Things You Should Know About Your Bartender and/or Alcohol Vendor

It's a party - and you want everyone to have fun! Don't forget in the rush of the big day that you also need to consider the safety of your guests. Here are a few tips that can help make certain there aren't any mishaps on your big day.

5 Questions to Ask Before Hiring an Event Bartender

by Good Spirits, read the original article on GoodSpiritsLancaster.com, December 18, 2015

Your event is in the works, and although you haven't finished planning, you do know one thing: you want the bottles to be aplenty and the booze to flow freely. If you want the bar to be a huge hit at your next celebration, consider hiring an event bartender to bring the party to life!

While selecting the alcohol might be an easy decision for you, hiring a bartender can be difficult. Help narrow down the field with the following questions for your potential bartender.

1. Can you help me calculate alcohol amounts for my event?

Gauging how much alcohol and the types you'll need is no easy task if you haven't done event bartending before. You may like gin, but probably 75% of your guest won't prefer it (although we think we could mix them up something they'd love with it!)

At Good Spirits, we can take your attendance and your crowd into account. Whether you're having beer and wine only or a full bar set-up, we'll have you covered in advance so you know exactly what to purchase.

2. I have some people I'm worried might drink too much. Will you cut them off?

This situation is one no host wants to be in. Chances are, if someone is at your celebration, they're a friend of yours, which can make asking them to stop drinking or to leave if things get out of hand a little sticky. Some bartenders won't have a problem and others would prefer to not do the flagging.

Good Spirits is hired by YOU, and we want to make sure your party is exactly what you want it to be and more. If someone starts to show signs they may be on the road to drinking too much, we'll do our best to slow them down. We have no problem flagging someone for the night if needed. The success of your event is our priority.

3. What type of insurance do you carry?

In the excitement of things, many people, especially couples getting married, overlook this question, but it's one of the more important ones to ask when hiring an event bartender! Any reputable company will carry some sort of liquor liability and general liability insurance.

While it may be tempting to have your friend bartend, you're opening yourself and your friend up to one huge lawsuit if something were to occur due to alcohol.

At Good Spirits, we carry both liquor liability and general liability to cover you and ourselves.

4. I have a vision for my event and want to make sure your services fit. Can you describe a little bit how you run an event while bartending?

If you've ever had a bad bartender, you'll know why this is important, especially when it's at an event. A bartender can add some pep and fun into the night, or they can bring the entire mood down by making drinks like a robot.

Any good event bartender will put in some extra flare, but at Good Spirits, we go above and beyond. We'll tailor everything to how you want it, right down to the clothes and shoes we wear. Our bartenders know how to get the job done and done right while keeping your guests satisfied and engaged in the event.

5. I'm having ___ people at my event. How many bartenders do I need to make sure there isn't ever too long of a line?

It really depends on your crowd. We like to meet with all of our couples face-to-face if possible so we can get to know your tastes and the type of people that will be there. A good rule of thumb is to have one bartender for every 50 guests. Some events can have 100 people and only one bartender and they might be fine if they aren't serving liquor and are just doing one or two types of beer and wine. Another event might only have 60 guests, but two bartenders might be necessary in order to accommodate the types of drinks you'd like to serve, especially if you have a thirsty crowd.