Whether you are planning a wedding, corporate event, or just a large back yard barbecue, hiring a private bartender can really take a lot of pressure off of you and make your party a smash. Even if you are planning to just serve beer and wine, hiring a private bartender will make you available to your guests and allow you to enjoy your party.
How Hiring a Bartender Will Make Your Event a Success
A good bartender can help you determine how much alcoholic and non alcoholic beverage to buy. If you are organizing your event without a caterer, a bartender is a good person to ask.
A bartender will help ensure that you and your guests get home safely. A good bartender will serve responsibly and help make sure your guests do not overindulge. They can help you create a system to make sure everyone has a designated driver or taxis get called. It’s better to have a mad friend than to have one injured.
Hiring a bartender makes your event even classier. If you are in your 30s, you are a little beyond keg parties and frozen margaritas. Even if it’s a Super Bowl party or a barbecue, having a bartender serving your drinks makes your guests happier.
When you hire a bartender, you have less stress. They make your drinks so you and your guests are not stuck doing it and can enjoy the party. They clean up after themselves and arrive early to help set up.
Where To Hire a Bartender
If you have a favorite watering hole, it is usually not good eticate to hire someone from where they are employed. Even though some bartenders moonlight, it is a not a good idea. If things do not go well it could spoil your experiences at your favorite place to go have a drink. Also, you do not want to mix your personal home or work life with your night life.
Have you hired a caterer? Ask your caterer if they know anyone. Most caterers either have someone on staff or have worked with bartender and can recommend someone good. Since you are using them for your food, they will want to give you a good recommendation for the sake of their own reputation.
Look for websites such as www.bartenders4hire.com These sites have people who have experience and are looking for freelance gigs to make their living or for extra money. Generally, these bartenders are professional and really know their craft.
What To Look For When Hiring a Bartender
You need to meet your bartender ahead of time. Even if your party is a few days away, meet your bartender. They should be neat in appearance and have an appropriate uniform. I have dressed in 1800’s garb for a Dickens themed Christmas party and I have dressed in shorts and a Hawaiian shirt. It depends on the theme and atmosphere for your party. Generally, a bartender will wear a white tuxedo shirt and black slacks. If you want them in a vest and tie, let them know in advance how you want them dressed.
Your bartender should also have their own kit. This should include wine openers, bottle openers, pourers, shakers, strainers, etc. You should provide the mixers, beverages, blender, and glassware. Napkins and cocktail straws are also good to have.
Ask your bartender three important questions:
#1 How do you want your bar set up? Meeting before hand will help the bartender know what he/she needs.
#2 Are you comfortable cutting people off? The biggest asset to hiring a bartender is to ensure that your guests get home safely. This is your bartenders job. If he/she cannot cut people off or if they seem like the type to let people keep drinking to get a bigger tip, DO NOT hire them.
#3 Are you state certified? Most states require that bartenders and waitresses have a state issued certification to be eligible to serve or sell alcohol. If your state requires a license to serve/sell and your bartender is not certified, they are not a responsible bartender. I would suggest against hiring this person.
Things to Remember When Hiring a Bartender
Let them set up the way they want. A good bartender is going to want things set up to make things easier for them.
Let them set up a tip jar. Even if you are going to be the one tipping the bartender at the end of the night, I have worked many events where guests were upset because I did not have a tip jar. I always discuss this with my clients beforehand and some do not want their guests to feel obligated to tip. Knowing that, I do not set up a tip jar, however, every time this has happened, at least one person asks where my tip jar is so that they can tip me. A good bartender is going to get other tips besides yours. Let them make their money.
Provide everything your bartender needs ahead of time. Before the party starts, ask them if there is anything else they need. If you run out of glasses or beverages, make sure the bartender knows where to get more so he/she does not have to track you down.
You don’t have to have a full bar. Ask your bartender about specialty drinks and what ingredients they need. Be sure to also have the basics; gin, rum, tequila, vodka, whiskey, and scotch. You do not have to have flavored vodkas or schapps unless you are having specialty drinks. Also, remember your mixers; sodas, diet sodas, water, orange, cranberry, pineapple, and grapefruit juice. Garnishes that are important are lemons, limes, cherries, and olives. If your bartender wants anything else, ask them.
Just sit back and enjoy your party. Let the bartender do the hard work.
