When planning a party or wedding, you might assume your catering company or venue will supply the bartending staff. Well don’t be surprised if they don’t. Eeek! You may need to hire your own professional bar service.

A good bartender can make drinks and serve beverages. But an EXCELLENT one can make your guests have fun and enjoy themselves even while waiting for drinks.

What To Look For When Hiring a Bar Service

You need to meet and interview your bartenders face to face before the wedding or special event.

Here are some questions to ask:

* Ask if all their staff are state licensed? This is very important as many venues will not allow an unlicensed person to serve alcohol due to insurance and liability concerns.

* Ask how many years of experience the staff has and of what kind. A tap person with experience in pub-style establishments may not know cocktails.

* Ask questions to test expertise, good bartenders know major mixed-drink recipes by heart.

* Ask if they are willing to act as a beverage consultant before the wedding day? An experienced mixologist can help you calculate how much and what alcohol you’ll need. Some professionals will even go to a liquor supplier with you to help you with purchases.

* Quiz prospective servers on how they set up their bars and how they cope with nonstop drink demands and empty glasses and bottles. They should be in command of their work space, trash containers, and supply of glassware and beverages.

* Ask if they will make you a special signature drink tailored for your wedding? Specialty drinks are great if your on a limited budget. Rather than offer a full bar you can offer one special drink to save money.

* Ask how the staff will be dressed? Generally, a bartender will wear a white dress shirt and black slacks. If you want them in a vest and tie, or a more casual look let them know in advance how you want them dressed.

* Ask about their experience in dealing with guests who drink too much. Ask for examples how they dealt with this problem in the past.

* Ask if they have enough staff for your event. You will need approximately one bartender for every 50 guests.

* Ask what happens if they can’t make your event. Do they have an alternative company to substitute? Ask who they are?

* Be sure to ask specifics about their policies such as deposits, cancellations, overtime fees, payment schedules etc.

♥ Tips ♥

Good bartenders ask about guests’ ages and tastes, and know which drinks different groups favor. They will also ask about your food menu and recommend what would be the best wines/cocktails to serve.

Be sure to know your alcohol budget before visiting your vendor and stick to it. Don’t allow anyone to talk you into services you can’t afford. Be open and honest about how much you can spend.

Do not pay your vendor with cash; always pay with a credit card. By using a credit card you can protect yourself. If something goes wrong, your credit card company can help you fight any charges.

Last but not least…before you sign any contract read it carefully and make sure every single detail is listed…all company policies and anything you were promised should be listed. Take nothing for granted…get everything in writing!

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