Have you ever been to an event and felt like you spent the majority of your time in the line at the bar? If you have experienced that, it typically meant there were not enough bartenders working at that event.
So, how will you know if you have hired enough bartenders for your upcoming event? For beer & wine service only it is recommended to have 1 bartender per 75 guests. If you are having a full bar or a more upscale event it is recommended to have 1 bartender per 50 guests. In the event that you have multiple bar setups for 100 plus guests, you should consider also hiring a bar back. Having a bar back will help keep things stocked and clean, so the bartenders can focus on your guests.
Making sure you have enough bartenders is a very important part of ensuring that your guests maximize their enjoyment at your event. There are a few additional things you can do to minimize lines at the bar.
Have pre-ceremony beverages. Keep limited options such as champagne or white wine.
Have signature cocktails. Having a smaller selection of cocktails will help guests make quicker decisions, instead of mulling over a lot of decisions.
Have a visible sign listing your signature cocktails, beer & wine options. This will allow your guests to make a beverage decision by the time they reach the bar.
Position your bar in the corner of your venue space. This will allow the flow of your event to not be hindered in the event that a line does form.