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