The two main options for bar service at your wedding or event are traditional alcohol catering and dry-hire mobile bartending. Traditional alcohol catering is generally a more turn-key solution, while you can save thousands of dollars with a dry-hire mobile bartender service. Understanding the key differences between alcohol catering vs mobile bartender services will allow you to make the best decision for your event and your budget. Here we break down the difference between having your caterer provide the alcohol vs. using a dry-hire mobile bartending service.
Traditional Alcohol Catering Service
A traditional alcohol caterer will provide all alcohol and mixers served at the event. This might even be something that your food caterer offers as an additional package. This option can be quite convenient, but comes with some tradeoffs: you will pay a serious premium and have relatively little control over which specific brands will be served. Some caterers may also limit you to serving beer and wine only, or make you select from a preset list of cocktails.
Pricing through an alcohol caterer is generally either by the drink (ex: $10 per drink) or a flat hourly price per person regardless of how much they drink (ex: $20 per guest for the first hour, and $10 per guest for each additional hour). As you can imagine, this adds up very quickly. Let’s say you’re expecting 100 guests at your wedding, want to have bar service for 5 hours during your reception, and have decided to go through an alcohol caterer with the flat hourly pricing from the above example. You’d be looking at a bar bill of $7,000 BEFORE factoring in any tips, taxes, or additional service fees they likely charge.
Dry Hire Mobile Bartender Service
A dry-hire mobile bartending service, on the other hand, can provide everything EXCEPT the alcohol for your bar. This does mean that someone from your wedding party will need to bring the alcohol to the venue or arrange for a local store to deliver it. However, this is a great option if you’re on a budget, want more control over the bar menu, or are expecting a significant number of your guests to not drink alcohol. A dry-hire mobile bartending service will still help you decide what to serve and how much to buy. But because you’re actually providing the alcohol, you don’t pay a markup on it as you would through a caterer and any alcohol left over at the end of the event is yours to take home.
Dry-hire mobile bartending service pricing varies by provider, and what is included in the bartending package may differ. For example, North Georgia Bartending’s pricing starts at $750 for 5 hours of bar service with 1 bartender and includes all of the essentials such as cups, straws, napkins, garnishes, basic equipment, custom bar menu design, and insurance coverage. We will once again assume a 100 guest wedding and a 5 hour reception. Adding a second bartender is an additional $300, and let’s assume the venue doesn’t have an ice machine so you have the mobile bartending service bring ice for another $200. Expecting to spend around $1500 on alcohol and mixers is generally a pretty safe starting ballpark. In this scenario, your total bar expenses would be roughly $2750 before adding any tips – significantly less than the catering example. How much is skipping a trip to the liquor store worth to you?
How to Choose?
So which is right for your event? Now that you have a better idea of the differences between alcohol catering vs mobile bartender services, you can focus on finding the right company. Here is a list of questions to ask any bar service provider you’re considering. If you prioritize budget and a more personalized bar experience, a dry-hire mobile bartending service is likely the better option. If you just want a hands-off bar solution and don’t mind paying significantly more for the convenience, working with an alcohol caterer might be the perfect fit.
When you’re ready to hire a professional mobile bartender for your north Georgia wedding or other event, our small team at North Georgia Bartending is here for you. Put us behind the bar, save thousands of dollars vs. traditional alcohol catering, and we’ll take great care of you and your guests!
call or text: 470-641-2581