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Not offering red wine?

Norabelle26Norabelle26
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in Wedding Reception Forum
I've read a couple of posts about this but wanted to take a poll with our specifics.

Our venue wants a great big deposit for red wine and cranberry juice (newly renovated space), and we're thinking about scrapping them to save some $$ and spare me the anxiety of monitoring guests' spillage.  I honestly don't trust our friends not to spill and even though we've got a lot of wine drinkers, I'm hopeful they can make do with the rest of the full bar. It's a late Spring wedding, in the evening and all indoors.  The menu isn't picked yet but I think I can make it white wine-friendly.What do you ladies think about this?
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Re: Not offering red wine?

  • cwaggoner07cwaggoner07 member
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    Will you have other alcohol besides white wine? I personally would have no issue with it as long as there are a few other alcoholic beverages to choose from.
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  • HobokensFuryHobokensFury member
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    As long as there are plenty of other options there is no problem with it.
     
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  • NOLAbridealmostNOLAbridealmost member
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    It's never rude to not serve a particular drink...

    ....But as a red wine drinker, that choice would bum me out.

    ....But as a spiller I would completely understand.

    ....But just in general I would still be bummed that there was no red vino.
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  • Norabelle26Norabelle26
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    Yes, full liquor options & mixers (except cranberry) and a couple of white wines, so there will be other options. Thanks for the input!
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  • Avion22Avion22 member
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    edited December 2012
    I would find it VERY odd that red wine wasn't being served because the host couldn't trust me not to spill stuff.   If the venue is that uptight about spillage, then they shouldn't be renting the space out for parties.

    I get that you don't want to pay the deposit. And in the end, I might not even notice that you don't offer red wine or cranberry juice.   But if I did notice, I would find it really odd.    Are you also supposed to require your guests to remove their shoes?   Are you only serving food with white sauces?   No chocolate?    
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  • jessicabessicajessicabessica member
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    I think it's ok not to offer it, although I would miss red wine (and cranberry juice, actually...cranberry juice, seltzer and lime is my go-to non-alcoholic drink).  

    I personally would not go with a venue that had a policy like this, it just seems silly.  Like Avion said, if they're so worried about it, maybe they shouldn't be renting it out for parties.  A spill here and there is normal wear and tear.  
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  • AdeleDazeemAdeleDazeem member
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    Is this place lined floor to ceiling with white carpeting?  That's the venue's problem.

    This reminds me of that Sex and the City episode where Carrie goes to some uptight Manhattan party where the host refuses to serve brown food.  No red wine for anyone that evening. 

    People host house parties all the time and I've never heard of anyone not serving red wine because they were afraid someone would spill. 

    Anyway, I guess what I'm trying to say is that I'd negotiate with the venue to point out the idiocy of the policy before I made my guests only have clear drinks.

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  • gymbugmj2kgymbugmj2k member
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    OK truthfully....im SO MAD at your venue!! haha

    it is NOT your business if their space is newly renovated or not. They should allow you to serve the standard fare (yes, red and white). Here's a question for them -- when do they consider their space NOT 'newly renovated' and stop charging a rediculous overage for those 2 beverages?!??  It sounds like since you booked them when they're still 'new', YOU get penalized. That is NOT GOOD BUSINESS.  Besides, there are so many other things that can spill/stain. what about red sauce? or bloody mary's like PP said...pomagranite martinis....the list goes on.

    I would fight this if you can.

    Personally, I would be sort of put off if there was no red wine at a wedding, but there was white wine.  A lot of my italian family prefers reds....especially pairing with pastas and meat.  I suppose the only compromise you could make is to offer a blush or rose (rose-ay) wine (more in the pink family then truly red).



    also -- funny point to note. my venue had a 'no bubbles or confetti' policy.  little did they know that a huge italian wedding would bring (and inevitably throw) peanuts everywhere. dont ask. family tradition. but they STILL didnt get out of vacuuming the place. =P  Sometimes policies are just straight up dumb.

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  • MairePoppyMairePoppy mod
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    edited December 2012
    Your venue's policy is very strange.

    When I drink wine, I prefer cabernet or merlot over white wine. But you are offering plenty of other options, so I would order mixed drinks instead of wine.
                       
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  • alithebridealithebride member
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    edited December 2012
    LOL soda can stain too. so can rum. so can beer. what's their issue?! sorry that's a stupid policy. like no one can drop a plate of pasta and the sauce wont stain?! silly silly reasoning.

    yes-honestly-as a strictly red drinker i'd be pissed if all you had was white. on the rare (i mean maybe 3 glasses a year) occasion the only whites i can stomach are unoaked chardonnays and they're few and far between.

     

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  • MyNameIsNotMyNameIsNot member
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    I agree with PPs that this policy is stupid, and I would probably go with another venue if they were being this uptight.  If I can't trust my guests not to spill red wine, I wouldn't trust them not to spill soda, beer, or other drinks that stain.  If they're this uptight, you can be sure they'll raise a stink and try to charge you if someone spills something else, or drops cake somewhere, or whatever.

    As a guest, I would notice, but I'd get over it and drink white or liquor.  I only know 1-2 people in my wide range of drinking friends that only drink red wine. so I will say that you probably won't have anyone that wouldn't be just as happy with another option.  

    Just a thought to add, I would select the menu with the lack of red wine in mind.  While most wine drinkers I know enjoy both red and white, I can think of quite a few people that wouldn't like to eat beef with chardonnay.  I would select a menu that features chicken and seafood paired with cream, lemon or white wine based sauces.  That isn't to say don't serve any red meat at all, but I would select menu items that would naturally pair with whites over reds.  
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  • OwningAHome1981OwningAHome1981 member
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    is it the venue policy that they don't want spilling? My understanding was that the OP didn't want the spilling.

    Honestly you can't prevent spilling, the $$ I understand, but spilling will always happen so that's not a good reason I feel. If it IS the venue's policy that's just dumb. They better hope there's never any children at any function they have there then, lol.

    No red wine= lots of very disappointed guests.
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