Are you getting married at a location that will allow you to have a DIY wedding bar? If so, you may be wondering if it’s right for you, and where to start. You’re in the right place!
Now, just to be clear, a DIY wedding bar is one that you stock yourself. The DIY (do it yourself) part that I’m referring to is the ingredients for the drinks, not the actual bar. Of course, if you want to go ahead and build your own bar, that’s absolutely up to you. However, this isn’t going to be that kind of tutorial.
The thing that we’re talking about here are the beverages. And, the items you need to make them pretty, serve them in, and keep on hand. Let’s face it, outsourcing your wedding bar can get expensive. If you’re able to, it’s a good thing to save on costs wherever you can. Having the freedom to buy your own wedding drinks is a huge budget saver.
7 Tips For An Affordable DIY Wedding Bar
As mentioned above, this post is going to give you tips for an affordable DIY wedding bar. It may be something that you’re thinking about, or something that you absolutely have to do, depending on your venue. Perhaps it just appeals to you. Whatever the reason, this post has you covered.
Let’s get into it!
1. PICK A VENUE THAT IS OKAY WITH A DIY WEDDING BAR
First things first. Let’s address a pink elephant in the room. Not every venue will allow a DIY wedding bar.
Some venues have strict food and beverage rules. They may have liquor licenses, or corporate preferences, that do not allow events to provide their own drinks. If this is the case at your venue, you’ll have to comply with the rules, if you’ve already signed the contract.
However, you may have a wedding location that is totally okay with you providing your own wedding bar. Or, you may have a wedding where it’s required, such as a backyard wedding. It all depends on your situation. If creating your own DIY wedding bar is a priority of yours, be sure to pick a venue where it’s allowed.
2. HAVE A PLAN FOR YOUR DIY WEDDING BAR
If you are going to set up your own DIY wedding bar, you absolutely need a plan for it.
Now, if you’re the kind of person who is reading a blog post about DIY wedding bars, chances are you’re the kind of person who will make a plan. However, let’s go over why a plan is important.
First off, with a plan you can create a list for what you need to procure. A plan will provide you some sort of vision for what you will serve, how many people will be there, and anything extra you need. Second, with a plan you will determine what isn’t needed, so you can be sure not to waste time or money on items you’re not going to use.
Here are some questions to ask yourself to determine your DIY wedding bar plan:
- What kind of alcohol will you serve? Beer and wine only, or will there be hard alcohol? If so, what will it be?
- Will you have signature drinks? If so, what are their ingredients?
- What non-alcoholic beverages do you want to serve?
- Do you need to procure glasses, straws, or napkins?
- Do you need to procure garnishes? If so, what kinds?
- Who will actually serve the drinks? Will you need to hire a bartender, or can your guests self-serve?
Remember, as you plan out what you will serve, certain perks come with certain drinks. For example, beer and wine don’t necessarily need to have ice with them (unless it’s used to keep them cool). They usually have less garnishes as well, and are easier for a non-experienced bartender to serve. Also, signature drinks can be pre-mixed and easy to serve as well. Just food for thought.
3. BUY JUST ENOUGH ALCOHOL, PLUS SLIGHTLY MORE
One of the trickiest things about a DIY wedding bar is estimating how much you actually need to buy.
Now, there are lots of tips out there to determine how much your wedding guests will drink. It all depends on if you’re serving hard alcohol, beer, wine, and non-alcoholic drinks. The time of day, how long your wedding is, and how big of drinkers they are also impact how much you should buy. There are a lot of variables at play.
Here’s what I suggest. Start with looking at the types of alcohol you’re serving. On average, wedding guests will drink at 2-3 drinks over the course of your wedding. Wine is the most popular drink of choice, followed by beer, and then hard alcohol. When it comes to hard alcohol, vodka is more popular than gin, and whiskey is more popular than rum.
From there, do the math. Look at the number of overall drinks you’ll need to have available, and work backwards. Assume that a greater amount of those drinks will be wine, then beer, than hard alcohol. This and this are great online calculators that can help you sort out what is best for your wedding. Remember to add in your own judgement about your wedding guests once the calculator gives you a number.
4. BUY YOUR ALCOHOL STRATEGICALLY
When you go out to buy the alcohol you need for your wedding, do a little research beforehand.
The first thing you should look for is a store with a great return policy. Now, some of this depends on your location. You can’t return alcohol everywhere. However, sometimes you can. So, start by finding a store that will accept returns, if you’re in a spot that allows them. This will take risk out of buying too many bottles.
Second, shop for the best price, if you have multiple options. Remember that some stores have discounts when you buy in bulk. Don’t be afraid to buy your wine from a different place than you buy your hard alcohol. Also, be sure to check out local breweries and wineries to see if you can obtain some local bottles at a great price.
5. KEEP YOUR DIY WEDDING BAR SIMPLE
One way to keep your wedding bar affordable is to keep it simple.
What does this mean? Well, it means limiting options. Don’t go overboard with six different types of wine, a fully stocked bar, and a variety of beer options. Just go with what’s popular, and stick to one option of what you’re going to do.
For example, if you are having wine and beer, do a red wine, a white wine, a sparkling wine, and two types of popular beer. If you’re also having hard alcohol, stick with a lighter alcohol and a darker one. And keep your non-alcoholic options simple as well. Some soda, water, and lemonade is fine.
The same logic applies to garnishes. Some limes, cherries, and simple glasses with straws work for 95% of drinks. No need to go overboard with garnishes and extras that may go to waste.
6. GIVE INSTRUCTIONS TO YOUR BARTENDERS
If you’re trying to keep your wedding bar costs down, the simplest way is to make sure that the drinks are reasonably poured. This is especially true if you have a bartender.
Look at it this way. If you have a DIY wedding bar, your drinks can be as strong or as weak as the bartender wants them to be. And, the wine glasses can be filled up to their discretion as well. If the bartender is a heavy pourer, your bottles of alcohol won’t last as long. And, the drinks may be too strong to be enjoyed. Guests may not even finish them.
To make sure drinks are reasonably poured, and your bottles can last a bit longer, here are some tips:
- Find a bartender with some experience, and taste their drinks. If they seem strong, let them know that you’d like them to use a bit less alcohol.
- Go over where items are located, what to use, and where extras can be found with the bartender before the wedding. The issue here is that you may buy special ingredients, straws, napkins, garnishes, etc, and they aren’t used simply because no one knows to use them or find them.
- Give the bartender a photo of what each drink should look like so they execute your vision properly. This is more of a mental thing than anything else. If you’re spending money on your wedding bar, you want it done to plan.
7. DOUBLE UNUSED BOTTLES AS GIFTS
Alright, this isn’t really about having an affordable DIY wedding bar, but I’ll leave it in here.
If you buy alcohol for your wedding’s bar, and you cannot return the excess, and you don’t know what to do with the leftovers, gift them to your bridal party, family, and friends. Leftover bottles can even be favors for after the wedding. Now, I know it’s hard to plan for excess alcohol, and you’re probably going to buy gifts for your wedding party anyway, but this can be a great way to double up, just in case.
CLOSING THOUGHTS
There are a lot of perks to creating your own DIY wedding bar. It can be fun to plan out how much to buy, what drinks will be served, and how it will all work out. Remember to do your research, be clear with your bartenders, and to keep it simple. Cheers! Happy wedding planning!
More From Hummingbird Wedding Advice:
How To Build An Amazing Charcuterie Board
7 Tips For Serving Wine At Your Wedding
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