Determining Bar Package - Flat fee or by consumption

How many guests will you have who are of legal drinking age? Do they enjoy drinking? I’d look up average consumption rates and try to guesstimate possible costs just to give you a ballpark idea.

I would think it would be cheaper to do a flat rate fee unless a lot of your guests don't drink. Otherwise a consumption bar can get pretty expensive.

You need to know your crowd, really. Our crowd is more of a two glasses of wine on a wild night type, with maybe three or so heavy drinkers, so we were going to have a consumption bar.
But then our venue is all inclusive so it didn’t come up.

I think this is one of those know your guests situations. 5 drinks in 4 hours is completely reasonable at a wedding. For that reason I'd go with the all inclusive option. Chances are people will put down at least one drink half full and never come back to it. But if you know a majority of your guests don't drink or will just have a drink or two, then consumption makes more sense.

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Almost all of our guests will be of legal drinking age, apart from 10 nieces and nephews, so there is about 100 people who will be drinking. I have tried guesstimating, but there just are so many variables, which is why I was hoping some people on here would've had experience with the choice.

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Melanie, that is a great point about people putting down glasses half-full. I expect many drinks would be lost that way.

View Quoted Comment With that many guests, your best bet will be the flat rate. Consumption adds up quickly with that many people.

What is more cost efficient is well and truly dependent on your crowd. Our venue offers BYO and being Russian, my people are big, big drinkers, meaning that if I had the choice of options you do, I would 100% be paying a flat rate per person because people will be doing quite a few shots. I can’t really give any specific advice here other than perhaps to go over your list and guestimate how much your crowd would drink.

I would do the all inclusive flat rate because I think it would save you more in the end if you have 100 guests who plan on drinking.

I think the flat fee is the better option. People go crazy at weddings with dancing and drinking and just cut lose. You never really know what's going to happen

Flat fee is predictable I once saw a client insist on consumption and her 100 person bar bill was 4K

View Quoted Comment That's cheaper than the flat rate of $55/person that the OP is debating. In your example the consumption bar at $4000 was a better choice than the flat fee of $5500.

Do flat rate. When you host a bar— regardless of if it’s a flat fee or consumption— most guests tend to leave their drinks at tables and get new ones before finishing the last one. So many wasted drinks. If you do it by consumption, you’ll be paying each of those wasted drinks.

Flat. I’ve been to a few consumption bars at a wedding at it pissed me off royally when the bar was “drunk up” halfway through the event and we had to pull out our wallets before the cake was even cut at $11 per drink. No thank you.

Know your crowd!!


If your friends and family drink, like drink drink, bite the bullet at do the open bar. It will most likely come out cheaper in the end and you won’t have to stress about it! One of my bridesmaids did a consumption bar at her wedding and she said that she watched waiters take half full wine glasses off of tables and couldn’t even enjoy herself because she was watching money go down the drain, literally!
If you think your guests will casually have a drink or two at most, you may would be fine with consumption. But really think about how much you think people will drink! Your guests won’t know whether you’re paying per head or per bottle cap so they will drink if the bar is open to them.
I’ve never been to a wedding with an open bar that I didn’t take advantage of - that sounds AWFUL but guests love to have that treat when at a wedding!

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Don't worry, the bar wouldn't be drunk up at all! We don't want our guests even thinking of their wallets during the reception.

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I think you are right. Half of the family is not huge into drinking, but then the other half is! I don't want to be kicking myself at the end of the night with a massive bill being dropped in my lap.

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Morgan, you bring up a great point! I don't want to be hovering over my guests making sure they finish their drinks. For my own sanity, I think that paying for per-person will be the easiest option.

Always flat rate. There is no way to keep a consumption bar in check so that you aren't ripped off.

Flat rate. Especially if your guests are heavier drinkers. It is nice to just pay up front and not have to stress about your end of night bar bill.