What do you need to think about when hiring a mobile bar for your wedding?
A mobile bar can add a fun and personalised touch to your wedding, offering hand picked drinks and cocktails to your guests throughout the day and night.
We work with a fabulous range of mobile bar companies, from vintage horse boxes to rustic wooden frame bars and always love seeing the wild and wonderful bar creations that come to market each year.
We spoke to Giles and Jodie of Sip ‘n’ Swig Mobile Bars, and asked them to share a few tips to keep in mind when organising or hiring your wedding bar.
First things first
Always make sure your bar is licensed and the company have public liability insurance… Once you know that you can start deciding on the fun stuff.
What drinks?
Choose a company that serves drinks you know your guests will love. Remember that many people are into craft beers, small batch spirits and more increasingly, non-alcoholic drinks with a difference.
Drinks Reception
If you’re having welcome drinks eg for a wedding reception, look at the opportunity to serve a cocktail instead of fizz. It doesn’t have to cost the earth and It’s a great wow factor for your guests!
Gin Bars
Gin bars at events are very popular right now (we take 15-20 gins as standard on our bars and many more if we’re doing a speciality bar). Make sure there’s a good range provided, remember people will want to try something new and that the recommended garnish is served with each gin, it’s not just always slice of lemon these days.
Glassware
Glass looks best at events, so if you’re hiring yourselves speak to your drinks provider, they will either guide you on amounts or source it for you. If you have to use other material try wherever possible to ensure it’s either biodegradable or made from recyclable material.
Cocktails
If you’re having cocktails on your bar at a wedding include a his n hers in the list. It’s always fun to see who’s wins at the end of the night.
Extras
We always get asked for phones to be charged, having spare cables for your guests to use is a great idea. Most bars have some but remember they’re often in use for card readers and tills.
For the end of the night, a list at the bar of local taxi numbers really helps, not all guests will have pre booked their way home.
We hope this gives you a few ideas for questions to ask your drinks supplier or a bit of a guide if you’re trying to do it yourself. You can always ask us if you require help with anything, advice is always free. Just contact us via our website or Facebook page.
