Open bar at a wedding: how it works, and is it worth it?

With an open bar your guests take their drinks at the counter without paying anything, for the hours agreed. You pay a price per person, settled before the wedding: inside it, usually, are the counter, cocktails mixed to order, alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, the ice, the glassware and the team that serves. It is the way we normally work.

If you are wondering whether it is worth it: it is, when you want to know what the bar costs before the day, and you want nobody thinking about the bill during the party. Below you will find how it works step by step, the difference with a consumption bar, and what it takes if you are thinking of doing it yourself.

Formula	How you pay
Open bar	One price per person, settled before the party
Consumption bar	Whatever is served, with the total at the end of the night
Do it yourself	Counter, bottles, ice, glassware and people, item by item

How an open bar works at a wedding

An open bar works in four steps: you send us the date, the place and the number of guests; we send the quote within 24 hours; you choose the level of the open bar and the cocktails; on the day we bring the bar, set it up before the guests arrive and take it down at the end of the party.

1. The request. Date, place, number of guests and type of event: that is what we need for the quote. We reply within 24 hours.
2. The level. The open bar comes in three levels, Standard, Premium and Luxury: the spirits, the mixers and the cocktail menu change.
3. The cocktails. Signature drinks are created in our lab, from the couple’s tastes. How the menu is chosen is in our guide to the wedding cocktail menu.
4. The day of the party. We bring the counter, the glassware, the ice and everything else. When the guests arrive the bar is ready, and every cocktail is mixed to order, for the hours agreed. At the end of the party we take it down.

What the price per person covers

The price per person of the open bar usually covers everything the counter needs: the counter with its lighting, alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, ice and fresh fruit, glassware, bartenders, barbacks and floor staff in uniform, transport, set-up and breakdown. Every quote, though, is adapted to the event.

Napkins, straws and fresh garnishes are part of the service too. Glass is the rule; if the venue asks for something else for part of the party, we make the technical choice.

How much does it cost? For events in Campania, the open bar usually runs from €20 to €30 per person for the Standard level, from €25 to €35 for Premium and from €30 to €45 for Luxury. These are indicative values, not fixed rates: the quote depends on the venue, number of guests, hours of service and spirits chosen. For events elsewhere in Italy, travel and logistics are also taken into account. Factor by factor, we explain it in our guide to how much a wedding bar costs in Italy. For a small group, and for venues far from Naples, we quote a flat fee instead of a price per person: the ranges above are written for large events in Campania.

How many hours the open bar covers

The open bar applies to the hours agreed in the quote, and the hours are yours to decide: the bar can open with the aperitivo after the ceremony and close after the cake is cut, or stay open until the last dance. More hours mean more work for the team, more ice and more glasses, and so a different price.

Before asking for a quote, note down the moments the bar should cover:

• The aperitivo, as soon as the ceremony ends. It is the busiest moment: the guests reach the counter all at once.
• Dinner, if you want a bar that moves between the tables.
• The end of dinner, with the espresso martini, even a great many at once on a tower.
• The party, until the last round.

The ideas for each moment are gathered in our guide to wedding bar ideas.

Open bar or consumption bar: the difference

The difference between an open bar and a consumption bar is when you know the cost. With an open bar the price is per person and you know it before the party. With a consumption bar whoever is hosting pays for what is served, and the total only arrives at the end of the night.

We usually work with an open bar priced per person: the guests do not think about the bill and the service keeps flowing. We run a consumption bar only in some circumstances, and we talk it over case by case. Either way, your guests never pay at the bar.

A consumption bar can look lighter when you expect the guests to drink little. But if the party goes well, the bill grows with the party, and you only find out at the end. With an open bar the cost of the bar is settled beforehand, and it stays settled.

Open bar at a wedding: yes or no?

Yes, if you want a bar that is part of the party, with cocktails mixed to order and a cost decided in advance. It counts for more when the party carries on after dinner, late into the night. It can matter less at a short lunch, where people mostly drink the wine at the table, chosen with the caterer or the venue.

To decide, answer these questions:

• How long does the party go on after dinner? The longer it runs, the more the bar becomes the centre of the evening.
• What do your guests drink? If many of them prefer beer there is the beer corner; for those who do not drink alcohol, soft drinks are part of the service just like the alcoholic ones.
• Does the venue have a bar? If it does not, we bring one, complete, from the counter to the glassware, and set it up where it is needed: in a villa, in a garden or on a terrace.
• Are any guests travelling from abroad? Our team speaks English, and at the end of dinner guests from abroad often ask for the espresso martini.

A DIY open bar: what it takes

A do-it-yourself open bar can be done, but buying the bottles is not enough. You need a counter, a lot of ice, glassware and someone to wash it during the party, fresh fruit, soft drinks, someone to mix the cocktails and someone to restock the bar. Then, at the end of the night, someone has to take it all down and carry it away.

If you are organising it yourself, this is the list to prepare. It is what we usually bring:

• the counter, with a light on the bar for the evening;
• alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks;
• the ice, for every hour of service;
• the fresh fruit;
• the glassware, and someone to wash it during the party;
• napkins, straws and fresh garnishes;
• someone to mix the cocktails, someone to restock the bar and collect the glasses, someone to coordinate;
• transport, set-up and breakdown.

The part that gets underestimated is the team. In one of our quotes for 150 guests the team came to ten people, and only three were bartenders: the others were there to restock the bar, coordinate, serve among the guests, wash the glasses and look after the logistics. We tell that story in our guide to how many bartenders you need for a wedding.

What we need for the quote

For the open bar quote, the date, the place, the number of guests and the type of event are enough. If you already know the bar hours and the level you are interested in, tell us: the quote will be more precise. We reply within 24 hours, and we do not ask for a minimum number of guests.

You can write to us from the quote page. Everything else about the wedding bar is on our wedding bar service page.

Frequently asked questions

Do guests pay anything with an open bar?

No. With an open bar the guests pay nothing at the counter: the price is per person, settled beforehand, for the hours agreed.

Is there a minimum number of guests?

No. We do not ask for a minimum: the quote is based on the real number of guests. For a small group, though, and for venues far from Naples, we quote a flat fee rather than a price per person, because the ranges per person are written for large events in Campania.

Can you run a consumption bar?

In some circumstances yes, and we talk it over case by case. We usually work with an open bar priced per person.

Our venue has no bar: can you bring one?

Yes. We bring the complete bar, from the counter to the glassware, and set it up where it is needed: in a villa, in a garden or on a terrace.

How far ahead should we book the open bar for our wedding?

Usually 8 to 12 months ahead, especially in high season. If your date is sooner, write to us anyway: we reply within 24 hours.

Do you work outside Campania?

Yes, all over Italy. The price ranges apply to Campania: elsewhere in Italy, travel and logistics are also taken into account.