Southeast Texas Wedding Planning – Protect Yourself if you have an open bar.
One of the most popular items at any Southeast Texas wedding – fifty years ago and fifty years from now- is an open bar.
An open bar has always said, “I did not cut corners when planning my reception, and I want my friends and families to have fun at my reception well into the night”.
Increasingly however, Southeast Texas brides have more to consider than the initial expense. Not only does having an open bar dramatically raise the cost of your reception, it also opens you up to legal liability and/or remorse if anyone is injured on the way home from your reception.
If you want to host an open bar, just take a couple of simple steps to help ensure everyone gets home safely. You can also put directions for downloading the Uber app, which is now available in Beaumont and Southeast Texas.
– Put cards out on the bar with cab numbers. In Southeast Texas, Yellow Cab is available to assist your guests in getting home.
– If you give out koozies as a wedding gift, print a cab company number and/or a request people used designated drivers on the other side of the koozie.
– Ask the DJ to, at regular intervals, remind people to designate a driver or take a cab home.
– If your reception is at a hotel, ask the hotel for a special rate for guests who shouldn’t be driving home.
– Talk with your caterer about having their bartenders cut people off who have visibly had too much to drink. After all, they are likely to be held liable as well.
– Consider having the open bar open for a limited period of time. Two hours is pretty reasonable.Some weddings have gone to a “cocktail hour” before dinner is served, giving people a chance to sober up before leaving the reception. If most people go out on their own these days, they won’t drink more than two or three drinks. Everyone is much more sensitive to drinking and driving laws than they were fifteen years ago. There is really no need for them to have ten drinks at your wedding just because there is an open bar.
Enjoy your wedding. If you’d like an open bar, your guests will appreciate it. Just take a few precautionary steps so everyone gets home safely.
- Daryl Fant, Publisher: SETX Weddings
- Call to advertise to our Southeast Texas brides: (512) 567-8068
- E-mail SETX Weddings: SETXWeddings@gmail.com
