Journal · Planning
The real cost of an open bar (and how to set one without overpaying)
Per-head pricing is a lie of omission. Here’s how the bar actually breaks down — and the three places you can save without dropping quality.
What you’re actually buying
When a venue quotes “$85/guest premium open bar”, that number is bundling four things: licensed liquor cost, bartender labour, glassware/ice/garnish, and venue margin. The first two are the only ones worth optimising on.
Where the real spend goes
Most weddings burn 60% of bar spend in the first 90 minutes (cocktail hour). That’s not appetite — that’s logistics. Two bars instead of one cuts wait time and weirdly tends to *lower* total consumption because no one is double-fisting.
Three places to save
1. Skip the second top-shelf tier. Most guests can’t taste the difference between $40 and $80 vodka in a paloma. 2. Pick three signature cocktails instead of a full bar. Faster service, less waste, more memorable. 3. Cut the wine pairing from 4 glasses to 3. Nobody finishes the fourth glass.
Two bars and three cocktails will out-perform one bar and a full menu. Every time.
Tags
- planning
- bar
- budget
- weddings