Planning an event can be stressful. Adding alcohol to that event can just add more! It can be overwhelming, but that’s part of the reason we started this business. It is our goal to relieve some of that stress for our clients so that they can enjoy their day! Whether that’s a wedding, engagement party, birthday party, or any other kind of private event or celebration. For those with upcoming events who may not know where to begin when it comes to having alcohol available for your guests, we’ve compiled list! Here are 5 bar-related concepts (or as we say, bar-cepts) you should consider/keep in mind when planning your next event.
1. Safety
Safety first! It may seem appealing to have a friend or family member run the open bar at your event, but it is important to have a certified or licensed bartender running your bar for safety purposes. In Arkansas, bartenders are not required to hold a specific license, nor is there an actual Arkansas State licensure for bartenders. However, it is strongly recommended by Arkansas Beverage Control that bartenders take a serving course that teaches serving safety and how to properly ID. Will your designated friend or family member be able to estimate BAC (blood alcohol content) based on approximate weight and drinks consumed per hour? Will they be trained in assessing behavior changes or counting drinks of your guests? Of course you want everyone to have a good time (WE DO TOO!!), but a couple hours of fun isn’t worth putting lives in danger. Our Toasts in Tow bartenders are ServSafe certified to maintain your safety and the safety of your guests. With the ServSafe course, our bartenders are training in alcohol law, preventing intoxication, checking ID, and handling difficult alcohol-related situations.
2. Picture Perfect
Many events that require bar services will be highly photographed- especially weddings. One area of concern that hosts should think about are photographs. If your bar menu includes beer, do you mind if there are beer cans in your photographs? Some hosts do not mind, but others might regret not considering this question when they see pictures from their reception. There is absolutely nothing wrong with asking your bartenders to pour beer in cups or glasses if this is an area of concern for you. The same goes for cups! You can get a ton of styrofoam or red solo cups for CHEAP – but do you mind seeing those in your photos? We offer a consultation with our Tavern Haul package where we will help advise an alcohol order, but we’ll also discuss plasticware options. When picking disposable plasticware for cocktails and wine, consider what will match the aesthetic of your event and what you won’t mind being photographed. There are very affordable “crystal clear” plasticware options – just tell us what you’d like!
3. Shots (EVERRRYYBODDDYY!)
Possibly one of our biggest pieces of advice- have a bottle (or 2) of liquor on hand for shots. This has come up at every event we have done so far, but we know it might not be for everyone. Definitely think over your guest list and consider if anyone will want to do a shot or two. What if your bar menu only includes beer and wine, but your guests are feeling especially celebratory? Or maybe your groom and his groomsmen want take a shot together! We just recommend that if your menu doesn’t include liquor and you know your guests are on the shot-taking side, have a bottle of liquor stored away with your bartender in case the moment arises. You can even tell your bartender that it is designated only for certain guests or the bridal party.
4. “Multi-Talented” Alcohol
“Multi-talented” alcohol is like “bar-cepts”. A term we invented/adapted that just makes sense to us. (Like “Festivus” is to Seinfeld.) When planning your bar menu, we recommend choosing alcohol that can be used in a variety of drinks- especially if you are on a budget. For example, if you want to have some variation in your cocktail list but want to stick to one liquor, vodka works great with several different, inexpensive mixers like club soda with lime, cranberry juice, sprite, or Redbull. The alcohol base is the same, but the taste of the drink is significantly different. Additionally, drinks that are built differently taste differently. Cocktails that are built in a glass over ice taste very different from those that are built in a shaker, even if the ingredients are similar. (We talk about drink options like this with our clients during our alcohol consultation!) This bar-cept is one of the reasons we feel that our mimosa bar is so popular. Our hosts’ provide champagne and guests can personalize their drink with a variety of different juice flavors.
5. It’s Your Party
I know you’ve read this entire blog post, so maybe your eyes are getting a little tired, but PERK UP. This is the most important one to remember! It is your party! You get to enjoy it as well – you shouldn’t be stressing! We will never not recommend hiring a bartender or bartending service for your event even if it’s for this simple reason. Of course, we are biased…..we started a mobile bartending business. Can’t hide that…but we’ve also been to plenty of our friends’ and family’s weddings, showers, engagement parties, etc where the hosts’ have been SO stressed about things running smoothly. The stress of serving alcohol to your guests is avoidable and can be taken off of your hands. Just call us to set up a consultation/estimate and we’ll show you!