Almost every host planning a bar lands on the same fork in the road: keep it simple with beer, wine and a couple of batched drinks, or build a full craft cocktail program. Both are good choices. They are just different jobs, and knowing the tradeoffs up front makes the decision easy.
Beer & wine (plus a batched cocktail or two)
- Fastest pour, which means shorter lines even with one bartender covering a larger crowd
- Simpler, more predictable alcohol shopping list — fewer specialty ingredients to source
- Lower total alcohol cost in most cases, since batched cocktails use less premium product per drink
- The right call for casual parties, daytime events, and any bar running more than four hours
Full craft bar
- A complete cocktail menu, made to order — multiple signature drinks, fresh juice, house-made syrups and infusions
- More prep time and more product, which typically means a higher headcount of bartenders for the same guest count
- The stronger choice when the bar is meant to be a centerpiece of the event, not just a service
- Works best for cocktail hour or the first portion of the night, sometimes paired with a simpler beer-and-wine setup once dinner starts
A hybrid, if you want the best of both
The most common structure we build for weddings specifically: a full craft cocktail hour to make a strong first impression, transitioning to beer, wine and the signature cocktail for the reception itself. It keeps the bar interesting without asking one bartender to hand-craft drinks for four straight hours while the line backs up.
What this means for your order
Whichever structure you pick, the alcohol calculator adjusts the quantities accordingly — a full craft bar shifts more of the budget toward spirits and fresh ingredients, while a beer-and-wine bar shifts it toward, unsurprisingly, beer and wine.
Either way, the service is the same
- Licensed, insured bartenders
- Full bar build, ready 60 to 90 minutes before service, at no charge
- Complete teardown at the end of the night