5ee-d795-4ced-bb7d-327f71c352b8">Re: DIY bar</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: DIY bar : and what other types.  i suppose we should have gin, too.
Posted by scissotron[/QUOTE]

If you're meaning what other types of liqour to constitute a full bar you should have at least:

Vodka
Light Rum
Dark Rum
Light Tequila
Dark Tequila
Whiskey or Bourbon
Scotch (yeah, largely the same as whiskey/bourbon but this line is less interchangible)
Gin
Maybe brandy, depending on your guests

For mixers you should have:
Cranberry juice
Coke
Sprite
Sour mix
Vermouth (if anyone will drink a martini)
bitters
triple sec (kinda a liqour I guess)
Tonic
Soda
Maybe throw in there a margarita, daquiri, or bloody mary mix. People will drink these drinks, but no one will get mad if you don't serve then at a wedding.
Maybe orange juice

Also, don't forget garnishments:

Limes
Oranges
Cherries
Olives

scissotron

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_food-cakes_diy-bar-1?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:23Discussion:caa79f76-627a-4375-9e97-85e407a170c7Post:40c0462d-2564-465f-9491-9871b7cb69d5">Re: DIY bar</a>:
[QUOTE]Why are you thinking of champagne just for the WP? That is very rude. Why no wine? Wine was the most popular drink at our wedding.
Posted by NYCMercedes[/QUOTE]
no one likes champagne, and we figured we'd have it for their speeches.<div>we may have some wine, but we've got a lot of beer drinkers (id say 99% of our drinkers are beer drinkers).</div>

scissotron

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_food-cakes_diy-bar-1?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:23Discussion:caa79f76-627a-4375-9e97-85e407a170c7Post:0e483b6a-ad25-459d-ae87-228e81c4af30">Re: DIY bar</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: DIY bar : If you're meaning what other types of liqour to constitute a full bar you should have at least: Vodka Light Rum Dark Rum Light Tequila Dark Tequila Whiskey or Bourbon Scotch (yeah, largely the same as whiskey/bourbon but this line is less interchangible) Gin Maybe brandy, depending on your guests For mixers you should have: Cranberry juice Coke Sprite Sour mix Vermouth (if anyone will drink a martini) bitters triple sec (kinda a liqour I guess) Tonic Soda Maybe throw in there a margarita, daquiri, or bloody mary mix. People will drink these drinks, but no one will get mad if you don't serve then at a wedding. Maybe orange juice Also, don't forget garnishments: Limes Oranges Cherries Olives
Posted by thurmanpowell[/QUOTE]
do you think its necessary to have a full bar, or, in your opinion, would it be ok to have just certain liquors?  do you think people would be mad if they went to order a drink and we didnt have their particular type of liquor?  we're on an extremely tight budget, and i dont wanna buy anything thats not gonna be used.  i figure i may be able to return some afterwards, if it wasnt opened, but we really dont have much to spend in the first place.  :)<div>thanks!</div>

NYCMercedes

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_food-cakes_diy-bar-1?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special Topic Wedding BoardsForum:23Discussion:caa79f76-627a-4375-9e97-85e407a170c7Post:c1c1bfe3-d92f-49b4-9ccc-bd76f723545d">Re: DIY bar</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: DIY bar : no one likes champagne, and we figured we'd have it for their speeches. we may have some wine, but we've got a lot of beer drinkers (id say 99% of our drinkers are beer drinkers).
Posted by scissotron[/QUOTE]


Lots of people like champagne. I love it.
When a toast is given, everyone present raises a glass so you need something for everyone to raise their glasses to you. Have you ever seen a toast with beer or water?

scissotron

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_food-cakes_diy-bar-1?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:23Discussion:caa79f76-627a-4375-9e97-85e407a170c7Post:c32a3768-e53b-4638-ae4e-87afd98ec1ad">Re: DIY bar</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: DIY bar : Lots of people like champagne. I love it. When a toast is given, everyone present raises a glass so you need something for everyone to raise their glasses to you. Have you ever seen a toast with beer or water?
Posted by NYCMercedes[/QUOTE]
yeah, every wedding ive been to where they had a toast, they did it with whatever drink is in their hand, whether it be beer, water, a mixed drink.  ive never been to wedding where there was champagne.  and i meant no one i know likes champagne (except me, haha).

MrsGandthebeag

I think you should go with wine and beer and call it a day.  

scissotron

k. i'm taking champagne off my list. it seems unnecessary. i will do wine, i think. tbh, im scared of wine because i rarely drink it, and have no idea what kinds people like. aren't there like hundreds of kinds of whites and reds? how do i know what people will drink? also would it be acceptable to have a list of liquors and mixers at the bar? keep in mind, this is a very laid back style of wedding. we are simply throwing a party to celebrate our love, in our own way. :

crumbcake82

Wine tends to be fairly popular at weddings, and it's much easier than trying to buy a full bar for 50 people.  You can get cheap cases of three buck chuck at Trader Joe's, or even Target has "okay" boxed wines.  If you're set on the liqour, get a variety of sodas (coke, diet coke, 7-up, ginger ale, and soda water) and at least orange, cranberry, lemon and/or lime juice.  At least get sweet and sour and an orange liqour.  Frankly, it would be easier to make a couple batches of drinks like a hard punch or lemonade, and maybe some margarita's or something to serve.  Lemonade with some cucumbers, basil, and lots of vodka goes over if you'd like something light.

Easy Wines - Reds - Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon 

Whites - get a Chardonnay or a Sauvignon Blanc, and White Zin or a Pinot for something sweet.