Custom Brides--What sort of bar?

[Codie]

We are sitting here reviewing all the various bar options and not so sure what to do. We definitely do not want to do a cash bar...so we are debating Beer/Wine versus Beer/Wine/Call Liquors unlimited per person or paying per drink per person. We think too that we could do a beer/wine and then we would pay per drink per person outside of the beer/wine. Any thoughts of what you are doing or what you have done?

 

[jamie0201]

We did an open bar for 5 hours, $36 p/p. We were also unsure whether to pay per drink or not, but I am glad we did not. My EM told me we would have ended up paying a lot more!!!! But, that varies by wedding. Do you have a lot of drinkers? Obviously, we did =)

Jamie

 

[Codie]

We definitely have a good number of drinkers...but we also have some total non-drinkers...although I think the drinkers will make up for the non-drinkers...

 

[marn913]

We had 35 guests for our custom wedding and did it bill on consumption for the 5-hour premium open bar (an option that they don't readily list). We factored in 4 drinks per person at $5 each into our budget (and we drank a lot!!) Even with this, we still came in under budget and received a refund after our wedding. Our intire bar tab ended up to be only about $600. Had we gone with the package for 5 hours we would have paid twice that amount ($1260)! Paying per drink is much more economical! The average drink price is about $5 ea. In order to drink enough to pay for the package price EVERY single person at your reception would have to drink a little over SEVEN alcoholic beverages! Also, keep in mind that there is no distinction with the package for kids or underage adults - everyone who attends pays exactly the same amount! We would have just been throwing money away if we'd gone with the package.

Marne

 

[jamie0201]

Marn913 - There was no difference in price for kids???? We got married on 3/26/05 and we paid $36 p/p for the adults for the 5 hour open bar, and paid $18 p/p for under 21 for 5 hours of drinking pop, etc... It was cheaper even if we did 4 hours ($30, and $15). So, there was a distinction... I also had 3 pregnant girls at my wedding, and did not pay for them to drink, I paid the $18 only. And... I also had 2 recovering alcoholics that I did not have to pay for, just the $18.

Hope this helps!!!
Jamie

 

[hmgolden]

We had an experience similar to jamie0201. We paid the package price, and while I dont have confirmation on it from my EM, I do believe that we came out ahead. We paid a seperate price for the kids than for the adults. I think it really does depend on your group. I knew we had some heavy drinkers, and we made the decision to pay up front, rather than having the potentional to have to pay for it later.

One other thing to consider - I know several Disney brides have said that servers will remove drinks from tables if they seem to be 'abandoned'. So guests return to their table expecting to find a drink, and when its not there, they hit the bar for another one. That could add up quick! I know that this happened at our reception too.

 

[jamie0201]

hmgolden - We had similar things happen. Even with my drinks, I would order a drink, go dance, come back a little bit later and it would be gone. We definitely saved money doing the open bar as well!

Jamie

 

[Codie]

We had 35 guests for our custom wedding and did it bill on consumption for the 5-hour premium open bar (an option that they don't readily list). We factored in 4 drinks per person at $5 each into our budget (and we drank a lot!!) Even with this, we still came in under budget and received a refund after our wedding. Our intire bar tab ended up to be only about $600. Had we gone with the package for 5 hours we would have paid twice that amount ($1260)! Paying per drink is much more economical! The average drink price is about $5 ea. In order to drink enough to pay for the package price EVERY single person at your reception would have to drink a little over SEVEN alcoholic beverages! Also, keep in mind that there is no distinction with the package for kids or underage adults - everyone who attends pays exactly the same amount! We would have just been throwing money away if we'd gone with the package.

Marne

Wow--that's good to know. I was quoted a "kid" price for pop only for anyone under 21...maybe that's changed since you were there...?

 

[Codie]

Marn913 - There was no difference in price for kids???? We got married on 3/26/05 and we paid $36 p/p for the adults for the 5 hour open bar, and paid $18 p/p for under 21 for 5 hours of drinking pop, etc... It was cheaper even if we did 4 hours ($30, and $15). So, there was a distinction... I also had 3 pregnant girls at my wedding, and did not pay for them to drink, I paid the $18 only. And... I also had 2 recovering alcoholics that I did not have to pay for, just the $18.

Hope this helps!!!
Jamie

Jamie--How did you get them to do the "kid" price for the recovering alcoholics, etc? I was thinking about that because I have two guests who don't drink for religious purposes and at least two who can't drink for medical reasons...I was trying to figure out how many drinks we would each have to drink to make up for those

 

[Peachie158]

Hi! Our #s are based on 100 people and we're doing a bill on consumption bar. We have really big drinkers, too but the package price is really enormous! Which, by the way, Disney charges, even if you have a BOC bar but you get back what you don't spend. That way, no one is paying themselves of course, but we pay for what we actually use. Our bar, including tax and gratuity will cost almost $6,000. If our guests drink 5 drinks (avg. 1 per hour) each at $6/ drink, that's $3795 for the bar, which is quite a bit less! The kids do have a separate price, also. Our wedding reception is also from 1 - 6 so that might also make a difference in the amount people drink. Not to mention the $1000 they wanted to charge for 17 bottles of champagne....Hope that day, everyone's a lightweight!

Christine

 

[jamie0201]

Codie - I spoke to my EM about it. She didnt give me a problem at all!!! I just said, I have this many people who WILL NOT be drinking! She was very cool with that. And no, they dont watch those people or make them feel any less of a person. I had no problems with it. If your EM makes it an issue, just mark thos 2 people down for under 21. I also paid different food costs for different ages. We had a buffet. Our reception was from 6pm - 11pm, and that is why I knew everyone would be drinking. If it is a day reception, Im sure people would drink less.

Who is your EM?

Jamie

 

[hmgolden]

We had no issues getting a kid price, or paying the non-alcholic price for people over 21 who I knew wouldn't drink. I asked my EM about it, and he gave me no issues with it. I would just ask your EM. There's no reason for you to pay for something you know your guest won't be enjoying!

 

[Codie]

Codie - I spoke to my EM about it. She didnt give me a problem at all!!! I just said, I have this many people who WILL NOT be drinking! She was very cool with that. And no, they dont watch those people or make them feel any less of a person. I had no problems with it. If your EM makes it an issue, just mark thos 2 people down for under 21. I also paid different food costs for different ages. We had a buffet. Our reception was from 6pm - 11pm, and that is why I knew everyone would be drinking. If it is a day reception, Im sure people would drink less.

Who is your EM?

Jamie

Our EM is Tracy...so far he has been very responsive and very awesome! Our reception is from 3-8 at the atlantic dance hall and then we are just going to stick around until it reopens for the evening! Of course at that point drinks won't be on us any more...

 

[jamie0201]

I think you should definitely do open bar with it being at that time. People will want to drink, especially if they are sticking around. They would rather drink at the reception so they dont have to pay too much to drink later on, thats just my opinion. Make sure to talk to your EM about the "Non-Drinkers". There is no reason at all to pay for the guests you know will not be drinking.

Jamie

 

[hmgolden]

Our EM is Tracy...so far he has been very responsive and very awesome! Our reception is from 3-8 at the atlantic dance hall and then we are just going to stick around until it reopens for the evening! Of course at that point drinks won't be on us any more...

Codie - We had Tracy as our EM for our reception at ADH. You are in great hands!

 

[Codie]

YEAH I just want to thank everyone for their help...HMgolden--anything you wish you had done or hadn't done at ADH? We are trying to do our ceremony there too, but we aren't sure if it will work out...

 

[hmgolden]

Codie - The only thing I wish I had done was taken pictures with my DH out on the balcony of ADH. I totally forgot about that the day of in all the excitement. ADH is such a great location for a wedding! Where are you thinking of having your ceremony there? Upstairs where the cocktail hour normally is? How many guests are you having? You could always have your ceremony at Seabreeze point if you can't work out having it in ADH. Then you would still be on the Boardwalk.

 

[Codie]

Codie - The only thing I wish I had done was taken pictures with my DH out on the balcony of ADH. I totally forgot about that the day of in all the excitement. ADH is such a great location for a wedding! Where are you thinking of having your ceremony there? Upstairs where the cocktail hour normally is? How many guests are you having? You could always have your ceremony at Seabreeze point if you can't work out having it in ADH. Then you would still be on the Boardwalk.

I'll remember that! We are having Randy Chapman do our pictures--on the recommendation of the many brides on this board

We were thinking of doing the ceremony right down on the dance floor--they've never done it before so we need to work out the logistics with our planner next month when we go down there. We were only expecting about 100 people but now it is looking closer to 150-60. I wanted to do it at the Yacht Club Gazebo or SEabreeze point (actually my ideal would be to do it on the Boardwalk stairway...but fdh doesn't want to be outside in 90 degree weather with a tux on for an hour (we are having a catholic mass with our vows)...I can't say I blame him. Plus one of our flower girls has heat sensitivity and I would hate for her to get sick from being overheated! SO, we need to do something inside. We might end up having to do it at the WP, which won't be bad--but I was hoping to avoid the expense...where did you do your ceremony? How many guests did you have? Did you do a "theme" in ADH?
Thanks!!!

 

[hmgolden]

We had our ceremony in the WP. I had wanted SBP, but because we got married in June, it just would have been too hot at 2:30 in the afternoon. Plus with our 76 guests, it would have been hard to fit everyone in that venue. I love the WP, I think it is an absolutely beautiful and romantic building. We didn't really do a theme for ADH. We had rose petals and candles as our centerpieces. I personally think that ADH is such a cool venue that it didn't need much. Just a little something to make it feel a little more 'wedding-like'. Good luck working out the logisitics with Tracy to have your ceremony on the dance floor! Keep us posted on how it works out.