How to Save Money on Alcohol at Your Wedding

Wedding Season is upon us and you do not need years to plan your dream wedding. One of the least thought about and most fun aspect of your wedding is alcohol. Here you have a chance to not only get your party on, but chip a few thousand off of your total wedding budget if you follow these guidelines.

Selecting a Hall

The first step in having your dream wedding begins with finding the dream locale. Not only does the hall speak a lot about your personality, but it this is where your alcohol budget comes into play. I recommend selecting a hall that allows you to bring in your own alcohol. The savings is amazing. When I was researching my wedding some of the venues I looked at charged upwards of $17 a person for an open bar. If you have a guest list of 100 people this is $1,700 and no one has even had a bite to eat.

How Much Alcohol to Bring

Most party centers that allow you to bring your own liquor and beer will give you a list of how much to bring, but based on 100 guests you should plan on getting the following: 9 Cases of Beer (3 domestic, 3 imported, 3 light), 7 Cases of Wine (2 red, 2 white, 3 zinfandels), 2 cases Champagne (3 if you are having a Champaign toast), 5 liters vodka, 3 liters whiskey, 2 liters rum, 2 liters scotch, 2 liters bourbon, 750ml vermouth, 3 liters Kahlua

Optional liquors you may consider purchasing:

Bailey's Irish Cream, Grand Marnier, Amaretto, Amarula, Brandy, Frangelico, Chambord

Consider a Beer and Wine Wedding

Some people are taking the beer and wine only route when it comes to saving money on their wedding. It is a great option that will not disappoint your guests. I have been to a few weddings of this nature, and honestly, I haven't missed the hard alcohol. If you decide to go with this option I would recommend doubling the number of cases of beer you purchase to 18 and doubling the number of cases of wine to 14. Another variation on this would be to buy a lesser amount of liquor and when it is gone, it is gone. It gives you the best of both worlds, and people might not even notice that you have switched it up on them by serving only beer and wine after a designated time.

Cash Bar

I once went to a wedding that was dripping with elegance. The bride and groom proudly boasted that they spent $25,000 on their wedding rings, the cake was from the finest gourmet bakery in my city, but they had a cash bar. While I am always recommending thriftiness whenever possible, if you are going that out of your way with everything else, please do not skip the drinks. Most people do not bring cash in their wallets when they go to a wedding. They go to a wedding to have fun, they bring you a nice gift (well most of the time), not to spend even more money.

Have a Wedding with No Alcohol

While you do have the option of not serving any alcohol at your wedding, most people associate weddings with overflowing cocktails. Unless your religious beliefs or that of you family objects to liquor, this is something I would not pass on. I would wager to be that you are going to be having alcohol anyway since you have read this far.

Serve a Signature Drink

This is where the new couple gets to show their personality. Whip up a signature drink to have the bartenders serve. It can be something as simple as the "Smith Wine Spritzer" if your last name is Smith or the "Jones Jell-O Shot." Do something creative, and show your guests you are fun. There are a ton of websites that have great drink recipes. Go ahead, browse through them, and create your signature piece.

Rent a Shuttle Bus to and From the Hotel

You want your guests to have fun, party responsibly, why not help them do this by renting a shuttle bus to take guests to and from your suggested hotel. Some hotels even often this service for free, so call around, and take advantage! Remember, you want your guests to have fun, but you want them to always remember to party responsibly!