You may be the one who gets pumped about cocktails, beers, and mocktails, or the one who just takes whatever the servers have on their trays. We have tips on how to create a drink menu for an event, and some beverage menu ideas for your event bar service
Consider Your Event Type
Different event types have slightly different beverage options. While most of them usually have the classic cocktails, beers, and wines in common, weddings usually have signature cocktails, champagne for toasts, and premium spirits.
Drinks for corporate events include sparkling water and coffee. The more expensive galas and fundraisers have premium wines, champagne, craft cocktails, and upscale spirits. Birthday parties opt for crowd-pleasing cocktails, themed drinks, and even soft drinks. Bridal showers have more feminine drinks such as mimosas, tea, coffee, mocktails, and light wines. Wedding cocktail hour drinks often include beer, signature cocktails, and mocktails.
Align Your Menu to Your Theme
Match your selection with the overall atmosphere of your events.
Rustic or barn weddings usually have whiskey cocktails and local craft beers. Boho themes have rosé, botanical cocktails, and kombucha. Western or country themes can serve bourbon cocktails, whiskey sours, and summer BBQ-themed events have hard seltzers, lemonades, and beers.
Acknowledge Your Guest's Preferences
The best way to ensure that your guests like the menu is by asking them. You can distribute a survey asking them what kinds of drinks they prefer. Choose the ones with the most requests and add them to your list of event drink menu.
Don’t Forget About The Non-Drinkers
Kids, pregnant ladies, and health-conscious people also RSVP to every type of event, and it’s a major consideration if you give them options they actually like. They don’t have to settle for lemonades or sparkling water if they don’t or can’t drink alcohol. There are creative mocktails that look exactly like the ones that bring out someone’s inner dancer, minus the alcohol. Drinks like Virgin Piña Colada, where you get the exact face without the rum, and the Whiskeyless Sour that uses smoked black tea instead of bourbon.
So, how many drinks do you need for an event? A good rule of thumb is to offer:
One light beer and one craft or domestic option
One red wine and one white wine
Two signature cocktails
Water, soda, and mocktails
Work with professionals.
The most stress-free way to choose the perfect menu is to collaborate with professionals. At Elilta Events, we offer bartending and mobile bar service designed to elevate any event with style, elegance, and unforgettable guest experiences for your mobile bar in Maryland, Virginia, or Washington, DC.
At Elilta Events, we don’t just serve drinks—we create a memorable, aesthetic, and elevated event experience designed just for you.