The COVID-19 pandemic changed many things about our lives. But we’re still human beings, so some things stay the same – we still want to break out the bubbly at weddings. How can we toast our friends, enjoy ourselves, and keep guests healthy and safe? You’ll raise a glass and say “Cheers!” to these smart tips.
Pre-Batched Cocktails
Since early 2020, food and beverage service has changed. Wedding vendors adopt safety measures to maintain social distancing at events. Guests standing in line at an open bar is a huge no-no. So how have bartenders adapted to these changes? With single-serve drinks, according to Brides.
Offering big-batch cocktails in single-serve form is easy. Your pros could mix these ahead of time and package them in tiny bottles. With the bottle caps on, their contents stay safe. Drink stations are another great option. If you choose this option, work with your catering or bar pros to help guests maintain proper distance. Or to up the elegance factor, your vendor’s staff could serve pre-batch drinks on fancy trays.
In her Brides piece, Molly Allen mentions a couple more useful tips. With pre-bottled cocktails, you can get creative with packaging. Personalized labels and ribbons are one popular approach. Custom-etched glass bottles add a sophisticated touch. Before you take the plunge with DIY bottle décor, make sure you have enough time and money to complete your project.
Custom-Mixed Drinks
Batched cocktails are a great way to serve a crowd. But what if you want to let guests order their own drinks? Fortunately, you can do this without creating a line at the bar. Wedding Wire’s Kim Forrest mentions a restaurant-style approach – your caterer’s staff taking drink orders tableside. Once the drinks are made, staff can deliver them to guests. This probably works best with a sit-down plated meal, but talk to your caterer for ideas.
Tasteful Toasting Tips
Single-serve alcohol is an excellent approach to another part of your wedding – the toasts. Mini champagne bottles hold just enough bubbly for one person. Champagne glasses are part of your table setting, so all your guests do is uncork and pour. That’s one less thing your servers have to do, and your guests aren’t passing a huge bottle around the table. If there’s room in your budget, you can order custom labels for your single-serve champagne as well.
When Guests Overdo It
You hope that none of your guests drinks too much. But hope alone won’t prevent someone from going too heavy on the booze. Besides inappropriate behavior and intoxicated driving, drunk guests pose another risk – they may forget about social distancing. The Conversation suggests limiting how much alcohol you serve. You may want to set a two-drink maximum, but you know your crowd best.
Even despite your best efforts, someone can still drink enough to impair judgment. Thankfully, you’re not without options. Talk to your bar and catering managers and work out a plan for handling drunk guests. Also, be prepared in case someone needs a ride. Make sure you have the number of a reputable cab or shuttle service. Should you need to go with Lyft or Uber, don’t let your guest ride alone. Have a sober friend ride with that person and observe useful tips from Safety.com.
Priority One: Guest Safety
You’ve got many details to track when planning a wedding in the COVID-19 age. Food and drink safety is a priority, but vendors are doing all they can to follow public health orders. You can still get creative with your drink menu. Single-serve cocktails, tableside service, and mini bottles are just a few popular approaches. These ideas also prove that you can still serve a crowd and keep them safe.
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