Photo by: Rachel Lynn Photography
The bar is one element that differentiates an ordinary wedding from an outstanding one. A good bar set up for weddings motivates guests to gather, interact, get loose, celebrate, and toast to your union.
Then again, organizing a wedding bar that meets all expectations takes effort. Since you do not want to ruin your big day with a subpar wedding bar, our team at The Deco Catering has rounded up the basics for a standout bar for your wedding day reception.
Signature Cocktails: Adding a Personal Touch to Your Wedding Bar
Photo by: Katie Lee Photography
A classic selection of beer, champagne, vodka, and wine is great for your wedding bar. However, these drinks can be too generic to make your wedding really stand out. This is the reason we recommend adding signature cocktails to your menu.
Unlike the usuals, signature cocktails incorporate unique flavors, themes, or even names that add some personal touch to your wedding. These drinks will help elevate your wedding beyond the ordinary.
Depending on your liking, you can curate your drink menu with classic cocktails like Martinis and Mojitos. Alternatively, you can ask our team at The Deco Catering for personalized creations that will get your guests excited!
Bar Styles: Ensuring Everyone Can Enjoy the Experience
When planning your wedding bar, select a style that accommodates your budget and guests’ preferences. Typically, there are four primary bar styles to consider. These include an open bar, a dry wedding, a cash bar, and a limited bar.
1. Open Bar
An open or hosted bar set up for weddings allows guests to order any drink of their choice without limitations. With this setup, guests can indulge in cocktails, wines, beers, top-shelf liquors, and any other drink while the host foots the bill. It is an excellent option to give your wedding a luxurious feel and provide your guests a token of your appreciation for sharing in the day with you. This option is largely a guest favorite, as they incur no bar costs for the day. While it is the most expensive option for the couple (or whoever has opted to pay for the bar 😉) day-of.
2. Cash Bar
A cash bar for weddings is the opposite of an open wedding bar setup. In this arrangement, guests settle their tabs based on what they order. This option is ideal for weddings where guests have no issue paying for their beverages or if you are being mindful of your budget. This option typically provides a variety of bar options for guests to select from day of, while allowing a low out of pocket cost for the bar to the couple hosting the event.
3. Limited Bar
In a limited, or a la carte style wedding bar setup, you offer a specific selection, typically beer, wine, and signature cocktails. You can also dictate the timeframe you choose to offer the limited bar to further moderate consumption. This style of bar for weddings allows you to control costs while still providing guests with drinks to enjoy. This might mean you host beverages only during your cocktail hour, or that you host 2 kegs and a case of wine before the bar becomes a cash bar. The options here are endless, and we see this often with couples who are trying to stick to a specific bar budget.
4. Dry Wedding
A dry setup for serving alcohol at weddings centers on serving non-alcoholic beverages. These include soda, mocktails, and sparkling water. This bar style is suitable when you or your guests do not consume alcohol or your cultural and religious inclinations dictate abstaining from alcoholic beverages. We have also seen dry weddings for various other weddings such as brunch weddings, Sunday weddings, personal preference and more. With mocktails being all the rage, we are seeing more dry weddings now than we have in the past.
Breaking Down the Bar: Determining Which Type Meets Your Needs
Sometimes, the conventional bar styles for serving alcohol at weddings might not align with your expectations. However, that doesn’t mean you settle for a style that could compromise your wedding.
Instead, you should rely on our team at Deco Catering. We understand that beverages are an integral part of any event, especially a wedding! That’s why we offer custom beverage packages along with our full catering services. Our catering experts will consider your budget and give you a curated list of your most preferred beverages, including custom cocktails.
Photo by: Rachel Lynn Photography
Elevate Your Wedding Experience with a Thoughtfully Planned Bar from The Deco Catering
Since the bar set up for weddings determines the kind of experience guests get, you should never leave anything to chance. Hire our catering team to help you set up the bar to complement your celebration.
We offer a diverse selection of beer, wine, top-shelf liquor, soft drinks, water, coffee, and more to make your custom bar experience. Our team will work with you at every step of the bar service, from selecting the perfect drinks to ensuring impeccable serving throughout the event.
 Contact us to get help for a seamless wedding bar setup.