How to Set Up a Bar at Your Next Party
What makes a great party? Great food, interesting people and short lines for the bar. Whether stocked full of high-end brands or set with a simple selection of beer and wine, the bar is the place you’ll find guests chatting and laughing throughout the night. Here are some tips to ensure your bar runs smoothly throughout your event.
Specialty Cocktail
Create a signature drink that feels on-theme to you or your party. The best cocktails for a crowd are made with 2-to-4 ingredients or, even better, by the pitcher. Fruit juices add sweetness and flavor. Herbs elevate a drink. Make ahead syrups are easy to add. And stick with classic spirits including vodka, gin, tequila, or Prosecco to add some bubbly. Extra points if your drink can be served sans alcohol for your non-drinking guests.
Multiple Outlets
Offer more than one location for your bars. Spread them out and make them easy to see. Consider having your main bar fully staffed and centrally located. And, depending your party size, add one or two on either end of the space. The satellite bars might offer only wine, beer, soda and water, and might be self-serve, if appropriate. Offering drinks in multiple locations will keep lines from forming and allow guests to return to the party with ease.
Bartender vs. Self Serve
The age of attendees, guest-list size, and the individuals on it will determine if you need to hire bartenders for the night or go self-serve. If hiring some extra hands, make sure you both understand who is responsible for what items. Hiring a bartender can come turnkey, but you will pay more for that level of service. Many bartending services will allow you to do all the prep work, providing drinks, mixers, and stemware, saving you some money.
Open Bar
Avoid a cash bar when possible. It is your party, and all expenses should be yours. Create drink options that fit your budget or skinny down the guest list to reduce costs. Offering only beer, wine and soda will avoid the cost of hard liquor, mixers and all the stemware needed to support a more varied drink menu.
Buy Enough, But Not Too Much
Guests will average two drinks during cocktail hour. If your party goes later, more drinks will be needed. A daytime event will demand less alcohol. Who are your guests? Are they wine drinkers? Do they prefer beer? Know who is coming and be prepared with their preferences. A quick internet search can give you guidelines on how much alcohol to buy,
Save Some Coin
If you have time to plan ahead, stop by a liquor store on your next trip out-of-state. A quick trip across state lines can bring down your overall expenses significantly.
Many elements go into throwing a great party. If you plan ahead, your bar can run smoothly, won’t break the bank, and will be enjoyed by all guests.