paying for a couple of drinks

hunnymonster

H2B and I don't really drink so I'd appreciate a couple of opinions on this one. We have the option of an open bar for three hours after the meal for €25. Alternatively we will leave the same amount of money behind the bar. The hotel is in Portugal but I asked them for a copy of their drinks price list and it's pretty much the same as pub prices here. I was wondering, would people drink €25 in 3 hours?


I asked this question in another thread but I think it got lost in the real theme of that thread (the is wine necessary one)

stepster

If the list shows drinks prices are roughly the same as in Ireland, it sounds like you are being conned. Portugal has a far far lower cost of living than Ireland. Either way, leave €25 behind the bar or have a free bar for 3 hours for €25 per head and the hotel will be laughing at you all the way to the bank. I stand corrected on this, but that's the way it appears..

sweetie

depends how nice the hotel is, to be honest; I paid 12 euro for a beer in one of the hotels in Italy that we honeymooned in :eek:

At a fiver a drink average, that's 5 drinks, plenty for three hours imo

If you tell people there is an open bar there will always be a few who go overboard and you will probably get better value (and drunker guests!)

helimachoptor

Was at a free bar last year. Was quite a posh wedding but once people heard a free bar especially the under 30's, it was double/triple vodka and red bull etc.. yet at the end of the night the amount of full/half full drinks on tables was enormous.

bamboozle

hunnymonster wrote: »

H2B and I don't really drink so I'd appreciate a couple of opinions on this one. We have the option of an open bar for three hours after the meal for €25. Alternatively we will leave the same amount of money behind the bar. The hotel is in Portugal but I asked them for a copy of their drinks price list and it's pretty much the same as pub prices here. I was wondering, would people drink €25 in 3 hours?


I asked this question in another thread but I think it got lost in the real theme of that thread (the is wine necessary one)

it actually sounds expensive for Portugal, i had been told figure of 10-15 euro for free bar for the whole wedding day. you'll get a bottle of sagres in supermarket for about 33cent and bottles of local wine are about 1.50-2.50. it might be worth your while haggling for a price for corkage and provide your own wine

hunnymonster

yeah it's a nice hotel. The kind of place where the waiters pull your chair out for you and everything is silver. Officially the wine is included in the dinner price so corkage negotiation is not an option. The bar prices for after the meal are the same as here, that might be expensive for Portugal but that's the price. I just wanted to get a feel for the €25/3hr is value for money or if people would take longer than that to drink that amount. Personally on diet cokes, it would last me all night.

How Strange

HM, I'd say the best way to gauge if it's enough for 3 drinks is if you can buy 3 g&t's or similar shorts and mixer for that amount. If so then it's enough. The men will probably drink pints and the women may prefer shorts. I know I usually drink vodka and tonic when I'm at a wedding.

3 drinks over 3 hours is pretty reasonable although knowing how thirsty Irish people can get at weddings you may want to allow 4 drinks for 3 hours.

Having said that €25 per person is very generous.

bluebell1

we also got married in portugal last year and had the same option, in the end we left 500 euro at a time behind the bar , when it ran out we reviewed the bill and then left another 500 euro. to be honest it last until 1am from 5pm. you will find most people after the church will just have one drink and will be on water before dinner. then after dinner we found some continued to drink while while others took a break from drink for a hour or so. If you want to chat more, just pm me.

hcnyla

You'll have plenty of clowns that will act the maggot when they hear free bar and will make plenty use of the €25 and you will have others who are more sensible with a bit of cop on who will have a few drinks as normal and probably won't manage to spend the €25 so it will probably average out at €25.

€25 in Ireland seems about fair, even cheap if you allow for the morons who take the mickey. In Portugal though it sounds like a lot. €15 would seem about right.