Wedding Drinks Packages?

Is it cheaper to purchase a drinks contract on a per consumption basis or flat fee per guest?

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Answer:

If you’re buying the drinks in-house, then the type of contract you choose depends on what you feel comfortable with.

A contract based on consumption means that you’d have little control over the budget and end up with a bill at the end of the night. You could control the budget by only offering certain types of drinks. Wine and beer tend to be much cheaper than spirits, so your money will go further and your bill at the end of the night won’t be as bad as it could be.

With a flat fee per guest, you’re charged a set amount for a particular package that usually includes a welcome drink, half a bottle of wine with the meal (sometimes just a glass) and a drink for the toast. This enables you to control your budget more easily, so you know exactly what you’re spending. After the dinner has been served, you’d then have to have a bar, where you can get your guests to pay for their own drinks, you can put a budget behind the bar for a set amount, or you can offer a free bar which you pay for at the end of the night.

It’s difficult to say which is cheaper as it costs and value differ from venue to venue. It depends on how much control over your budget you want and which method you feel more comfortable with. You’ll need to work out yourself which is most cost effective for you based on the packages on offer.

You could also consider buying your own drinks and paying corkage, although sometimes this isn’t as cost effective as you think as some venues charge a fortune for corkage! You really have to work it out yourself and decide which method you’re most comfortable with.

Best of luck






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