How to hire a bartender?

I mean, maybe I'm wrong, but I would assume hiring a bartender means you're just hiring the bartender for their services and you're the one to supply them with the alcohol they serve at the event.

Can you ask your venue who they recommend? Honestly, (without knowing the ABC laws in your location), hiring a bartender and supplying your own liquor is probably going to be the most cost efficient way to do this. I don't really know how a bartender could supply alcohol since there is licensing involved in that.

Maybe someone will be able to answer this in a better way, but when we were catering, we would recommend staff and the hosts always supplied liquor. I always recommended host liability insurance,(which is really not very expensive).

I would think that would come through the venue or the caterer. Hiring a bartender is just hiring the person to responsibly (and legally insured) to serve drinks at your event.

My venue has a few bartenders on their preferred vendors list. Maybe you could ask your venue?

Thanks everyone! Our venue allows all outside vendors and does not have a preferred vendor list. Our caterer doesn't office bar tending service. The two vendors that have contacted us both have insurance and are licensed.

Sara L. Why would you not recommend thumbtack?

I found a bartender company that brings the alcohol too. They just charge a $50.00 "shopping" fee to buy it, bring it and return any that's left. They refund the money back after the wedding.

Even if your caterer doesn't offer bartending, they may know somebody reputable. Any caterer that doesn't offer that service themselves is probably exposed to a range of others in that role, and will remember the good ones.

Thumbtack charges vendors for the chance to contact you. Real pros don't need to pay for that service. They are able to attract customers themselves.

@HickChick418 I think one of the vendors offers this service as well. This would be ideal, one less thing for us to worry about right?!

Thumbtack has a lot of inexperienced and not-so reliable people.

Can you check with a service that rents waitstaff? They often have bartenders as well. Google "waiters for hire" in your area.

Definitely cheaper to hire a bartending company and supply your own. These are all good suggestions