peabay
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Jun 25, 2014 19:50:41 GMT
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Post by peabay on Jan 16, 2023 3:01:33 GMT
Just need to bounce this off people and I know the Peas will give me no-holds-barred perspective with a capital P.
I’m helping my step-mother organize a bridal shower for my daughter. My daughter lives in Washington DC and we’re holding it there, in a restaurant, on a Saturday, 12-3. Brunch will be served.
One of the restaurants just got back to me with a quote and it’s 1100 for the food and, should we choose a “limited open bar”, it’s 1200 for the liquor.
How do you feel about a bridal shower with no liquor haha? I just think that’s crazy unreasonable - probably because I don’t really drink, but, for the drinks (signature cocktails, Prosecco etc..) it’s 30.00 pp for the first hour and then 15.00 an hour for the next 2 hours (it’s a 3 hour shower). That’s a LOT of booze!
If we take it down to coffee, tea (hot and iced), unlimited soft drinks, it’s only 6.00 pp, 8.00 if we add fruit juices (which we will likely do.)
I’m going to reach out and just see if we can do mimosas, bloody Mary’s and prosecco, but that open bar thing sounds nuts, right?
I just can’t see spending more on the drinks than on the food! (But I’m 58 and not 30, which most of the attendees will be.)
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Post by cadoodlebug on Jan 16, 2023 3:07:05 GMT
Back in the olden days (1984) I had 6 or 7 showers from different groups of friends. All at their homes. There was no alcohol at any of them.
ETA: And none of us were teetotalers!
ETA again: I totally agree with you. It's nuts to have an open bar.
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Post by voltagain on Jan 16, 2023 3:07:07 GMT
Just need to bounce this off people and I know the Peas will give me no-holds-barred perspective with a capital P. I’m helping my step-mother organize a bridal shower for my daughter. My daughter lives in Washington DC and we’re holding it there, in a restaurant, on a Saturday, 12-3. Brunch will be served. One of the restaurants just got back to me with a quote and it’s 1100 for the food and, should we choose a “limited open bar”, it’s 1200 for the liquor. How do you feel about a bridal shower with no liquor haha? I just think that’s crazy unreasonable - probably because I don’t really drink, but, for the drinks (signature cocktails, Prosecco etc..) it’s 30.00 pp for the first hour and then 15.00 an hour for the next 2 hours (it’s a 3 hour shower). That’s a LOT of booze! If we take it down to coffee, tea (hot and iced), unlimited soft drinks, it’s only 6.00 pp, 8.00 if we add fruit juices (which we will likely do.) I’m going to reach out and just see if we can do mimosas, bloody Mary’s and prosecco, but that open bar thing sounds nuts, right? I just can’t see spending more on the drinks than on the food! (But I’m 58 and not 30, which most of the attendees will be.) I have never been to a baby shower that served any alcohol. If you feel the pressure to have alcohol how about a one drink ticket per person instead of an open bar?
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Post by Darcy Collins on Jan 16, 2023 3:10:01 GMT
I've been to zillions of bridal showers with no alcohol - so that's certainly not a must. I think the only reason it might be expected is SOME seem to equate brunch with mimosas. I think if they'll do some prosecco/mimosa that would be a nice extra, but a full open bar would not be expected imo.
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keithurbanlovinpea
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Jun 29, 2014 3:29:30 GMT
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Post by keithurbanlovinpea on Jan 16, 2023 3:10:19 GMT
I'm co-hosting my niece's bridal shower. It's at my sil's house and the only alcohol is mimosas. I have to say that the 1100 for the foos/room alone would be out of our budget. Lol
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Post by 950nancy on Jan 16, 2023 3:11:52 GMT
At a restaurant? No need for alcohol. Skip it and don't worry.
ETA: You could make a bridal shower game and see who could be the most creative sneaking it in with the gifts!
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moodyblue
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Jun 26, 2014 21:07:23 GMT
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Post by moodyblue on Jan 16, 2023 3:12:24 GMT
We had a baby shower for my goddaughter at a restaurant in Chicago in November. It was also considered a brunch. We had “bottomless mimosas” as the alcohol option. I don’t know what the breakdown was or if it was all part of the food/room charge, but I think the price you’ve been quoted is crazy.
Edit: I don’t think alcohol is necessary at a midday event or a bridal shower at any time. But having just one option, like the mimosas is totally fine.
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peabay
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Jun 25, 2014 19:50:41 GMT
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Post by peabay on Jan 16, 2023 3:14:21 GMT
I'm co-hosting my niece's bridal shower. It's at my sil's house and the only alcohol is mimosas. I have to say that the 1100 for the foos/room alone would be out of our budget. Lol I know - it’s not inexpensive, but we figured at a restaurant, in a major city, it’s pretty good.
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peabay
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Jun 25, 2014 19:50:41 GMT
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Post by peabay on Jan 16, 2023 3:14:55 GMT
At a restaurant? No need for alcohol. Skip it and don't worry. ETA: You could make a bridal shower game and see who could be the most creative sneaking it in with the gifts!
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Post by voltagain on Jan 16, 2023 3:17:14 GMT
Is the mother (to be or new mother) drinking? If she is abstaining then I wouldn't serve guests alcohol.
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peabay
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Jun 25, 2014 19:50:41 GMT
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Post by peabay on Jan 16, 2023 3:19:27 GMT
Is the mother (to be or new mother) drinking? If she is abstaining then I wouldn't serve guests alcohol. She’ll be pounding beers and dancing on the bar. It’s a BRIDAL shower. I probably wouldn’t even serve alcohol at a baby shower.
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Post by Lexica on Jan 16, 2023 3:23:01 GMT
I would say pick one thing to serve and skip the open bar. You don't want your guests driving home drunk and possibly getting into an accident. I need to admit though that I'm not really a drinker so I would be fine with Mimosas as the only alcohol.
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Post by voltagain on Jan 16, 2023 3:26:18 GMT
Is the mother (to be or new mother) drinking? If she is abstaining then I wouldn't serve guests alcohol. She’ll be pounding beers and dancing on the bar. It’s a BRIDAL shower. I probably wouldn’t even serve alcohol at a baby shower. Ooops! Sorry about that. I totally read it as a baby shower. In that case, I'd do a one drink ticket for the guests and let them decide if they want to buy more on their dollar just to keep costs reasonable.
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Post by gizzy on Jan 16, 2023 3:30:32 GMT
I don't see anything wrong with a bridal luncheon without alcohol. If someone wanted a drink, they can order it themselves at the bar.
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Post by busy on Jan 16, 2023 3:33:30 GMT
It’s expensive for sure.
But a weekend brunch bridal shower at a restaurant in a major metro area… I think some kind of alcohol is the norm. I like your idea of some limited brunchy cocktails like mimosas, bloody Marys, etc. Maybe that will be more reasonable. And perhaps just for the first hour while people are socializing? I bet there are ways to make it more reasonable without excluding alcohol all together.
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peabay
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Jun 25, 2014 19:50:41 GMT
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Post by peabay on Jan 16, 2023 3:33:45 GMT
I don't see anything wrong with a bridal luncheon without alcohol. If someone wanted a drink, they can order it themselves at the bar. That’s what my husband said and we can pick up the bar tab and it would surely be less than 1200.00.
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Post by gizzy on Jan 16, 2023 3:47:44 GMT
That's true. I didn't think of picking up the bar tab. Brilliant!
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Post by ceepea on Jan 16, 2023 3:49:03 GMT
I think it’s nuts to have an open bar for a bridal shower. There will be plenty of other times in her new life to splurge on things. I just think that amount is unnecessary.
Congratulations to your daughter!
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Post by busy on Jan 16, 2023 3:54:35 GMT
I don't see anything wrong with a bridal luncheon without alcohol. If someone wanted a drink, they can order it themselves at the bar. That’s what my husband said and we can pick up the bar tab and it would surely be less than 1200.00. That’s a great idea … hopefully the restaurant allows it (I’ve been to a few that don’t, to prevent groups from circumventing the event rates 🫤)
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Post by freecharlie on Jan 16, 2023 3:59:41 GMT
People don't need to have alcohol at a bridal shower...of course I don't drink a lot, but damn
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Post by epeanymous on Jan 16, 2023 4:31:27 GMT
For an event like that I really think having just wine/champagne and/or a single cocktail option (mimosas, sangria, something like that) is fine. I wouldn't expect anything like a limited open bar if I am understanding what that means.
I don't think I'd make it a dry event; yes, alcohol isn't necessary, but I think a drinks option is something I would normally associate with a restaurant event.
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christinec68
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Jun 26, 2014 18:02:19 GMT
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Post by christinec68 on Jan 16, 2023 4:38:15 GMT
For an event like that I really think having just wine/champagne and/or a single cocktail option (mimosas, sangria, something like that) is fine. I wouldn't expect anything like a limited open bar if I am understanding what that means. I don't think I'd make it a dry event; yes, alcohol isn't necessary, but I think a drinks option is something I would normally associate with a restaurant event. I agree with all this and maybe run a tab for anyone who orders something else. It won’t be 1200.
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Post by ScrapbookMyLife on Jan 16, 2023 4:44:39 GMT
I've never been to a bridal shower where alcohol was served, nor would I expect it to be served.
I would offer the non-alcoholic choices and that's it.
If someone really wants a cocktail, they can go over to the bar and buy it themselves.
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Post by revirdsuba99 on Jan 16, 2023 4:51:13 GMT
Brunch? No alcohol! I wouldn't have alcohol even later in the day. People who need drinks in the morning have a problem that you don't want to fuel.
ETA: I missed the 12-3... Still no alcohol needed..
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Post by cmpeter on Jan 16, 2023 4:58:43 GMT
I wouldn’t expect an open bar at a bridal shower lunch. Mimosas or wine would be nice, but alcohol free would be too.
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Post by rahnee on Jan 16, 2023 4:59:09 GMT
I don't think you need to provide alcohol given the event and time of the day, but I actually think that is insanely cheap for an alcohol package.
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Post by Basket1lady on Jan 16, 2023 5:04:28 GMT
I like the idea of offering mimosas. I probably wouldn’t do other drinks because the temptation may be to sample one of each. IMO, no one needs to drink heavily at 1 pm and those that do choose to do so probably shouldn’t be doing so! If I’m doing the math correctly, that’s $60 a person for the alcohol!
I guess I’d ask your DD. But I vote not to have an open bar.
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Post by myshelly on Jan 16, 2023 5:07:01 GMT
I absolutely would not expect an open bar.
I would ask for a price for mimosas instead.
Have champagne flutes on the tables and ask for a price on carafes of mimosas for the tables.
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luckyjune
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Jul 22, 2017 4:59:41 GMT
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Post by luckyjune on Jan 16, 2023 5:22:51 GMT
I don't see anything wrong with a bridal luncheon without alcohol. If someone wanted a drink, they can order it themselves at the bar. ^^This. I don't think I've ever been to a bridal shower where alcohol is served. Although, a drink would have made a few of them a bit more bearable...
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Post by Clair on Jan 16, 2023 5:47:39 GMT
It’s a lot of money but it doesn’t seem out of line for a city like DC.
I had tapas with a friend last week at a trendy place in Los Angeles - three drinks came to about $70. Drinks are expensive.
I like the limited open bar idea that was suggested with brunchy type drinks.
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