Open Bar Question

zappatini

My Fiance and I are very recently engaged and beginning to look at venues for the reception. Knowing our personalities and invitees, we have already decided we will do an open bar throughout the reception. Yesterday a friend said at her wedding they did the same but instead of having the bar open in the reception hall, they had cocktail servers throughout their entire event that took the orders and basically brought back the drinks (reminds me a little of when I'm in Vegas at the casinos). My thought was "gosh that must suck to have to wait for your drink" but she said that guests had commented to her that it felt like a more high end affair to have such personal attention. She also said that it ran her a lot less to have the additional staff than the open bar since so much less ended up getting consumed as groups were not hanging out at the bar all night. She also didn't have to deal with any out of control drunken invitees. I have yet to be at a wedding that served in this matter. What do you think? And, since we are just beginning to look at venues, do you think venues/caterers would cooperate with an idea like this? Thanks for the insight and opinions!

danieliza1127

I've never been to a reception like that and I really don't think most venues would go for it because of the extra staff that would require, but I could be wrong.  It wouldn't hurt to ask.  I do think the bar with a bartender should still be available though, just like it would be at a bar with a waitress.  People shouldn't have to wait for drinks.  If you're paying a per person open bar price, it really doesn't matter whether people drink one or five, the cost to you is the same.

mbcdefg

I would just ask each venue what their bar policy is. In my area, I've found that (a) most venues have a set way of doing something when it comes to food service and the bar and don't really like to change it, and (b) there are quite a few places that already do this type of thing anyway. Still, it couldn't hurt to ask. The worst they can do is say no.

I <3 Seabass

I've been to weddings that do this, but that was never the only way to get a drink. And now that I think of it I'm not sure if the servers were actually asking for drink orders or if I just asked them for a drink and they were nice enough to go get. Either way I think it would be nice to have that option for people who don't feel like getting up and waiting on line at the bar. But like pp said I wouldn't make that the only option, because then a lot of people will be stuck in their seats waiting for the server to come back with their drink.

lyndausvi

I would like a combination of both.  If you do not have enough servers I would be annoyed at the slow service.  But if the service was good I like not having to go to the bar.

OFF

I like the idea. I hate interupting conversations to go to the bar to get drinks this would be a nice way to keep conversations flowing and avoid long lines at the bar. But like the pp said I would still have the option where people could go and get their own drinks.

alithebride

pretty much every venue in my area has a combo of waiters and a bar. it works beautifully.