Raise Your Glass Is An Open, Cash or No Bar Right For Your Wedding?
Endless opportunities exist for how to handle alcohol at a wedding. Figuring out bar options for a wedding reception can be overwhelming, but when handled well, an evening of fun awaits. Alcohol options at a wedding can range from serving just beer and wine to an open bar with full liquor options to even a dry reception. When coaching couples through the decision-making process, Megan Drake, local wedding planner and owner of The Elegant Event, helps brides and grooms think through issues such as the alcohol options provided by their venue, whether they can supply their own alcohol, what the costs for alcohol may be and other related topics.
Spice It Up For those with the budget to add some fun to their bar option, Megan said fancy mobile bars are an exciting way to spice 14 | All About Weddings 2022
up the alcohol experience for guests. These bars come in a variety of shapes and sizes. One mobile bar in particular that she enjoyed was a vintage truck that served drinks out of kegs in the back of the truck. However, the kegs were hidden under barn wood boxes to add to the aesthetic of the bar. Megan added that her favorite mobile bar from 2021 was a beautifully converted horse trailer. With most creative mobile bar options associated with companies outside the High Country, be sure to do research as early as possible. Though these bars come with increased prices, they can greatly add to the experience of guests. Signature cocktails are all the rage these days at weddings. With couples creating favorite or memorable drinks with a spin for their friends and family to enjoy, they’re able to share a part of their story with those in attendance.
Megan said she’s recently seen many couples choose to name their cocktails after their pets or mimic a drink from a local restaurant. “Whether it’s a favorite, whether it’s kind of thinking outside the box as far as what you would typically drink, or just trying to suit the particular season that you’re in — those are all fun ways of creating signature drinks,” Megan says. Frank Williams, food and beverage manager at Morchella Provisions — which provides the alcohol options at Twickenham House — helps couples think through signature cocktail choices if they are stuck deciding what to serve. An important tip to keep in mind when dreaming up a signature cocktail is to think about how easy it will be for the bartender to create the drink quickly. Though Frank said he is able to create a fancy, complicated mixed drink as a signature cocktail, the guests’ experience at the reception can be hampered by how aawmag.com
