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Original poster

Table Drinks

31 replies

appleapplepearpear · 09/03/2022 17:28

Hi. Looking for any advice about drinks for our summer wedding. We have around 100 guests at the day (very few non-drinkers) and need to provide welcome and table drinks. It’s fairly DIY so we need to sort ice, chillers, glasses etc. Our caterers can serve welcome drinks but not table drinks but we are hoping guests won’t mind serving their own if we leave drinks buckets at each table?

We are currently allocating for:

2 glasses Prosecco on arrival
1/2 bottle wine per person with meal

And will provide water and soft drinks (unsure what, how much?). Should we be adding beers too? I don’t drink beer so have no idea how much is needed!

We think the weather will likely be hot. There are traditional canapés and then the food is a hog roast and salads if that helps. The venue is a fairly simple barn venue with no taps so we need to have all the water in that guests dancing on a hot day might need! Event will be around 8 hours but a bar will be available for the evening.

Any advice re drink quantity, type (aiming not to break the bank!) and DIY service would be much appreciated. Particularly interested in experience of Majestic (and on any tips to keep price down!)

Thanks I’m advance Smile

OP posts:
Kite22 · 10/03/2022 00:13
  1. I can't see anyone having an issue with serving themselves from bottles on the table.
  1. I would only expect / have only ever been offered one drink upon arrival at a wedding.
  2. I think 1/2 a bottle of wine is very generous. I would only allow 1/3, and then would assume a considerable number would be driving so not drinking.
  3. I wouldn't expect anyone to provide beer
However is there an option for the bar to be open earlier ? (So an individual can go off and buy something different if they want it?)
  1. Yes there should be a soft drink option
  2. Am worried about the lack of taps / lack of water......
twiggy19 · 10/03/2022 00:31

1 welcome drink = great
2 Only if you can afford

Can't you do small bottles of wine or 1 bottle of beer per person at dinner Children- fruit shoot/j20
To be pre- ordered with meal?

All other drinks they pay for themselves at bar

With the water situation... Think you should have a couple of large bottles on each table in chillers. You must be able to get a load of glass bottled water in bulk somewhere reasonable ?

X

MarmiteCoriander · 10/03/2022 00:53

I've lived/worked in 3 countries, and the UK is the only one where alcoholic drinks are often limited to 1 on arrival, and some wine with dinner. Most weddings I've attended (some in the UK too) include all wine, beer and soft drinks all night, with spirits being paid for yourself. Only do what you can afford though. As long as guests are aware beforehand that they need to pay, bring cards/cash etc along, then its not an issue.

Is the hog roast the main wedding meal or the late night supper after the meal? By no taps do you mean no bar, therefore no beer taps, or physically no water taps?

Are you buying the alcohol from the venue of buying your own? If its a summer wedding, what about jugs of pimms? Either 1 per table, or just a few at the bar? Its lighter than a wine if you can buy the pimms yourself, there are some tasty lidl/asda/aldi versions of it- rather than buying pimms actual brand. Much cheaper too.

Depends if you are buying the alcohol yourself, but you could buy those casks of beer you get some supermarkets?

Can't help with amounts, but as long as you can take any excess home, you'll have plenty if they dont drink it all.

PartyPlan · 10/03/2022 00:59

Are you by in the south OP? We drove to France for our wedding booze. The wine shop paid for our Eurotunnel crossing which made it much cheaper. Not sure if with rising fuel costs it is still cheaper though.

Zazdar · 13/03/2022 12:18

Most weddings I've attended (some in the UK too) include all wine, beer and soft drinks all night, with spirits being paid for yourself.

That’s what we did, plus tea and coffee and water. Pimms, alcoholic and non-alcoholic, was very popular as it was extremely warm.

We probably went a bit overboard with the booze and had 100 bottles each of red, white and cava available plus beer and a barrel of cider.

It didn’t all get drunk.

Are you by in the south OP? We drove to France for our wedding booze. The wine shop paid for our Eurotunnel crossing which made it much cheaper. Not sure if with rising fuel costs it is still cheaper though.

We did the same, or my PIL did, but unfortunately that has stopped now. Most, of the wine warehouses have closed.

ClariceQuiff · 13/03/2022 12:24

Check the limits on how much you can bring back from France as, post-Brexit, it's no longer an unlimited amount before you have to pay duty.

Zazdar · 13/03/2022 13:32

It’s18 litres per person for wine. Two cases.

MarmiteCoriander · 13/03/2022 13:59

If buying it yourself, I would also look for the offers from aldi/tesco where you buy 6 bottles and get 25% off. Another option for the bar would be to get some casks of wine. Wouldn't look great on the actual tables, but behind a bar for topping up, or welcome drinks they are fine-and some taste very good.

MrsTimRiggins · 13/03/2022 14:08

I would definitely provide beer too.
We allowed for pimms, bottled beer, bottled cider and, for the non alcoholic version, elderflower fizz. We went through our guest list and allowed for a minimum of three drinks each and guessed who would have which. Then we added a bit… then a bit more Grin all of that was drunk before the meal, I grabbed the very last bottle of bud as we walked in, and that was even with the bar serving early. I’d definitely look into the bar opening earlier tbh. It was a hot day in July, marquee venue. The pimms and elderflower was served by our caterers for a small cost but the beer and cider we put in metal wheelbarrows, a pretty old bath etc full of ice. All tied in nicely and worked well.
For the meal, we allowed 2/3 a bottle of wine per person, and most of that went. Then after that they were on their own Grin the most teasonable option for wine, we found, was asda, when they were doing one of their buy six get x% off deals. Off the top of my head I think it was either 25% or 33%.

Blossom64265 · 13/03/2022 14:17

However much water you think you need, double it. Then double it again and maybe again. I have been to so many weddings that ran out of water. Mostly because the weather was warmer than average. When water is your preferred or only beverage option, it’s awful.

ShirleyBadass · 13/03/2022 14:35

We found the best value Prosecco was in Majestic, plus they delivered to the venue which saved a lot of hassle, and they will refund any leftovers (didn't happen!).

As ours was in the summer, we actually set up boxes of fruit ciders from a local supplier which went down really well, then a bottle of red, white and rosé on each table.

Pyri · 13/03/2022 14:42

@twiggy19

1 welcome drink = great 2 Only if you can afford

Can't you do small bottles of wine or 1 bottle of beer per person at dinner Children- fruit shoot/j20
To be pre- ordered with meal?

All other drinks they pay for themselves at bar

With the water situation... Think you should have a couple of large bottles on each table in chillers. You must be able to get a load of glass bottled water in bulk somewhere reasonable ?

X

Sorry but there would be nothing more sad than seeing all those tiny little bottles of wine (which are always terrible quality) sitting on the table. Big bottles to share are absolutely fine.

I’d do as you suggest OP with the option that guests can order more wine from the waiting staff if needed (at your cost, if you can afford)

I’d definitely put beers on too. Spirits to be paid for themselves

User478 · 13/03/2022 15:11

For water, go to Aldi/Lidl and buy a trolley full of plastic water bottles. Get a groomsman (or pay staff) to decant them into fancy glass kilner dispensers throughout the day/evening if you want them to look nice. You could always return unopened bottles.

Zazdar · 13/03/2022 15:12

However much water you think you need, double it. Then double it again and maybe again. I have been to so many weddings that ran out of water.

We provided water in jugs. When they were empty, they were filled up again.

MarmiteCoriander · 13/03/2022 15:50

My MIL swears by this prosecco from aldi. Keep receipts to return any unused ones:

www.lidl.co.uk/p/sparkling-wine/allini-prosecco-spumante/p20492

Pyri · 13/03/2022 15:53

@User478

For water, go to Aldi/Lidl and buy a trolley full of plastic water bottles. Get a groomsman (or pay staff) to decant them into fancy glass kilner dispensers throughout the day/evening if you want them to look nice. You could always return unopened bottles.
What’s wrong with a tap?
MarmiteCoriander · 13/03/2022 15:57

@Pyri- the OP has said that there are no taps in the OP!

Blossom64265 · 13/03/2022 16:00

Nothing wrong with tap water. Just sounded like op was at a location where that might not be an option. I’ve been at weddings like that where the water ran out. They just didn’t bring enough in because they didn’t count on people alternating alcohol with water.

MaChienEstUnDick · 13/03/2022 16:04

If there are toilets, there must be water surely? How are dishes washed? Staff by law must be able to wash their hands during food service...

LittleBearPad · 13/03/2022 16:09

Half a bottle of wine per person at dinner is the sensible assumption and no one will mind pouring their own.

Little bottles would be so depressing - don’t do that.

Prosecco on arrival plus Pimms? Soft drinks available and pretty jugs of water on the tables.

Original poster
appleapplepearpear · 13/03/2022 16:50

Thanks for all the advice, really helpful. We’ve had a tasting session with Majestic and ordered our wine - looked into France but not really a viable option after tax, fuel cost etc. Water advice much appreciated; not quite sure what venue situation is but fairly certain we have to sort our own water. I’ll definitely aim to over order! The venue is a little out of the way and the last thing I want is people going thirsty.

OP posts:
loobylou10 · 13/03/2022 16:53

How do people wash their hands free using the loo?

loobylou10 · 13/03/2022 16:54

After not free

tintodeverano2 · 13/03/2022 17:49

If there's no running water, how will people go to the loo and wash their hands?

Pyri · 13/03/2022 18:10

[quote MarmiteCoriander]@Pyri- the OP has said that there are no taps in the OP![/quote]
NO TAPS?? Shock

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