How do you budget for consumption bar?

Thank you O&L!! My guests can't afford to stay there. The only reason we are is because the wedding night is free. Their prices are insane!

Holy cow!!! That's so expensive!!! We did a consumption bar for about 70 adults and it was only $3000

La Grosera- they charge the same for shots as they do a cocktail.

Thanks ladies!! I appreciate all the input. If I do beer and wine only I know my guests will go to the bar downstairs. I'd rather eat the cost than have my guests leave. I'm kind of just stuck.

I do not find the corkage fee "ridiculous" when they allow her to bring in her own wine. The venue has to make money somehow when they aren't supplying the wine. It is still less than if she were to use the venue's wine. I have seen high corkage fees at higher end resorts / venues when they let you purchase wine at cost or bring your own.

Erin, I've had friends that have had consumption bars and from speaking to them it seems to be 8 drinks per person on the low end and 11 drinks per person on the high end. You could estimate based on 8-9 drinks per person, and take an average of the drink prices.

@Emily - Normally corkage fees are $15-20 per bottle. Even up here where corkage fees are expensive I've never seen them above $20.

Thank you Emily! I think some of my older crowd will stick to wine. Luckily my Aunt doesn't mind supplying that part. She signed up for far too many wine clubs. HaHa!!

Do you really think they would leave your wedding to pay for a cocktail when they could get beer or wine for free at your wedding? I prefer cocktails to beer or wine, but would never leave the party to get a cocktail. I would consider that rude as a guest and also I like free stuff...

Oh don't forget that resort fees and tax are calculated from total amount so you need to add those fees to your corkage fees as well.

I would definitely tell your bar no shots!!! That will increase your bill so much!! Your price drinks are super high. At my venue, it's $7 for a cocktail. I don't know a number, but I would plan on the bill being really high.

@O&L- I know! Already did that which brought it to about $24.

@Caitlin- I definitely do! And while they are down there I'd have them grab me a cocktail too. Either that or they will sneak in flasks. They may do that regardless. I'm not offering top shelf so those that want it may bring their own. I'm just telling them not to get caught.

@Erin $12 and it's not top shelf!! Maybe start a rumor that the wine is fantastic (as it probably is) so people will jump on that train. No matter what, it sounds like you are prepared for a steep bar tab. Good luck!

ETA: words

Holy Shizzle that's expensive. lol

ETA: Oh I didn't realize you were bringing the wine. I agree with Emily they have to make money somehow.

$24 for a corkage fee seems like a lot - how much are bottles of wine? Bc it might be more cost effective to buy it there

They don't even offer well alcohol, not that I would want to serve that anyway. $12 is the cheapest option.

Moooootherfucker, $12 a shot?! Probably because I'm from Arkansas where cost of living is pretty low, but that sounds asinine.

I don't find those prices outrageous at all. I'm getting married in Livermore and premium cocktails are $12, and the cheapest bottle of wine is $35.

I have never even been to a shitty dive bar in the Bay Area that serves $6-7 cocktails, so that to me is ridiculous!

No thought on budgeting, but can you not have the option for shots? In my crowd. they'd go up to get a round of shots and a drink and that could really add up. Just offer beer, wine, and cocktails.

Corkage is technically $18.00 per bottle which is fairly average. It's the resort fee and tax that's making everything crazy expensive. Lesson learned! Always ask your venue what they add resort fee and tax to.

@DWbride- to buy their bottles would be a few dollars more. We are trying to save where we can.