Event Bar Shopping Checklist: What to Buy and What to Confirm
Buying for an event bar starts with the menu, not a universal bottle count. A beer-and-wine reception, a bar with two signature cocktails, and a broader cocktail menu each need a different shopping list.
With Whiskey & Copper, clients choose and purchase all alcohol. What else you need to arrange depends on the Bartending Services package you select. Use this checklist to organize the conversation before you shop; your event proposal and drink plan will identify the quantities and supplies for your booking.
Before you make the list
Confirm the guest count and the hours drinks will be served.
Choose the bar service and the drinks you want available.
Tell us about guest preferences and any alcohol-free drinks you’d like to offer.
Confirm the venue’s rules for client-provided alcohol, outside bartenders, delivery, and storage.
Review your proposal so you know what Whiskey & Copper provides and what you’ll provide.
Alcohol to discuss for your menu
Beer and seltzer: Choose the styles and brands your guests are likely to enjoy.
Wine: Decide whether you want red, white, rosé, or sparkling wine, and whether a toast needs a separate purchase.
Spirits and liqueurs: Buy the ingredients required for the cocktails you’ve selected. A focused two-drink menu may need fewer types of spirits than a broader bar.
Signature drinks: Finalize each recipe before shopping so the alcohol list matches the drinks that will actually be served.
You don’t need every spirit behind the bar. Build the purchase around your menu and guest preferences.
Still Deciding Which Brands to Purchase?
Before building your shopping list, explore our Beer, Wine & Spirits guide for recommendations on popular beers, wine styles, tequila, vodka, whiskey, and Texas favorites. We'll help narrow those selections into a personalized purchase plan.
Ingredients and service supplies to confirm
Check your selected package before buying these items yourself:
Mixers, juices, syrups, and bitters for the planned recipes
Fresh fruit, herbs, and other garnishes
Ice for drinks and for chilling beverages
Cups, napkins, straws, and any required drinkware
Water and other everyday alcohol-free beverages
A suitable bar location and any venue-provided tables or storage
Bartender-only service and bar packages have different inclusions. Your proposal is the right reference for deciding which of these items belong on your shopping list.
Think through alcohol-free choices
If you’re serving cocktails, consider what guests who don’t want alcohol can order. A thoughtfully planned mocktail has its own recipe and ingredients; it doesn’t need alcohol-free spirits. A Mocktail Bar or Cream & Copper Dirty Soda Bar can also be planned as a distinct service when you want a larger alcohol-free selection.
Turn the checklist into quantities
Once the menu, guest count, and service hours are set, we can help estimate alcohol quantities for the drinks you’ve selected. That is more useful than buying from a fixed “per 100 guests” list that assumes everyone orders the same way.
Read our guide to planning alcohol for a 100-guest wedding for a closer look at the factors that shape a shopping list. Then explore Bartending Services or tell us about your event, and we’ll help you plan the next steps.
