Weddings and alcohol
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Drinking alcohol at a wedding is a 2000
year old tradition. Greeks and Romans toasted to fertility (for their crops and
families). Wine and champagne are the usual wedding drinks, but other types of
alcohol may be served. The bride and groom should have special
wedding
toasting glasses. Some nice touches are the glasses saying "Bride" and
"Groom," or having the glasses decorated with lace or ribbon. Most couples keep
their toasting glasses. Alcohol is usually a part of every wedding reception and there are a few ways to serve it. One option is an open bar where guests can have whatever drinks the reception site offers. At the end of the night the tab is totaled and whoever is paying for the wedding gets the bill. Sometimes there is a cap put on how much money guests can spend on drinks and once the cap is reached, the bartenders ask the guests to pay for their drinks. Another version of an open bar is to have an open bar for the first hour of the reception and then have a semi-open bar. It is generally expensive to have an open bar and many people usually drink too much and become drunk. A second option is to have a semi-open bar. This is when the bartender only serves certain drinks to guests and puts them on the tab. Very often there are a few types of beer, hard liquor, wine and champagne. If wedding guests want drinks that are not covered by the tab, they will have to purchase them with their own money. A variation of this is to have a tray service go around and offer guests drinks every hour or two. This way guests will be able to drink for free (of course at your expense), but they will only be offered a limited amount. A third option is to have a cash bar where the wedding guests always pay for their drinks and there is no tab for the host. This option will definitely save you a lot of money, but some guests may think you are cheap. Also, you can have a cash bar and put one or two bottles of wine at each table to start your guests off with a limited amount of alcohol. If you choose to have a closed bar, make sure you offer guests a glass of champagne for toasts. Whatever you decide to do, make sure you offer a variety of non-alcoholic options. You may have guests who are pregnant or who do not drink. You also want to give guests non-alcoholic options so they can alternate between alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. When serving drinks make sure you are responsible and that guests have a safe way of getting home or to the hotel from the wedding reception. There are a few toasts that you will see at most weddings. First, the father toasts to his daughter (the bride), then the best man toasts to the bride (or the couple), followed by anyone else who wishes to toast to the couple. To make a toast, you need to stand up and tap your glass with a fork or knife. Noise, like the clinking of champagne glasses and church bells, was originally used to ward off evil or respectful spirits. It was the belief that demons were scared off by loud noises. But now champagne glasses are clinked out of tradition since the scare of evil spirits has diminished. Once you clink your glass, announce that you have a few words that you would like to say. The person or people who are being toasted should not drink at the end of the salute. In general, toasts last no more than 2-3 minutes. Today some people use wedding bells for favors and something to ring to get the bride and groom to kiss. By Nicole Mazzeo Wrapwithus wedding favors |