Alcohol Service

Part of our increased awareness of the devastating toll that alcohol abuse takes on innocent victims, has meant increased liability on the part of the host or hostess at events.  If an intoxicated guest at your wedding injures himself or herself, or a third party, the beverage servers and the party host (that's you) could be named in lawsuits and be liable for a portion of the damages awarded.

There are a number of steps for serving alcoholic beverages responsibly at your wedding and reducing the chances of any legal problems.  In addition you don't want to have to attend a funeral of a close friend or relative instead of going on a honeymoon.

• Ensure that all wait staff serving alcohol are briefed on sensible alcohol-serving procedures
• Do not serve alcohol to minors or to anyone who appears intoxicated
• Do no pour shooters, slammers, or double-shot drinks
• Do not give bottles of wine, champagne, or liquor to guests
• Pour dinner wines rather than leaving them on the table - this makes for a much more gracious (and budget conscious) service
• Close the bar 30 minutes before the wedding is over.  Serve coffee and cookies or gourmet teas and cappuccino
• Intoxicated guests should be asked to leave the premises by the catering manager with the support of the wedding couple, with supervised transportation arranged
• Have plenty of "Do not drink and signs in the washrooms etc.  Have available at the same time the numbers for local taxi services or arrange to have these made complimentary if the budget allows for this.