| From those of us who have a hundred | | | | One way they do this is by removing glasses |
| matrimonial relatives, to those of us who have, | | | | from tables, even when the glasses are filled to |
| ourselves, been married more times than Henry | | | | the brim with wine. For example, if a guest gets a |
| the VIII, chances are we've all attended our fair | | | | fresh glass of wine and then decides she wants |
| share of weddings. As we sit through the | | | | to go out on the dance floor, leaving the wine to |
| ceremony, watching two people we care about | | | | greet her upon her return, she will more likely |
| exchange vows of love, forgiveness, and | | | | come back to an empty table. This is because, |
| faithfulness, it's easy to ponder certain questions: | | | | while she was out dancing, the wait staff, circling |
| Will these newlyweds live happily ever after? Will | | | | like vultures, came over and threw out her full |
| they have children? Will they stay with each other | | | | glass, forcing her to eventually fetch another new |
| in sickness and in health? And, most importantly, | | | | glass, and ultimately adding cost to the reception. |
| will the reception have an open bar? | | | | |
| | | | Know How Much to Buy |
| The bride and the groom, though they have | | | | Running out of alcohol at a wedding reception |
| enough on their plate, also must deal with putting | | | | ranks up near divorce on the spectrum of |
| something in the glasses of their guests. While | | | | marriage, causing people, with opened mouths and |
| some receptions do away with alcohol completely, | | | | clenched fists, to ponder why. Because of this, it's |
| for those driven by certain religions or, perhaps, | | | | essential that you know how much wine to buy if |
| insanity, most either have a cash bar, an open | | | | the caterers aren't providing it for you. Obviously, |
| bar, or a bit of both. | | | | the best way to figure this is by the amount of |
| | | | people attending, and the drinking habits of your |
| Because of this, choosing what alcohol to serve | | | | guests. For a wedding with a guest list that is |
| at a wedding is an important factor in the | | | | made of the-run-of-the-mill drinking crowd - the |
| ceremonious occasion. It is a factor that teeters | | | | partiers, the socialites, the intellectuals - more wine |
| between wanting guests to enjoy themselves, | | | | should be purchased than if the guest list is made |
| but not wanting to form more of a union with | | | | up of people - the oblivious, the unaware, the |
| credit card debt than with a new spouse. | | | | masochists - who don't generally engage in wine |
| However, there is a way for those throwing the | | | | drinking. |
| reception to have their alcohol and drink it too. In | | | | |
| a nutshell (and a glass), serve wine. | | | | When deciding to buy red wine or white wine, |
| | | | making things pretty even is usually the best way |
| Make it Convenient | | | | to go. Typically, half of the people drinking wine |
| Wine is cheaper than other types of alcohol, | | | | will drink white and half will drink red. Chardonnay |
| particularly hard alcohol. Because of this, making it | | | | and Cabernet are usually the most popular types, |
| available - and readily available - can save a ton of | | | | with White Zinfandel getting an honorable mention. |
| money. While you don't need to shove wine down | | | | Men, sticking to their blood thirsty carnivorous |
| your guests' throats, or hire a used car salesman | | | | ways, routinely drink more red wine while women |
| to get rid of older vintages, there are a few | | | | routinely drink more white wine. |
| things you can do to encourage wine drinking in a | | | | |
| tactful manner. | | | | The demographics of your guest list, however, |
| | | | aren't the only things to consider when purchasing |
| One trick of the trade is to have hired caterers | | | | wine. You should also consider what you are |
| walk around with wine, offering it to guests. Not | | | | serving as the main course of dinner. For instance, |
| only does this make the guests feel as though | | | | if serving seafood, chicken, or pork, you may |
| they are being waited on hand and foot, but it | | | | want to stock up on a nice white wine. If serving |
| also decreases the line at the bar, increasing the | | | | pastas, red meat, or anything drenched in red |
| probability that guests will drink moderately priced | | | | sauces, a cellar of nice red wine may need to be |
| wine rather than expensive liquor. If it's | | | | invaded. |
| convenient, chances are guests will drift away | | | | |
| from a Jack and Coke, and instead, fall into the | | | | Shop Around |
| comforting arms of a Merlot. | | | | It may seem like the wine purchased for a |
| | | | wedding reception needs to be expensive, as if |
| Watch Out For Tricky Business | | | | serving cheap wine is an ominous sign of marital |
| When ordering wine for a wedding, caterers will | | | | failure. However, this isn't the case at all. Several |
| often charge one of two ways: by the number of | | | | expensive tasting wines can be purchased for a |
| guests, or by the amount of alcohol consumed. It | | | | reasonable price, keeping guests happy and the |
| may appear more financially frugal to pay by the | | | | married couple free of the burden of an |
| amount of wine consumed; chances are not | | | | outrageous wedding bill. |
| everyone at your reception - your old Aunt Molly | | | | |
| with anti-alcohol beliefs, your Uncle John who's | | | | If you shop around, you may find that good |
| recently back on the wagon, your underage | | | | wines for reasonable amounts are actually in |
| cousin with a bad fake I.D. - will drink. However, | | | | abundance. From the Korbel Sparkling Natural |
| be forewarned that caterers, when charging you | | | | Chardonnay to the Gruet Brut Blanc de Blancs, |
| by the amount of wine consumed, may get a | | | | good wine doesn't need to make the bride and |
| little bit tricky, certain you are more concerned | | | | groom consider charging a general admission fee |
| with keeping red wine away from the white | | | | to get into their ceremony. |
| wedding dress than you are with what the wait | | | | |
| staff is doing. | | | | Wine and weddings is as natural a union as |
| | | | husband and wife, particularly for those who are |
| Some caterers attempt to make it appear as if | | | | attempting to save a little money on their bar tab. |
| the guest list consumed more wine than they | | | | Serving wine at your wedding will be cheaper than |
| actually did, concerning both the people paying for | | | | providing your guests with hard alcohol or |
| the wedding and Alcoholics Anonymous. | | | | expensive beer. |
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