Under New Jersey’s dry-hire rules, you buy the alcohol for your event yourself, from a licensed retailer — we pour it as your agent. That is a genuine advantage once you know how to shop for it well. Here is how to do it without a last-minute scramble.
What kind of retailer to use
- A licensed New Jersey liquor store is the standard choice — look for one with a dedicated events or bulk-order desk, which most towns along the Shore have
- Warehouse clubs work well for beer and standard wine by the case, though selection on spirits and specialty wine is usually thinner
- For a large order, call ahead — many local stores offer a case discount and will hold or even deliver a bulk order with a few days’ notice
Buy local when you can
A liquor store in the town where your event is happening is often the most convenient choice — closer for pickup, and frequently more willing to accept returns on unopened, full cases if you end up overbuying. Ask about the return policy before you place a large order; many NJ retailers will take back unopened bottles.
How far ahead to order
- Standard events (under 100 guests): a week ahead is usually plenty, even for a fairly large order
- Large events or peak summer weekends: two to three weeks ahead, since popular retailers get busy with wedding season orders too
- Anything with specialty or hard-to-find spirits: as soon as your signature cocktail is finalized — some products need to be special-ordered
How much to buy
Use the alcohol calculator to size your order to your guest count and event length — as a rough baseline, plan on about two drinks per guest in the first hour and roughly one per hour after that.
Common mistakes
- Underbuying ice — plan roughly one pound per guest for a multi-hour event, more in summer heat
- Forgetting mixers, citrus and garnishes if they are not part of your bar service package — confirm what is included when you book
- Buying everything in glass for a dock, beach or boat-adjacent event — check your venue for any container restrictions
- Waiting until the week of a busy summer weekend to place a large order, when store shelves and staff availability are both stretched thin
The legal basics, quickly
You must be the one purchasing the alcohol — it cannot be built into your bartending package or sold to you by the bartending company, and it cannot be resold to your guests once you own it either. See the full explanation on our dry-hire page if any of this is new to you.