There are many points in life where having an alcoholic beverage is acceptable and can even enhance your enjoyment of the moment. From a glass of red wine with a fancy dinner to a beer at a baseball game or barbecue, drinking is part of American culture. From mixed drinks on a night out on the town to a hard cider on a day at the pumpkin patch or even growler fills at a local craft brewery, total alcoholic beverage sales in the United States alone total more than two hundred and nineteen billion dollars – per year. It is estimated that just over ninety seven million people in the United States consume alcohol to varying degrees, and more than thirteen million pre mixed cocktails alone are consumed every two weeks (not even accounting for other popular varieties of alcohol).
Though there are many places where alcohol is commonly more consumed, it is hard to argue that the typical wedding in the United States is the perfect place to celebrate with it – be it with growler fills, a glass of champagne, or even a keg or a strong mixed drink. And weddings are frequent no matter where you go in the country, with nearly forty five thousand taking place every single weekend, no matter what time of the year (though weddings, it is true, are more popular during the summer months). While some weddings decide to go dry, meaning that no alcohol will be served, and some will opt for a cash bar, if the budget is strict or of a concern, it is becoming more and more common for a wedding to have an open bar.
An open bar can make a wedding reception, with drinks flowing, dancing, and memories to last a lifetime. However, it is important that the soon to be married couple incorporates the cost of an open bar into their budget right at the start of the wedding planning process, as an open bar has the potential to accrue quite the tab. In fact, the typical couple ends up spending as much as twenty five percent of their total catering bill (if not even slightly more than that) on the costs of an open bar, including the cost of alcohol as well as the bartender’s fee. Though many still decide that having an open bar is right for their wedding, budgeting is a hugely important step to take in order to have set aside the right amount of money by the time of the wedding day.
It is also important to choose the drinks that will be offered at the wedding. It is best to have a range of drinks, from specialty wines to growler fills, in order to please the widest audience possible. While many people prefer wine (typically one of the five most common varieties: pinot grigio, merlot, sauvignon blanc, pinot noir, or chardonnay), craft beer drinkers are becoming more and more prevalent. For such drinkers, growler fills may be necessary.
Choosing the right alcoholic beverages may also include visiting a winery or craft brewery and taking home bottles of wine and growler fills to see which ones best suit your tastes. With a total of more than seven thousand wineries all throughout the United States, there is no shortage of quality wines, whether you prefer red or white. And craft breweries are steadily growing, now representing more than twelve percent of total beer sales in this country alone.
But no matter what you choose for your wedding, it is important to pick the drinks and the alcoholic beverages that you enjoy the most. After all, it is a day just for you and for your partner, and everything about it should be able to reflect that. If you like beer, focus on beer and if your prefer wine, vice versa. From growler fills to sparkling wine and champagne, there is no right or wrong way to the stock an open bar at your wedding – provided that you stick to your agreed upon budget, of course.