Drinks packages?

GlasweJen

7roland8 wrote: »

Sound crazy to me. Why not just a drink when they arrive and half glass for toast plus water on table - then those who want can buy their own - unless you are made of money of course.

Not made of money but don't want to seem cheap? I was thinking a bottle of red, white, rose, still water and sparkling water per table of 10 or 12?

ceb1995 wrote: »

If you're having a lot of teetotal guests then I'd say cut down on the drinks offered from the package, maybe have one with canapes and one with the toast then offer water or some soft drink for the tables, and spend the rest of the money elsewhere?

We're not bothering with canapes, but we're having one glass of bucks fizz or orange juice before food and then a glass of sparkling wine for the toast. As we're both teetotal, we (admittedly selfishly i suppose) don't want to spend too much on other people drinking, the £3 per person saved from the original package (and two free hotel rooms i negotiated) meant we could afford 5 extra guests than originally planned too.

We're having canap!s because we're getting married at lunch time and getting photos done away from the venue so it's something to occupy guests for an hour.

Jackieboy wrote: »

Will people be able to buy bottles of wine from the bar or will they have to buy it buy the glass?

Yeah it's a restaurant as well as a wedding venue so they sell wine by the glass and by the bottle.

ceb1995

Oh that makes sense to have them to keep people occupied

ScarlettKitsune

Are you getting married at the Cruinn, per chance?

The drinks packages in most venues for the same drinks setup is between £12 and £18 per person or it's just included in the whole price per guest (I've now seen over 100 venues and packages and am now becoming cross-eyed). £27 per person does seem a bit steep. Is that price inclusive of canapes? They tend to run around £9 per person.

If not many people drink wine, I would see if the venue would allow you to purchase the bubbly for the toast (cava is fine, most people don't notice the difference), allow a split between beer and cava for the drinks to go with the canapes, and whatever would be spent on the wine, just put behind the bar. That way people can get what they want, non-alcoholic or alcoholic.

That said, I know a number of people who only served bubbly for the toast and didn't bother with the rest.

mum2one

the last 2 weddings attended...

Wedding 1 - hotel got married at2pm, canapies and fizz - then BBQ at ngt no other drinks included.

Wedding 2 - all in 1 venue.
Buck's Fizz after ceremony
Meal - no drinks included
Toast - glass of port...

No one was told no drinks with meal seemed to be a rugby scrum at bar for drinks.... which the brides mother moaned at the delay to her food..

But didn't moan at an hr and half between each course so the bride and chief bridesmaid (sister of the bride) could go and have a fag break between courses...
We sat down at 2pm..... left tables 630pm

firebird082

GlasweJen wrote: »

I read on here that someone did half prosecco half beer for their canap!s, does anyone have other ideas for wedding drinks?

We had orange juice and pimms for the equivalent of your 'canapes', prosecco for toasting, and a pay bar for everything else. Can't you just put the money behind the bar so people can have what they want? It was limitations like that which put me off a lot of the 'all-inclusive' type venues, but at least it sounds like they are being flexible for you.

cashewnut

Seems incredibly expensive to me. Bring your own wine and pay corkage? We wanted to bring extra wine to our wedding venue (didn't need any in the end, but weren't sure how much people would drink and wanted some back up). Would have paid £5 per bottle if we'd used our own wine. V reasonable I thought.

michelle09

That seems very pricey. We had 100 people, paid for bellinis/non-alcoholic fruit punch for drivers/tea-total/pregnant women, half a bottle of wine per person and prosecco for the toast and it cost around £1500. And we are much further south than you.

As others have suggested, maybe just put money behind the bar? Or have a welcome drink and put money behind the bar.

7roland8

michelle09 wrote: »

That seems very pricey. We had 100 people, paid for bellinis/non-alcoholic fruit punch for drivers/tea-total/pregnant women, half a bottle of wine per person and prosecco for the toast and it cost around £1500. And we are much further south than you.
As others have suggested, maybe just put money behind the bar? Or have a welcome drink and put money behind the bar.

I don't see the need for any money behind bar. If I went to a wedding and wanted to drink a lot I'd expect to pay for it all. You have the day and the food - people can surely pay for their own apart form the toasts.

Tabbytabbitha

7roland8 wrote: »

I don't see the need for any money behind bar. If I went to a wedding and wanted to drink a lot I'd expect to pay for it all. You have the day and the food - people can surely pay for their own apart form the toasts.

If you're having a decent meal it isn't really a question of "wanting to drink" but of it's being normal to have a glaas or two of wine with your meal.

michelle09

7roland8 wrote: »

I don't see the need for any money behind bar. If I went to a wedding and wanted to drink a lot I'd expect to pay for it all. You have the day and the food - people can surely pay for their own apart form the toasts.

Me neither - but it is an option for the OP if they want to provide alcohol and don't like wine/their friends don't like wine. Personally, the only wedding that was an issue was one that didn't provide drinks, but had a bar that only took cash and the nearest cash point was a 20 minute walk from the venue. It would have been fine if they'd told us in advance!