Your wedding reception bar will set the mood for your big day's celebrations.

From signature cocktails to beer and wine options, your bar can be a key part of creating a fun, relaxed vibe for you and your wedding guests. This comprehensive guide will walk you through everything you need to know to plan the perfect wedding reception bar.

Types of Wedding Bars

There are several main types of bars commonly seen at wedding receptions. Consider which format best fits your venue, budget, and vision.

Open Bar

With an open bar, your guests can order any type of alcohol or non-alcoholic beverage they want throughout the reception, all hosted on your tab. This is the most guest-friendly option but also the most expensive.

Limited Open Bar

To reduce costs, some couples opt for a limited open bar that offers beer, wine, champagne and select basic liquors, plus non-alcoholic drinks. Signature cocktails can be an add-on option.

Hosted Beer and Wine Bar

Covering beer, wine, champagne, and non-alcoholic beverages keeps the focus on lighter drinks. This scaled-back bar is appropriate for more casual weddings.

Consumption or Cash Bar

Your guests pay for their own drinks at these bars. Consumption bars allow guests to put drinks on their tabs while cash bars require cash payments. These options save you money but may receive mixed reviews from guests.

Dry Bar/Mocktail Bar

Non-alcoholic cocktails, fancy sodas, juices, and sparkling waters create a dry yet festive bar.

When selecting your bar format, factor in your overall budget, the vibe you want, and your guest list makeup.

Your venue’s offerings and bar staffing fees will also impact your decision.

Bar Packages and Pricing

Most wedding venues offer bar packages that include various combinations of beer, wine, liquor, and non-alcoholic beverages along with bartending services. Reception sites may also suggest specific drink menus or signature cocktails.

Be sure to inquire about bar package pricing before booking your venue.

A full top-shelf open bar with premium brands and plenty of options will be the most expensive. More budget-friendly packages include beer and wine only, limited brand liquors, and passes for select cocktails.

Figure at least $15-20 per guest for hosted beer and wine. Full open bar packages often start around $25-30 per guest on the lower end.

Things that add to the costs include specialized glassware, extra hours of service, additional staffing needs, top-shelf liquors, elaborate cocktails, and high-end mixers and garnishes.

When weighing bar costs, keep your overall vision in mind. Splurging in this area can be worth it to set a luxe, celebratory mood.

Affordable Wedding Bar Ideas

If your reception venue’s bar packages don’t fit your budget, get creative to provide alcohol at an affordable price point.

Beer and Wine Only

Good quality domestic and imported beer combined with a modest wine pour gets you solid drink options without the high cost of liquor.

Serve Punches, Sangria, and Champagne

Pitchers of pre-mixed punches with a base spirit, fruit juices, and club soda or ginger ale make a tasty cocktail for a crowd at low cost.

Fruity red or white sangrias and Champagne toasts also please guests.

Set Up an Eclectic Self-Serve Bar

Offer a couple of signature cocktails pre-mixed in dispensers with fun straws and garnishes plus beer, wine, and non-alcoholic beverages. Let guests mix and mingle.

Provide Bar Tickets

Give each guest two or three drink tickets for beer, wine, or a specific cocktail to control quantity and cost.

Set an Hourly Limit

With this option, you'd have an open bar for your cocktail hour and the first one or two hours of reception, then switch to wine, beer, and non-alcoholic drinks.

Serve Mimosas or Bloody Marys at Your Brunch Reception

Mimosas made with inexpensive sparkling wine or juice and basic bloody mary mix hit the right note for daytime weddings.

With smart strategies, you can create a full guest experience without going overboard on the bar tab.

Signature Cocktails

Serving up a signature cocktail is a fun way to offer guests a taste unique to your wedding. If you’re both wine aficionados, a specially labeled red or white blend could be your signature sip.

Or perhaps a favorite spirit represents you as a couple. Get creative with the possibilities!

When dreaming up your signature drinks, consider elements meaningful to your relationship story, your backgrounds, wedding location, or theme. Then partner with your bartender to make it come to life.

Signature Cocktail Ideas

-Feature local flavors like peach bourbon lemonade in Georgia or cucumber maple vodka sodas in Vermont.

-Craft his/hers cocktails based on your personalities - like an herbal gin drink for the earthy bride and a bold old fashioned for the classic groom.

-Infuse your cultural traditions with tropical rum punch for a beach destination wedding or sangria bars for a Spanish villa reception.

-Play off your wedding palette with vibrant lavender prosecco cocktails or saffron gin and tonics matching your colors.

-For literary nerds, name cocktails after your favorite book or fictional characters like a Bridget Jones Chardonnay Spritzer.

Your cocktail's name, ingredients, garnishes, and glassware present lots of ways for your drink to capture the essence of your wedding day. Serve your customized creation on its own small menu and provide take-away recipe cards as wedding favors.

Dry Bars and Mocktails

Not all of your guests will want to imbibe alcohol at your wedding.

A dry bar provides festive non-alcoholic beverages so everyone can participate in toasting the big day. Stock your dry bar with:

-Mocktails: Creative mixes of sodas, juices, purees, and garnishes crafted to mimic cocktails. Think ginger ale and lime with a sugared rim to mimic a Moscow mule.

-Sparkling juices: Carbonated fruit juices like pomegranate and cranberry bubbly sodas.

-Italian sodas: Flavored syrups like blackberry or coconut mixed into soda water.

-Specialty drinks: Upscale root beer, ginger beers, pressed juices, coffees and teas.

-Add garnish stations with citrus wheels, berries, fresh herbs, lavender buds, or edible flowers.

-Set up a help-yourself, infused water station with fruits and herb combinations like pineapple-mint.

For alcohol-free brunch receptions, craft Virgin Mary and mimosa bars.

Having robust dry bar options prevents non-drinking guests from feeling left out and gives designated drivers, pregnant attendees, and families with children refreshing beverages to sip on.

Creative Bar Decor

Your wedding bar should match the style and vibe of your reception. Use decor details to integrate your bar into the ambiance.

Here are a few ideas to get the ball rolling.

-Incorporate your floral scheme with bud vases, garlands, or flower-topped wreaths adorning the bar.

-Repurpose wedding stationery elements like patterned paper straws and drink stirrers.

-Display personalized coasters as wedding favors.

-Set out votive candles, lanterns, or string lights lining the bar for a romantic glow.

-Use chalkboard menus for rustic flair. Or frame ornate printed bar menus.

-For outdoor bars, string bistro bulb lights overhead and use reclaimed wood surfaces.

-Lay down a patterned runner or area rug under the bar if space allows.

Keep your bar decor simple enough to not distract bartenders but personalized enough to be unique. Signage with your names, monogram, or wedding hashtag adds a special touch.

Outdoor Wedding Bar Setup

An outdoor bar instantly livens up a tented reception or cocktail hour on a lawn, patio, or deck area.

Consider these tips:

-Create a shaded area with a tent, trees, or umbrella. Direct sun exposure will overheat drinks.

-Select level ground and provide a sturdy surface like wood platforms if needed.

-Check electrical access or have a generator to power coolers, lighting, and music.

-Use durable surfaces like reclaimed wood tops and stone counters that can withstand minor spills and drips.

-Secure weak surfaces like tablecloths on bar tables with weights for windy weather.

-Use outdoor-friendly glassware like acrylic or heavy-duty plastic. Avoid delicate stemware.

-Embed or securely anchor bar stations so they don’t shift or blow over.

-If no glassware washing will be available, provide biodegradable or disposable cups.

-Offer cooling stations with buckets of ice water bottles and chilled towels for overheated guests.

-Have plenty of water and soft drinks on hand along with festive cocktails.

-Take precautions to create a sturdy setup.

The effort pays off with a seamless outdoor bar service.

The Bell Tower on 34th is a stylish Houston wedding venue near the Heights area.

Our venue, nestled in the Garden Oaks neighborhood, can accommodate large or small events.

Learn more about our packages and pricing.