Asking Liz: The Bar, The Rentals, And Where to Park

Photo: RC Photography & Associates

I’ve got a run of weddings coming up in the next six weeks, so I get questions…

Liz, we’re bringing in all the alcohol for our bar, how do I find out how much alcohol we need?

The first rule of the DIY bar: give the bartender what they’re comfortable with. Decide what you want to serve: Mixed drinks? Wine and Beer? Ask the bartender what they need for your guest count. Believe what they tell you, and get exactly that much. If you’re using a non-pro,  Don’t forget about water and ice – Ice to chill and ice to serve. I go into this more here. If you need recommendations for where to get all this stuff, ask your bartender or your venue. If you’re DIY-ing the bartending, too, A Practical Wedding has a great breakdown of what you’ll need. Odds are, you will not be able to return any unopened bottles, but check with the liquor store about that. I know that you can’t in California.

We’re using multiple rental companies, and it’s a little overwhelming. How do we figure out a delivery schedule?

First rule of wedding set up: It all needs to be done at least thirty minutes before your stated invite time – that is when your first guests are going to arrive. Confirm when your vendors can get into your venue, then contact your rental companies in the order that they should show up. So, for your ceremony that order is: Chairs, decorations and flowers, sign in tables. Chairs first, because if all else fails, guests have a place to sit. Reception, in this order: Guest tables, linens, plate and silverware settings, chairs, centerpieces. Guest tables first, because you can’t put anything on them if they’re not there, right? Lighting and other decorations can happen simultaneously. Tell each company what time they need to be finished, they can tell you how long their set-up will take. Believe them and schedule accordingly.

Our venue doesn’t have designated parking, and everyone is driving. What should we do?

Talk to your venue and find out what they recommend for their other couples and get on it. Options usually include renting a parking lot and a shuttle to bring everyone in, or having a shuttle leave from a location where there IS parking, like your hotel. Another important question is if this will actually be a problem for your number of guests. Ask.

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See you at the end of the aisle,

Liz Coopersmith

Our #charmedwedding instagram challenge is in full swing. Find this month’s prompts here , follow me @lizcharm, and join in!