Ask Us Anything
Do I supply the alcohol or does The Wedge?
You, as the client, supply all the alcohol, mixers, glassware, and ice. However, we CAN provide you with the mixers, glassware, and all the necessary ice! Part of our services includes an online order list for event planners, so while we don’t provide the alcohol, we give you a customized list to stock the bar!
Here’s what you need to know to throw an ABC-compliant event:
If your venue is not entirely private (ie: enclosed with a door or a bouncer with strict adherence to your guest list) and an uninvited guest could walk in and participate (ie: wedding crasher), you need a permit. If there is any cash changing hands for alcohol (ie: your bar is not completely open and drinks are not 100% on you), you need a permit. If the venue you are throwing your party at is not a private residence, you need a permit. So, if you want drinks at a licensed venue or a private estate, you’re good. Anything else: you need a permit.
How many bartenders do we need?
Here is what we recommend:
1 - 75 guests: one bartender:
76 - 150 guests: two bartenders
151- 225 guests: three bartenders
226 - 300 guests: four bartenders
301 - 375 guests: five bartenders
And so on for every additional 75 guests…
What if my Experience is BYOB, and I want to allow guests to bring their own alcohol?
If your experience is in your private home and isn’t open to the general public, then hosting a BYOB experience does not require a license under the California Alcoholic Beverage Control Act. We encourage you to check with your local alcoholic beverage control department when planning an event.
While we understand adding bartending to your catering contract can be convenient, there are several benefits to booking The Wedge! The Wedge is certified through ABC to serve alcohol at private events and holds specific liquor liability insurance, both things required by local venues. Before your event, we will work with you to create custom cocktails based on your tastes, menu, color scheme, inspirations, etc… We’ll also get you a custom shopping list to make sure everything you’ll need will be on hand. In addition to that, our bartenders are trained, professional, and knowledgeable, with years of experience. We also provide all our own tools, tubs, back bars, and garnishes (think bar mats, mixers, shakers, etc… — which saves you on your rental order). We will also take care of all the set-up, chilling product, garnish prep, and making sure your bar looks gorgeous, and we take care of all the clean-up, including organizing any leftover alcohol, trash, and glassware.
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When considering going through your caterer for bartending, ask these questions first:
#1 - Is their staff certified through ABC to serve drinks?*
#2 - Do they have liquor liability insurance?*
#3 - Are their bartenders knowledgeable and trained specifically to tend bar?
#4 - Do they fully set-up and clean-up the bar areas and provide their own bar tools, accessories, and chilling tubs?
*Both are required by local venues
If the answer is no to any of those questions, email us for a quote. We’d be honored to bar tend your event!
Why hire The Wedge as opposed to just going through our caterer?
Why can’t we just use our friends to serve us?
The Wedge is a professional, full-time private event bar service. As such, we carry the legal liquor liability insurance required by most local venues for bar staff. Our experienced bartenders are LEAD-certified, which means that they’ve passed the state of California’s requirements for legal and responsible alcohol service. We have years of experience in serving crowds large and small over long events, and doing so in a way that maximizes the event experience while still complying with the law. In other words, with Bottle & Ice, you can let your friends enjoy the day and leave the work to us!
