My fellow lushes I request advice

[Fool Ishy]

OK, in all honesty, I just did the wedding of my best friend this last weekend, so...

They only offered beer and wine. Wine during the change over from ceremony to reception (all in the same place), then an open bar of beer or wine during reception. I like my drink, yet I only had a couple glasses of wine during the change over, then about 8-10 (lost count somewhere) beers during the eating/dancing/reception. I like to drink, but had to drive 20 miles home and we are all co-workers and such, so kept it in bounds.

Went to the local after and and focused on my bourbon sodas.

Anyway, assume a lot of folks won't come (we had about 10% no shows from the RSVPs), and many of those won't drink at all (my table of 6-8 only had 3-4 drinkers). Of those drinking, many won't drink much (due to preference/driving/peer pressure).

So if 250 is the estimated invite, assume maybe 150-200 RSVPs. Maybe 100-150 show up. Of those, maybe 60-70 drink at all. Someone said average 4 drinks each... that sounds about right. Go cheap. Bear and wine are acceptable as they facilitate social interaction. Booze is fun, but you can save a bit there by passing.

You can always get your drink on afterward.

[Savage]

There is something about a wedding that makes everyone want to drink, and keep on drinking until they pass out, or black out. I don't know what causes this (note to self: ask daughter who is studying psychology to become a therapist). All I know is, the only place you will find me chomping tea sandwiches and swilling out of a champagne fountain, while wearing a stupid pastel chunk of chiffon, is a wedding. Then I usually dance with one of the shorter groomsmen, as I am not willowy tall like the rest of the girls. If I'm lucky, I won't have to live through the telephone calls the next day, with gleeful girls only too glad to tell me how everyone just loved my little dance on top of the bride and groom's table.

[Booz Hound]

250? go shit nuts, most people wont remember you beause there blitzed! like me wooo! Weddinggg!

[GetDrunkStayDrunk]

It's just going to be a massive party, it will be a full service bar. While he is quite the good friend I'm going to be forced to punish his wallet all night. Both he and his bride to be plan on it being a giant blowout where everyone is reeling with drunkenness. I'm in the wedding party but it's cool because we aren't doing tuxes or suits. It'll be slacks, button down shirt, converse chuck taylors. Clearly they aren't too hung up on tradition.

[Wingman]

at my wedding, one of our friends claimed to believe we were paying by the hour at the bar (not the case, we paid per drink). about 9:45 (we were going to the party house at 10:00), she's all, "hurry up and drink!" ordering doubles and triples at the bar, forcing people to do shots, etc.

i love my friends.

[Savage]

I got married at the courthouse, in a white bridal gown-($48.00) Grumpy wore his dress blues. We were the first wedding scheduled, so we had to wait until the offices opened. A whole bunch of old ladies in cardigans showed up and one of them said: " Ooh, look at the little bride and groom! They look just like the people on top of a wedding cake!" I was mortified, and turned my face to the wall. And so it began...

[Milspec]

Just remember that any leftovers will gladly be accepted by your freindly corner transient so buying over is buying karma.

[Jiggers McCoy]

A catering company would likely charge 15-30 a head for full service bar. So, conservatively, that'd be 7500. Maybe take half that for your purposes, so 3750. There's a budget, divide as you see fit.

[Mr Boozificator]

at my wedding, one of our friends claimed to believe we were paying by the hour at the bar (not the case, we paid per drink). about 9:45 (we were going to the party house at 10:00), she's all, "hurry up and drink!" ordering doubles and triples at the bar, forcing people to do shots, etc.

i love my friends.

If she's single, you know...

What? I don't have the right to try my luck?

[Savage]

The main problem with wedding receptions is not always the booze. It's the cake. Why must wedding cake taste so terrible? So it has to be white. It can still taste good. Damn. Haven't bakers ever heard of cream cheese frosting, white chocolate batter, lemon or strawberry filling, etc.? Or how about a lovely rum-soaked sponge cake, with a real buttery European style buttercream icing, with wine-macerted cherries for the filling? If I were getting married today, I'd have a chocolate-spice layer cake, with chocolate fudge icing. The wedding couple atop it would be tinted edible chocolate, and my new husband and I would eat each other. And everyone would get a little ribbon-tied box of a single square of pineapple upside down cake; topped with a pineapple ring and a maraschino cherry. Because they'd all be too drunk to enjoy it at the reception, as I would eschew the traditional champagne fountain in favor of a bourbon one.

[GetDrunkStayDrunk]

I do believe the new couple is going with a chocolate cake. They have pretty good taste for food so it should be good.

[peetie44]

I'd advise against letting the wedding band/musicians have ANY food or alcoholic beverages. Otherwise, they WILL eat and drink as much as possible, while playing as little music as possible. Also, do NOT allow them to fraternize with the guests -- particularly any female members of the bride's and groom's families.

Oh yeah...keep them at least 50ft from the bride at all times.

{;^)>

[GetDrunkStayDrunk]

I agree with keeping any band members away from the female patrons. Those gals are for me to get shut down by.

[Savage]

I'd advise against letting the wedding band/musicians have ANY food or alcoholic beverages. Otherwise, they WILL eat and drink as much as possible, while playing as little music as possible. Also, do NOT allow them to fraternize with the guests -- particularly any female members of the bride's and groom's families.

Oh yeah...keep them at least 50ft from the bride at all times.

{;^)>

So... when you guys take a break, you go into your little pen/corral?

[Wingman]

at my wedding, one of our friends claimed to believe we were paying by the hour at the bar (not the case, we paid per drink). about 9:45 (we were going to the party house at 10:00), she's all, "hurry up and drink!" ordering doubles and triples at the bar, forcing people to do shots, etc.

i love my friends.

If she's single, you know...

yes, actually. nice girl, lives in charlotte. pm me next time you're stuck there.

ooh, and she's coming down in a few weeks to go to disney with us....