Round of drinks at hotel reception

queencakes

I just wanted to get a few opinions on the following. I am getting married in 6 months and myself and himself were talking last night about buying the guests at the reception a round of drinks. With the number we are having it would add 1000/1500 euros onto the bill.

He thinks that this money would be better off spent on some different kind of entertainment as it doesn't matter if there is a round or not as there will be wine with the meal (of course). Also he feels that good food and good entertainment will make the wedding and people won't remember if they got a drink or not.

The last few weddings I have attended we were all offered a drink as well as wine with the meal. I don't want our guests memory of our wedding to be "stingy b*stards".

Any views on this?

Das Kitty

Just because the last few weddings had it doesn't mean you have to.

TBH, I think the round of drinks is a bit showy. People know how much it's costing unlike the rest of the wedding.

We're definitely not doing it, we have got some extra wine for the toast instead.

I'm with your future hubby on this one.

Quality

I think the round of drinks is nice. I had it at my wedding.

A friend of mine didnt do it.. She got bottles of sparkling wine for the toast. It might be an idea for you.:)

At the end of the day its your wedding, Do what you want..:)

seamus

Generally when people arrive to the hotel after the ceremony, people tend to stick on little crackery things and champagne (or prosecco or whatever). In reality, it depends on how long people are going to be sitting around waiting to be called for dinner.

I've found that people aren't overly enamoured by stingy little cakes and the likes. If people are hungry and have a couple of hours before dinner, they'll go into the bar and get themselves soup and sandwiches. If they're not hungry, or dinner is only going to be a hour or so, they'll go into the bar and get a pint (or a glass of wine). Having a drink ready for your guests when they arrive at the hotel is all well and good, but in practice it goes to waste. Many people don't want what's on offer and will go into the bar and buy what they want. People are more than happy to look after themselves.

angeldelight

Most of the weddings I've been at where there's drinks and/or canapes, they are ok - but as said above, people will often prefer to buy their own. I have seen tea & coffee receptions going down much better as people are often glad of a cup of tea and a sandwich while waiting around for the bridal party

seaner

+ 1 for the tea and coffee. I've been to 3 weddings last year and was never so happy to see some tea waiting for me when I arrived and the receptions for all three. It can be a long morning/early avo so a nice cup of tea or coffee would be well received.

whiskeyman

angeldelight wrote: »

I have seen tea & coffee receptions going down much better as people are often glad of a cup of tea and a sandwich while waiting around for the bridal party

seaner wrote: »

+ 1 for the tea and coffee. I've been to 3 weddings last year and was never so happy to see some tea waiting for me when I arrived and the receptions for all three. It can be a long morning/early avo so a nice cup of tea or coffee would be well received.

Yup, I've been to big country weddings, and seen 2 members of staff manning tea and coffee tables, with biscuits. Sambos would have been a nice touch too!!
As many have said, it can be a long day for many, driving up that morning etc... and a non alcoholic drink is very much welcome!!

Das Kitty

I thought we were talking about buying a round of drinks for the toast with the meal?

Most hotels put on free drinks receptions for people on arrival, which can include tea or coffee. Usually there'll be a bite to eat as well around 10pm with tea.

We're going to try to get some finger food for the guests arriving before us. I know a lot of people do be half starved waiting for the meal because they might only have had their breakfast beforehand.

seaner

i just got the impression that she wanted to know whether or not she should buy a round of drinks.
I don't think its necessary. If you're planning on having the toast around the time of the speeches (usually after dinner, but some people do them before) you'll have people by that stage d*ckheads ordering doubles etc.

So she's already paying for the wine....I don't see the necessity to add anything else.

One of the receptions I was at last year had put on 'champagne' for the guest. Whereby each guest got a glass of champagne. And of course there were the greedy guts there who got 2 and 3 glasses, leaving others with none and it cost the bride and groom an arm and a leg. Plus they didn't even get to toast this champagne cuz they were outside getting their photo's done.

I think its an element of the wedding that no one remembers and you're better off saving the money and putting it to better uses.

Quality

seaner wrote: »

i just got the impression that she wanted to know whether or not she should buy a round of drinks.
I don't think its necessary. If you're planning on having the toast around the time of the speeches (usually after dinner, but some people do them before) you'll have people by that stage d*ckheads ordering doubles etc.

So she's already paying for the wine....I don't see the necessity to add anything else.

One of the receptions I was at last year had put on 'champagne' for the guest. Whereby each guest got a glass of champagne. And of course there were the greedy guts there who got 2 and 3 glasses, leaving others with none and it cost the bride and groom an arm and a leg. Plus they didn't even get to toast this champagne cuz they were outside getting their photo's done.

I think its an element of the wedding that no one remembers and you're better off saving the money and putting it to better uses.

Most hotels dont allow, doubles, cocktails or expensive whiskeys for the toast.

All she has to do is make sure her hotel is aware of this.

If it is a glass of champagne(Sparkling wine) for the toast, Then only one glass will be poured for the person sitting at there table after the meal.

seaner

Quality wrote: »

Most hotels dont allow, doubles, cocktails or expensive whiskeys for the toast.


If it is a glass of champagne(Sparkling wine) for the toast, Then only one glass will be poured for the person sitting at there table after the meal.

Doesn't stop people from buying two singles. It can happen i've seen it.
I just think its a waste.
Firstly whats the point? You're feeding them, providing them with wine and now you're expect to dish out on champagne? Or if you prefer to go with sparkling wine...it just seems to me its uneccesary.

Quality

seaner wrote: »

Doesn't stop people from buying two singles. It can happen i've seen it.
I just think its a waste.
Firstly whats the point? You're feeding them, providing them with wine and now you're expect to dish out on champagne? Or if you prefer to go with sparkling wine...it just seems to me its uneccesary.

Seaner its one drink per person at a table.

kmick

No wedding I have been at in the last two years has had that. I think it has kind of gone out of fashion. Spend the extra money on a really good band as I think the music makes or breaks a wedding.

seaner

Quality wrote: »

Seaner its one drink per person at a table.

and you know how every hotel in the country handle 'toasts' at a reception. Hmmm.

If you have the money by all means go ahead with it. But if you're going to do it in the first place then do it right.

According to Quality its perfectly fine to put 'restrictions' on the toast. But to me, thats nonscensical. Whats the point of having a toast in the first place if you then basically tell your guests what they can and cannot drink?

I've not been to a wedding in the last 3 years where there's been a drink bought for me for the toast.

seaner

Quality wrote: »

Seaner its one drink per person at a table.

and you know how every hotel in the country handle 'toasts' at a reception. Hmmm.

If you have the money by all means go ahead with it. But if you're going to do it in the first place then do it right.

According to Quality its perfectly fine to put 'restrictions' on the toast. But to me, thats nonscensical. Whats the point of having a toast in the first place if you then basically tell your guests what they can and cannot drink?

I've not been to a wedding in the last 3 years where there's been a drink bought for me for the toast.

Clink

seaner wrote: »

and you know how every hotel in the country handle 'toasts' at a reception. Hmmm.

If you have the money by all means go ahead with it. But if you're going to do it in the first place then do it right.

According to Quality its perfectly fine to put 'restrictions' on the toast. But to me, thats nonscensical. Whats the point of having a toast in the first place if you then basically tell your guests what they can and cannot drink?

I've not been to a wedding in the last 3 years where there's been a drink bought for me for the toast.

If you tell the hotel that it's one drink per person at a table well then that's what it's going to be. And it's hardly putting serious restrictions on to say that no you can't have a triple whiskey or some other really expensive cocktail. Most weddings I've been to have had a round of drinks or else a glass of something sparkling. Personally I think the glass of something sparkling is a nice touch.

ash_18x

if you really want to get them a drink for the toast, have you considered bringing in bottles of sparkling wine or champagne yourself and paying the corkage, this would be cheaper than buying them all a round. this is what we are going to do for our wedding this september, the hotel are charging €8.00 corkage per bottle, even paying this it seems better value! just another idea!

queencakes

Thanks for all the responses!

Just to clarify my question was about whether or not to buy a round of drinks for the toast as well as providing wine with the meal. The last few weddings I have been at this has been the case.

We will be having wine with the meal anyway but I don't think there will be many wine drinkers amongst the guests.

Anywho I like the suggestion of having sparkling wine - any recommendations on a half decent (that doesn't break the bank) brand?

tSubh Dearg

O'Briens used to do a great champagne, which was just as good as Moet or any of the big houses. It was called Beauvais. There was a vintage version for about €30 and a normal for about €25. I'm fairly sure they still do it.

iguana

We had a nice prosecco called Luna Argenta for our wedding and it was really great. A friend is a sommelier and she recommended it and it generally sells for STG£9. Not sure where you'd get it in Ireland though.

Sleepy

Most Cavas will give you a far better quality sparkling white for a quarter of the price of the equivalent champagne.