Beer & Wine Permit?

Even if you do not own a home, you should have a renters policy. It would include liability coverage, Call your insurance agent.

Anyone without liability coverage, in these days and times, is really opening themselves up for problems.

Case in point, one of my neighbors caused a major fire. It was an accident, but, his lack of properly discarding coals used to smoke ribs caused four of us to lose the use of our homes for six months and cost over $1.4 in restoration costs. He had enough liability insurance to cover the loss, otherwise, he would have been sued by the various insurance companies.

Make sure you have (or get) insurance!

At this moment we aren't even renting. Since I lost my job we are living with my parents til I find a full time good paying job

We are planning to have our own place before the wedding but I do not want to wait til then to get everything done.

Well, there is an option. Ask your parents about their insurance. If you are living with them, this would be an option.

Contact your insurance agent. Do you have auto insurance? If so, contact that agent, if your parents cannot (or will not) let you "use" their policy to cover the event.

Honestly, I would also carry more than $300,000 in liability coverage. Should anything go wrong no one sues for less than $1 million.

I took my liability limits up to $1.5 million. It only cost me an additional $80 a year. Well worth the piece of mind.

I would contact AAA and see if they can provide you with some insurance or guidance in how to get some. I definitely agree with Kathy R, make sure you get insurance.

I am not sure where you are, but in California, if your venue does not have the proper license (to serve alcohol) permits (to use) insurance (liability) you must provide said items and provide the venue written proof items have been purchased and are current/valid.

Call the Park Management and they should be able to tell you what exactly you need and how to get it

Gosh this is gonna be more trouble then I thought lol... I just want to have a picnic/bbq at a park with a large pavilion to save money but still be able to have beer and wine. Now I am wondering if this will even save us money... UGH

Megan, it will be fine. Just a few extra steps to go through.

Honestly, going through your parents insurance sounds like the easiest way. If they do not currently carry $300,000 in liability, they can raise their limits to that amount. They can always take the amount back down to current levels after the wedding, if they want to.

Depending on when their policy renews, they will be billed a "pro-rate", which means being billed for the portion of the term left. So, lets say their policy renews on January 15, and they add the coverage on May 15, they would be billed for 7 months of coverage, which could be as little as $35.

It's really not difficult to do.

HHmmm.... Thanks ladies just gotta figure out how to talk to my parents about it.. My father is very touchy when I talk to him about the wedding since they can't afford to put money into anything. =/

Since the cost would be very low, just make sure to tell him that you will pay the amount for the additional premium.

I know that this will all work out for you. :-)

I hope it will.. I need to have everything in line to talk to FH about it cause if there isn't beer he wouldn't allow us to have a picnic wedding at the park. (His family is a big beer drinking family)

Ah......I have to ask, why would you even think about asking your parents to shoulder the liability of any alcohol related situations that arise from your reception?

If anything happened, if ANY claim were to be made, your parents would be living a nightmare for years and years - AND - there are plenty of legal cases on the books where the claimant was able to sue the insurance company AND the policy holder separately.

Find it in your budget to hire a professional bartending service, or go through your catering and have them arrange for one. They are fully insured and trained to handle any situation that arises.

I don't really want to ask my parents I am going to see what else I can do first. I am wanting to supply my own keg, wine and soda just because the only reason we're thinking of having a park reception is to save the money where ever we can and I don't wanna spend $200+ for a keg when I can get the same size keg from a family friend who owns a liquor store for about $80

Even if one hires a bartending service, any lawsuit brought would include the hosts of the event. So, it is still important to have insurance on your own.

Even if a suit is not won, there would be defense costs. It is ALWAYS wise to be properly insured on your own.

I may be wrong here, but, Megan, are your hiring a caterer? From what you have said, I have a feeling that you may not be???

That opens up another can of worms. If you are relying on home cooked foods for a wedding....oy!

Most professional bartenders carry their own liability insurance, so she still would not have to worry if anything happens. God forbid someone has too much to drink at my wedding our bartender is responsible, a professional bartender will also have the training to know when to cut someone off. Coming up with the extra $1200 was a lot for me and FH but it is SUCH peace of mind having a professional taking care of it.

@ keli - Actually, yes, one still could have something to worry about. It is best to hire professionals, but, even then, one can be sued. Sad, but true.

I do agree with you, though, that hiring a pro is a wise choice.

Well the point of professional bartenders having liability insurance is so that the person can NOT be held at fault, it is the bartenders fault, the bartender is serving the liquor.

No I am doing a catered pig roast.. I would NOT wanna deal with making food for about 100 people but we are hoping to supply the drinks which will only be soda water and beer/wine (no hard liquor allowed at the park)

@Keli, one can still be drawn in to the lawsuit, should one happen. We had my daughters wedding in a hotel. Had anyone been injured, we could have been drawn in to a suit. Less likely in a hotel setting...more likely in a park setting.

Megan, if you are using a caterer, ask them about liability....although if they are smart, they will run like hell from a liquor liability exposure when they are not providing the alcohol nor the servers.