Need 'self-serve bar' advice!!

corrine88

Hey ladies, back with what I'm sure will be another of many reception questions!

The hall we are using for the reception is a local community hall. We are going to be providing alcohol and setting up a bar table for people to serve themselves. I'm planning on having one signature drink and then either alcohol and mixers or beer and wine. (provided by my brother as our wedding gift - we did not ask, he instantly offered once he heard we were thinking of not having alcohol haha)

Now a little background, I have thoroughly researched this. This is allowed in my state, we do not need a certified bartender (either way my sister who is the MOH is a certified bartender in my state), the hall allows this with the conditions we pay an additional fee of 135.00 for having alcohol on the premesis and somebody 21years of age or older has to be inside at all times (which won't be an issue as just about all guests are over 21 and the rest are young children).

The problem is I'm not sure how to execute this properly. Should we just set up a table with a cute sign and everything they need and let them go for it? Also, should we get alcohol and mixers or just wine and beer along with the sig cocktail, should a bottle of wine go on the tables? This is a pretty low-key affair. Just looking for ideas on how to make it look nice, fit in with the rustic theme of our wedding, little things to go on the bar  table and things like that. All suggestions and advice welcome!!

GoodLuckBear14

If you are going to go without a bartender, you need to take out an insurance policy - and a hefty one at that.  Talk to your home owners insurance about putting one together.

Maggie0829

StageManager, please re-read OP, she said that the majority of her guests are over 21 but a few are young children.

I would definitely be worried about liability as well.  A bartender does not just serve drinks, they make sure that the individuals are old enough to have a drink and cut people off if they notice that they have had a few too many.  Honestly, with having to pay a $135 fee for not having a bartender, I would just put that money towards hiring one so there is someone at the bar to control consumption and the possible mess/waste.

corrine88

I appreciate the advice I've gotten so far. I do want to clear a few things up, 

1) We do not have to pay the 135.00 fee to not have a bartender, it's just a fee for having alcohol there., the facility has no bar or anything, which is why we'll be setting everything up on a table.

2) It's not a normal reception venue, it's a community center that you can rent the meeting rooms for parties and what not. 

3) I get the comments about liability and insurance, I know my guests tho, a lot don't drink, the ones that do drink smart and don't create scenes. I am aware that if something happens at the hall due to a drunken guest that it is on me and I accept that responsiblity. However as I don't think it'll be an issue I won't be getting an insurance policy (but I honestly do appreciate those suggestions)

4) Looking how to make the table rustic looking and fit with our rustic theme or things that should go on a 'bar table' 

Thanks again ladies, hope to see some new responses! :-)

JoanE2012

If it's self serve, I'd just do beer next to the soda.  Have it in a tub or something.  A guest that has to pour their own wine or mix their own drinks seems weird.

GoodLuckBear14

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_reception-ideas_need-self-serve-bar-advice?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:5Discussion:387cd386-c8ba-4245-8f9b-4ba4588a4ce0Post:d16b0feb-262a-4918-87e8-b0e0b9c8098b">Re: Need 'self-serve bar' advice!!</a>:
[QUOTE]I appreciate the advice I've gotten so far. I do want to clear a few things up,  1) We do not have to pay the 135.00 fee to not have a bartender, it's just a fee for having alcohol there., the facility has no bar or anything, which is why we'll be setting everything up on a table. 2) It's not a normal reception venue, it's a community center that you can rent the meeting rooms for parties and what not.  3) I get the comments about liability and insurance, I know my guests tho, a lot don't drink, the ones that do drink smart and don't create scenes. I am aware that if something happens at the hall due to a drunken guest that it is on me and I accept that responsiblity. However as I don't think it'll be an issue I won't be getting an insurance policy (but I honestly do appreciate those suggestions) 4) Looking how to make the table rustic looking and fit with our rustic theme or things that should go on a 'bar table'  Thanks again ladies, hope to see some new responses! :-)
Posted by corrine88[/QUOTE]
 
Nobody thinks that someone will have one too many and injure someone in an accident.  You only have to be legally drunk which in PA does not take much.  You say that you are willing to take on that responsibility and I'm telling you that is a really dumb move.  Spend the few hundred dollars on a policy just to be on the safe side.  If you don't and a legally drunk guests injures or God forbid kills someone, you are looking at several hundred thousand dollars in liability that YOU will be paying.  Still want to take that kind of responsibility?

corrine88

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_reception-ideas_need-self-serve-bar-advice?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:5Discussion:387cd386-c8ba-4245-8f9b-4ba4588a4ce0Post:60f1a1f0-67b0-4221-88e2-c10d62cbdb68">Re: Need 'self-serve bar' advice!!</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: Need 'self-serve bar' advice!! :   Nobody thinks that someone will have one too many and injure someone in an accident.  You only have to be legally drunk which in PA does not take much.  You say that you are willing to take on that responsibility and I'm telling you that is a really dumb move.  Spend the few hundred dollars on a policy just to be on the safe side.  If you don't and a legally drunk guests injures or God forbid kills someone, you are looking at several hundred thousand dollars in liability that YOU will be paying.  Still want to take that kind of responsibility?
Posted by GoodLuckBear14[/QUOTE]<div>
</div><div>Yes I do. I'm not trying tobe rude or anything about it, just that I have thought it through and yes I have decided to take that responsiblity onto myself. I really don't forsee any problems. But I do appreciate you and the rest of the ladies that gave me the advice/suggestions regarding liability and insurance. 

</div>

corrine88

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_reception-ideas_need-self-serve-bar-advice?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:5Discussion:387cd386-c8ba-4245-8f9b-4ba4588a4ce0Post:f702bd7d-00e3-4221-8727-83949a198cf3">Re: Need 'self-serve bar' advice!!</a>:
[QUOTE]If it's self serve, I'd just do beer next to the soda.  Have it in a tub or something.  A guest that has to pour their own wine or mix their own drinks seems weird.
Posted by JoanE2012[/QUOTE]
 <div>Yea, I do think I'll end up doing beer, the signature drink (which will be in a punch bowl of something similar) and then wine on the tables. It would be weird for guests to mix their own, and I don't see it getting used as the people who do drink tend to drink wine or beer. Thank you again!</div>

DramaGeek

I agree that you should just do a sig drink in a pitcher or something, but I will be one more debbie downer and try to persuade you not to do self serve.  H's cousin did self serve and they ended up liable for at least $8k (might have been 10, I can't remember now) in damaged done to their venue by drunk guests.  It got really out of hand because no one was monitoring and cutting off those who'd had too much.

Please also make sure you provide plenty of non-alcoholic beverages, as well as water.  Part of the reason H's cousin's guests got so hammered is that it was incredibly hot and the only choices were beer or punch.

HobokensFury

OP you are being very naive.  Protect yourself before you get bit in the ass. No one ever expects something bad to happen at their wedding but it does. I know first hand- my house burned down 12 hours before my wedding and we lost some of our wedding stuff. At least if I had wedding insurance they would have given me the money back.  But I figured nothing was going to happen so I skipped it.

planingweddinggirl

If it's not too much to ask, ask your sister to get one of her bartending friends to monitor the table. Like said above, you want someone else to be accountable and liable for any mishaps that can (and probably will) happen.

coconut shrimp

I'm in a similar position, we are having a post-reception boat cruise and are allowed to serve alcohol any way we would like.  However, to keep some order so it doesn't become a total free-for-all and to have someone to manage the potential mess we are hiring a bartender through our wedding reception venue which also caters for the boat company.  Something tells me that will be some of the best spent money for the wedding. 

SKPM

My venue requires that we take out an insurance policy so I checked with my parents' homeowners insurance company. For us, it costs 50 dollars for 1 million dollars in coverage or 85 for 2 million in coverage. Obviously it may be different for your location and event, but it seems completely affordable and like a smart move. It isn't an insult to your guests or anything, just part of smart hosting.

corrine88

Thank you ladies for all the advice!

annie912

I second all the PPs who suggest the insurance. It is not expensive in relation to a "what if." We're doing a self-serve bar for our backyard wedding and double, triple and quadruple checked the coverage. It is not worth the risk. This may be a stretch, but just to prove the point that knowing your guests isn't enough - I have heard that in some states, you can be held partially liable for a car accident if you are legally intoxicated, even if you wouldn't have been at fault otherwise because the presumption is that your intoxicated state impaired your ability to avoid the accident.

annie912

No idea why my posts are centered all of the sudden.

nafallon

     In our state we were required to have a bartender.  It could be someone who had a temporary license for the one event, but we went with a bartender we knew from a restaurant that we frequent.  She only charged $200 for the evening and would have done it for $100 if we had let her put out a tip jar (she did get tips anyway).  I uhderstand some bartenders will do a wedding reception just for tips.   She made sure no one underage had alcohol and was able to make sure no one got really drunk. it was nice not to have to worry about the bar running smoothly. 

      We also took out a rider on our homeowner's insurance.  It was only a few dollars for a lot lf piece of mind. 

      We had beer, wine and mulled wine for a signature drin (it was a December wedding). Once again this was dictated by the state, but it made things less complicated and there was no discussion about whether to have mixed drinks...we were not allowed. One thing I learned was that you don't need many glasses if you have beer and soft drinks in cans or bottles....most beople just drink them from the can or bottle.  I had LOTS of glasses left.

Mandaw0515

You dont need a bartender, u said that u know ur guests and its low key then u should be ok just doing what u originally posted, which is a bowl of ur sig drink that people can serve themselves, like they do at showers, and either a keg, or a tub of beer on ice and a couple of wine bottles. I dont think that an insurance policy is necessary. I dont seeing people taking out insurance policies for grad parties or birthday parties that you have to serve ur selves... Have a table set out with all the choices maybe put alarge bottle of wine on the table with a silver sharpie and have the guests sign like a guest book. Good luck with ur wedding !!