$$ bar tab question

is $2k on booze ALONE a reasonable amount for 50 drinking-aged adults at a 5 hour party?

i'm finalizing the menu and bar package.

since the Los Angeles/Orange County area is similar in COLA as the greater NYC area, i think the prices are comparable for us.

i have a few different options on how to pay for booze.

* different tiers on an open bar
* by consumption
* hybrid of the two

at this moment, the new coordinator (yes, i had the other ditz replaced) is guesstimating that if i go with by consumption (with her experience), i can expect to pay about $2k. and i can always have money reserved if i want to go higher.

PS. thanks to everyone who helped me put together the menu! i'm very confident that my guests will have lots of food and a good variety of items to pick from!!

$$ bar tab question

I would anticipate between $2500-3000

Re: $$ bar tab question

$$ bar tab question

I never recommend bar tabs. What are the other tiers or packages? In my experience, people are always fine with beer/wine or non-premium versus a full on top shelf open bar.

$$ bar tab question

I would take it from the know your guest perspective so to speak to see what will save you money. If you know the majority of your guests may only have 1 or 2 drinks each, I would pay by consumption. If your guests are all drinkers I would do the open bar. If it were me, I would do the hybrid option, my family and friends could go either way and it depends on the type of party for them. Our twins christening, our tab was $300 I was expecting 1k knowing my family and friends... but then again it’s a christening. My aunt did a surprise 50th, they let her pay the “tab at the end” and went with cheapest of the 2. So the running tab would be more expensive then if she did open bar per person so she paid the price open bar per person at the end

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A 5-hour party is a long time. I'd expect people to have more than 2 or 3 drinks each. Plus gratuity. Is there a beer and wine only open bar flat price option?

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this is where i am right now...

* i don't know my guests lol. they are SO's life-long friends (he has a VERY small family) and i haven't met many of these people. from what i've been able to glean, they're mostly beer drinkers.

* i do know that i have 5 non-drinkers. two are on meds, one is allergic, two are in recovery.

* the venue lets me put a cap on my drink orders. so, i can pay by consumption and each drink is limited to anything under $XX. the venue suggests doing this with a cap at $12/drink... this would include all of their middle-tier alcohol and excludes very few fancy cocktails. i looked at their menus for special events and regular nights... most cocktails fall into $11-$13.

* with the above information: i've done the calculations at one drink per hour per guest and using the max value per drink (assuming i'm going with the $12 cap), my total was around $3200.

* if i went with the middle tier open bar for 5 hours, my total would be $4500.

$$ bar tab question

Pay by consumption in that case. Just know you might hit the $4500 mark -- and if so, you broke even.

$$ bar tab question

You also should remember that bar packages are discounted; they are bundled together to save you the most money, so it's always in your best interest to do a package. You're paying retail the night of the party which is always more expensive.

$$ bar tab question

Don't overcomplicate it; go with 5 hour beer/wine package and run a tab on liquor. That's gonna be your easiest route. You can't depend that your formula is gonna work - some people drink more than 1 drink per hour.

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Make it simple : beer, wine and a specialty cocktail or two.
That should be it, especially if you do not know your drinkers.

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Personally I would take the money and go on vacation- God Bless you - this party planning / cost is way more than I would want to deal with!!!

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What would the lowest-tier open bar entail, and how much would it be?

I would potentially consider that option.

For me, I just like to know what everything is exactly ahead of time...instead of having to think about it the day of.

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Re: $$ bar tab question

I usually do a package. I had a family member run a tab once for a party and it bit her in the @$$. It would have ended up cheaper had she just did a package...

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Re: $$ bar tab question

I think the packages are worth it. Like some others mentioned... it depends on the crowd, but in my circle of friends, people really take full advantage of someone else paying for drinks. I wouldn't risk running a tab on a 5 hour party. I've only done the beer/wine package and ran a tab for the liquor once, never again. As soon as one person sees someone with a mixed drink, everyone starts ordering liquor drinks. It ended up costing more than the best package.

Now a days, I do the beer and wine only package and if someone wants a mix drink, they have to pay for it (which no one in my circle of friends actually does, they only want what's free now lol).

I agree with the PP, it's so nice of you to go through all this for your SO! I'm always throwing surprise parties for my siblings and family, so I know how much work it is. It's so worth it when they are surprised and have a great time celebrating!

I threw DH a surprise party once. He was so ungrateful, we argued afterwards because he was mad that I spent so much money and I was mad that he was so ungrateful. Never again for him lol.

Re: $$ bar tab question