Now more than ever, it is important to manage your costs well when planning your wedding.  This doesn’t have to mean that you cut features out of the picture, but it certainly helps to be savvy.  If you’re planning to offer alcohol at your wedding, be it wine, beer, cocktails, or simply champagne for a toast, Dave Palmer of Palmer Bartending has some insider and expert advice that will help you avoid unnecessary expenses.

1.  Know your guests.  Don’t be blinded by your own preferences; know what they like to drink.  If offered a full range of cocktails in addition to beer and wine, will most of your guests just want bottles of light beer?  If you buy three kegs of beer, will most guests be drinking cocktails all night?   Do you have connoisseur friends or relatives who will turn their noses at “bargain” wines?  Also, it’s unnecessary to overwhelm your guests with choices - that’s a good way to have leftovers.   They’re your friends, they aren’t going to complain about free drinks.  [Your new mother-in-law, on the other hand…]

2.  Don’t go overboard on champagne.  Most guests will only put down one glass, or partial glass,  for the toast.  Some people don’t even like champagne. For many, the toast will be plenty, and only a small percentage will want more after that.  Keep in mind also that a serving of champagne is smaller than a standard pour of wine, only about 3 oz., instead of 4 to 5.  So you can get more servings per bottle than with regular wines.   You may want to consider innovative ideas like offering a mimosa toast (half champagne, half orange juice), especially if the wedding is earlier in the day. 

3.  Bottle size.  The last thing you want to come home to after the honeymoon is 5 opened  bottles of two-week old wine, well on its way to vinegar.  Unopened wine and liquor bottles are returnable to the state liquor stores, so buy more smaller bottles (.75 liters) rather than fewer large bottles (1.75 liters).  While prices are lower per once in larger bottles, the savings will be in your favor when you get to return entire bottles of unneeded liquor and wine.  Instruct your bartenders or caterers not to open more bottles than you will need.  Sometimes for speed, caterers will pre-open all the champagne, so they can pour and serve the toast quickly when that time comes.   I’ve seen a bride and groom trying to figure out what to do with 10 opened champagne bottles after their guests have all left. 

Dave Palmer is the owner of Palmer Bartending , a fully insured bartending service that provides Pennsylvania State certified bartenders for private functions.  Dave is currently a bartender at the Allen Street Grill.  He has 11 years hospitality experience including bartending, managing, cooking, waiting tables, and catering.

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