In the past, we have already written decorators' thoughts about alcoholic and other drinks placed on wedding tables bottles - by killing the decorator. Therefore, due to both aesthetics and alcohol consumption, it is the best solution for weddings have a separate bar, and even better if a professional bartender takes care of it. Arvis is also sure of that Zēmanis, who not only conducts weddings, but has been working in the hospitality industry for more than 15 years, including organizing also bars at various weddings.

Bartender – a kind of entertainer

"A wedding can also be just a bar without a bartender, but for me the most important argument is to make the new couple happy. For me it seems that alcohol should not be on the table at a wedding either - it will not only look bad in photos, but also promotes somewhat uncontrolled alcohol consumption. And, of course, I also care about leaving the bartender alone a positive impression, learn to communicate with guests and fulfill the function of a so-called entertainer. A wedding is a special event, but if a bartender is hired, you should check if he is good - after all, everyone is important at a wedding the person involved, they raise the emotional mood," confirmed Arvis Zēmanis, who works in the hospitality industry for more than 15 years. He himself says that he has two alter egos - managing events, including weddings, and the hospitality industry, previously running various bars, restaurants and cafes myself and now providing professional consulting in this sector.

"In my opinion, people have forgotten the importance of an entertainer (host in English). Such a person is also important in a wedding. And the bartender at the wedding also symbolizes this role in his own way," says Arvis.

Only wine is not recommended at weddings

Weddings also tend to have different concepts in terms of alcoholic (or non-alcoholic) drinks. For example, a wine wedding. Arvis Zemanis does not recommend this concept.

"Wine wedding is a dangerous concept because it can make you intoxicated much more than strong alcohol. There are couples who says that he doesn't want strong alcohol at his wedding because he doesn't want the guests to get drunk, but then I asked them - what will the guests be like after two bottles of wine?

People want to drink at weddings - it is a habit and we must not deny it. People go to weddings to celebrate, and one of the the use of alcoholic beverages is an integral part of the celebration. And no matter how paradoxical it is, let the guests less drunk at a wedding, there should be not only spicy snacks that suppress alcohol, but also strong drinks.

Therefore, it is good to have a bartender at the wedding who can control the alcohol consumption and proportion, for example in cocktails. Also, the bartender can control the amount of bottles that go to the festive tables. If alcohol is on the tables, people walk much less and get drunk much more," says Arvis Zēmanis.

What exactly are the duties of a bartender?

When asking how to find the most suitable bartender for your wedding, Arvis first recommends answering the question, what exactly does the new couple wants One way is to search for a bartender through social media. The second option is to go to specific ones places you've visited and try to talk to the bartenders who work there. “In the beginning, it's important to understand your wedding budget, then it will also be clear whether you will need a bartender or not. Payment for the work of a bartender can be various - ranging from 50 to 300 euros and more. It is necessary to evaluate what exactly the bartender does - or just arranges the work environment and stands behind the bar or plans the bar and organizes it," says Arvis Zēmanis. The main duties of a bartender would be find out the desired assortment of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks for the specific wedding, the same should be done for alcoholic drinks calculation of drinks based on the number of guests and the selected alcohol. Next comes the agreement, or the bartender or the young couple buys the alcohol themselves. It is the same with glasses - you need to understand where they will be rented from and who will take care of it.

"Weddings in general are a difficult format because the bartender has to spend many hours at them, so always in advance agree on how long the bartender should stay, what will happen to the bar afterwards and who will take care of the leftovers alcohol," says Arvis Zēmanis.

You need to know your guests to understand what alcohol to choose

Arvis has observed that trends show that people choose to consume less alcoholic beverages in recent years, but better quality. "I usually bill about 400 milliliters of hard alcohol and 400 milliliters of wine at a wedding. That, of course, depends on the specific company. That's why it's worth getting to know your guests to understand what they like better and what they would prefer to drink. I have noticed that after a wedding, alcohol is relatively often left over. Positively is that when you work with professionals, they will also create an opportunity to bring the alcohol back, so it won't happen losses," says Arvis.

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