accommodating guests' drinks requests.....

[kindbutnotrich]

... am having people round to dinner next weekend, several couples, friends of DH (more aquaintances really). I asked if there was anything they didn't like to eat, and whether there was anything in particular they liked to drink (thinking I wanted to cater for everyone without buying in every wine/aperartif/digestif imaginable....) Food preferences ok. But drinks - OMG, wish I hadn't asked. Was thinking it would help me balance what I was buying- but am getting very precise requests : "Gin, Bombay Sapphire please"; "Champagne, not Cava/Prosecco/supermarket brands" - yes, honestly....)..." etc.
OK, I know now I shouldn't have asked - but when I add it all up, am looking at ove £100 for drinks before I even get to the wine. What to do? DH says "sod 'em" and am inclined to agree - but I did ask and some of them have been so vocal abotu what they do and don't like, that I'd be embarrassed to put out "cheaper" - and that's relative - versions of their preferences. Am thinking of cancelling!!!

I can only assume the guest who asked for "champagne not cava/supermarket brands" was surely trying to be funny and didn't actually mean it? I mean nobody would actually specify that and be serious.

I know, I was too... Doozle, I know the person who made the champagne/cava comment better than the others, and do know that he turns his nose up at anything other than top brand champagnes. Well, if that's what he wants to drink, he can bring it!! The strange thing is that I thought they were all really nice people, which no doubt they are, but didn't think they would respond like this!