Every Sip Happens booking starts from the same base service, then you add only the pieces you would rather not handle yourself. Nothing is bundled in that you do not need. This page lays out the base service, the three ways most clients book it, and every optional add-on.
The base service, on every booking
- Licensed, insured bartenders
- Bar built and ready 60 to 90 minutes before your first guest, at no charge
- The bartender’s full kit: shaker tins, strainer, muddler, jiggers, ice scoop, cutting board and knife, wine and bottle openers, pour spouts and a spill mat
- A signature cocktail designed around your event, with a printed menu card
- Responsible service and ID checks throughout
- Complete teardown and bagged trash at the end of the night
The base service is priced per drinking guest for a standard four-hour bar. Current rates are on the pricing page.
Three ways clients usually book
Private party
One bartender and a portable bar, sized for up to about 50 guests. The usual menu is beer, wine and four cocktails. This is the setup for birthdays, engagement parties, showers and backyard gatherings. See private party bartending.
Wedding
Two bartenders and a full bar build for up to about 150 guests, with a custom signature cocktail menu and coordination with your planner, caterer and venue before the day. See wedding bartending.
Corporate and brand events
Sized for up to about 100 guests, with a branded cocktail menu on request and proper invoicing for business accounts. See corporate event bartending and holiday parties.
Larger events scale from there. We staff to roughly one bartender per 50 drinking guests.
Equipment rentals
- 6-foot bar rental. A six-foot bar table with linen in your choice of color. One bar handles up to two bartenders.
- Cooler rental. A 50-quart cooler for clean ice and for chilling beer or wine. Plan on about one per 30 guests.
- Ice tub rental. A rigid 17-gallon tub. A cheaper way than a cooler to chill beer, wine and soft drinks.
If you already have a built-in bar, a kitchen island or a sturdy table, we work with what is there and you can skip the bar rental.
Supplies
- Bagged ice. Clean ice for mixed drinks at roughly two pounds per guest, plus extra for chilling. Ice is the most commonly under-bought item at a private event.
- Cups, straws and napkins. Clear 12-ounce and 9-ounce cups, cocktail straws and bar napkins. Figure about five cups per guest over a night.
- Plastic champagne flutes. For toasts. Two per guest covers a toast and a refill. The champagne is yours to buy.
Mixers and garnishes
- Juices and limes. Cranberry, pineapple and orange juice, club soda, tonic and fresh limes. The baseline for most mixed drinks.
- Premium mixers and garnishes. Margarita and sour mix, grenadine, simple syrup, lemon and lime juice, oranges, lemons, cherries and olives. Pair it with juices and limes for a complete full bar.
- Deluxe garnish package. Fresh mint, Tajin, pineapple, strawberries, jalapenos and grapefruit. Worth it when you are serving signature cocktails.
- Soft drinks package. Coke, Sprite and ginger ale, for mixing and for guests who are not drinking.
- Bottled waters. Cheap insurance on a hot day.
- Frozen mixers package. Strawberry daiquiri and pina colada mix, cherries, limes and a bar blender. Add the ice package too, because frozen drinks go through it fast.
- Mocktail mixers package. Everything for three non-alcoholic cocktails: a virgin mojito, a Blue Lagoon and a classic Shirley Temple. More on the mocktail bar page.
Extra event staff
Bartenders pour. If your event also needs hands on the floor, you can add:
- Food service staff to pass appetizers, run a buffet and clear plates
- Event assistants to restock, bus tables and keep the space tidy
What we never supply: the alcohol
New Jersey law does not allow a bartending company without a liquor license to sell alcohol, so no package here includes it. You buy the bottles from a licensed retailer and keep whatever stays sealed. It is the legal structure, and it also means there is no markup on what your guests drink. Start with the dry-hire explainer, work out quantities with the alcohol calculator, and see where to buy alcohol for retailer tips.
Which add-ons do most people take?
There is no single right answer, but there is a common pattern:
- Backyard party at home: bar rental, ice, cups, and juices and limes. Most hosts already own a cooler or two.
- Wedding at a venue: ice and both mixer packages, plus the deluxe garnish package for the signature cocktail. Many venues supply the bar itself.
- Rental house or Airbnb: nearly everything, since nothing is on site and nobody wants to shop on vacation.
- Corporate event: soft drinks, bottled waters and the mocktail package alongside the bar, so every employee has something worth ordering.
Not sure how much ice or mixer your headcount needs? The ice and mixer guide has the numbers.
Common questions
Can I supply some things and have you bring the rest?
Yes, and most clients do. Add what you want to the quote and bring the rest yourself.
Do you bring glassware?
The cups add-on is clear disposable cups, with plastic flutes available for toasts. If your event calls for real glassware, tell us what your venue or rental company is providing and we will plan the bar around it.
Is the signature cocktail an extra charge?
No. Designing it and printing the menu card are part of the base service. You buy the spirits for it along with the rest of your alcohol.
See your price
Pick your add-ons in the quote builder and the price updates as you go.