{"id":7901,"date":"2018-07-06T12:19:54","date_gmt":"2018-07-06T12:19:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/venuenow.com\/blog\/?p=7901"},"modified":"2026-02-02T11:58:46","modified_gmt":"2026-02-02T01:58:46","slug":"party-planning-help-bar-tab-or-beverage-package","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/venuenow.com\/blog\/party-planning-help-bar-tab-or-beverage-package\/","title":{"rendered":"Event planning help \u2013 bar tab or beverage package?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\t

Decisions, decisions. When it comes to planning your party, there are so many choices to make. There’s the where, the when. Then there’s the food, the theming and entertainment. But often right towards the top of this list is ‘drinks’. Opting for the right drinks arrangement is a fundamental decision. Do you go for a classic bar tab or beverage package? It all depends on your<\/i> event. We can help.<\/p>\n

For those event planning novices<\/h2>\n

Those planning 18th birthdays<\/a><\/strong>, 21st birthdays<\/a><\/strong> or similar parties<\/strong><\/a>, chances are, this is the first major event you’ve had to plan on your lonesome. And unless you just happen to be an expert in food and beverage catering, you’ll be at a complete loss when deciding between a bar tab or beverage package. If this is the case, your safest bet is to go with a bar tab. It’s easier to portion and plan your budget when allocating whole dollar amounts on different components. For example, say your budget is $3000. Instead of having to confirm guest lists and making presumptions about how much your party will drink, you can just put $1,000-$1,500 towards booze. <\/p>\n

Top tip –\u00a0put a larger portion of your budget towards food than booze. Booze, in terms of per person cost, is cheaper than food. And you need a decent amount of food available to avoid the room descending into a scene from Geordie Shore<\/i>\u00a0within the first hour.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Top tip – feed your guests.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

\n\t\tHow much does an event cost?\n\t<\/h2>\n\t

Calculate your event cost in under 5 minutes<\/p>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tCalculate my event cost\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t

For those hosting an event with a strict time limit<\/h2>\n

Bar tabs run until the kitty is empty. That could be two hours, or it could be four. Drinks packages, however, are price-d per hour. If you’re hosting a short event (two hours or less), opt for a package so you can control when drink service ceases. The same rule applies for events that need to wrap up by a certain hour. <\/p>\n

For those with flaky friends<\/h2>\n

Those flaky, ‘maybe attending’ friends. We all have them. If a large portion of your guest list consists of maybes, go for a bar tab. While you may have money left on the bar at the end of the night, it hurts far less than paying $40+ per head for ghosts. Plus, worst case scenario –\u00a0you become the hero of the bar, gifting random patrons with free drinks.<\/p>\n

\"Bar<\/p>\n

For those with discerning tastes<\/h2>\n

When it comes to adding specific items, opting for a bar tab or beverage package will not make a huge amount of difference. If you and a couple of your guests only drink a particular brand of spirit, you can negotiate with the venue to keep a bottle or two behind the bar. The venue will likely charge a corkage-style fee per bottle, separate to your bar tab. Similarly, perhaps you really like a particular cocktail. As long as the venue already has the ingredients, you may be able to negotiate to get the cocktail added to your beverage package. Cocktails are good for beverage packages as the venue can organise to make multiple ahead of time, to avoid a disruption to service. Basically, when it comes to adding specialty items, it will be at the venue’s discretion.<\/p>\n

For those with a small budget<\/h2>\n

Planning a birthday bash or a small social event? When planning a relatively small social gathering, opt for a bar tab. When your group size isn’t huge (less than 70 people), a bar tab is usually a more economical choice. Opting for a bar tab allows you to be quite flexible with your budget allocation. Drinks packages on the other hand typically require you to stick to a per-head cost basis.<\/p>\n

For those hosting more mature, refined guests<\/h2>\n

If the tone of your event is one of sophistication, with a mature crowd to boot, go for a beverage package. By opting for a beverage package, you know you’re covered for drinks for the entire duration of your event. ‘Sorry, there’s no money left on the bar’, is not a phrase you want to hear at a sophisticated cocktail party. Also, beverage packages are required if you want tray or table service.<\/p>\n

The last call<\/h2>\n

So, what’s it going to be then? Bar tab or beverage package? Basically, if you’re having a social gathering with some mates at a casual venue and your budget isn’t huge, go for a bar tab. If you’re hosting a more planned, sophisticated event with a concrete guest list, opt for a beverage package. Whichever option you choose, make sure you communicate clearly with the venue about your choice and expectations, to avoid any issues during your event. That way when the party starts, you don’t have to worry about a thing.<\/p>\n

Looking for a unique venue for your event? VenueNow can help >><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

\n\t\tLooking for a Birthday Party Venue?\n\t<\/h2>\n\t

VenueNow has you covered with over 2,000 venues across Australia ranging from large event spaces to small meeting rooms. Find your perfect venue for hire faster than anywhere else.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSee More Birthday Party Venues\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n

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One of the first decisions you’ll make when planning your event is choosing between a bar tab or beverage package. We show you how to decide what’s right for your event.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":53322,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":"","_mi_skip_tracking":false},"categories":[51,37,355],"tags":[872,873,874,19,302,7,25,130,828,53,9,371,875],"yoast_head":"\nEvent planning help \u2013 bar tab or beverage package? | VenueNow<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"When planning an event, one of the first decisions is choosing between a bar tab or beverage package. 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