Raise A Toast to the Spirit of Texas
Our tagline is “Spirited Servers of Spirits”, and we think that just about sums it up!
Please introduce yourself to our readers.
We are Drink Slingers, an event bartending company in Austin, Texas. Our tagline is “Spirited Servers of Spirits”, and we think that just about sums it up! We have been in the industry since early 2015 and this year we received The Knot’s “Best of Weddings” award. We are a woman-owned, LGBT-owned business. The owners, Sadie Smythe and Nannette Taft are partners in life as well as business.
How did you get start?
The short version is that Nannette had been working part-time for another local bartending service (Urban Bartenders) when the owner of that service encouraged her to start her own bartending business. He was not interested in growing his business so he seeded her new venture with all of the leads he couldn’t, or didn’t want to, accommodate. Then Sadie joined in and Drink Slingers began to take shape. The name helped! People love our name and it is extremely memorable. Six months later, Urban Bartenders sold their business to Drink Slingers and the rest is, as they say, history.
How does an open bar work at a wedding?
We do not have a license to sell alcohol, so our clients will purchase the alcohol themselves and we serve it at the wedding. During the planning process, after we have consulted with our client over the phone and determined what they would like to serve, we create a customized shopping list for them and they shop for it. Sometimes that is a simple process like placing an order with a liquor store for delivery, or sometimes budget-conscious couples will shop in advance, taking advantage of sales or hitting up Costco for good prices. Oftentimes we will provide the mixers, fresh juices, sodas, and garnish for the cocktails. We can also provide ice (we typically do), cups, and some other offerings like wine popsicles and cotton candy – for cotton candy mimosas which are delicious and FUN!
We do not have a license to sell alcohol, so our clients will purchase the alcohol themselves and we serve it at the wedding.
How much does an open bar typically cost at a wedding?
We provide bar services only, not the alcohol, and the costs for the services vary widely depending upon many factors. And the alcohol costs can vary as well, depending upon the length of service and what exactly is being served.
But you are likely looking at between $20-$25 for the bar offerings, with services being separate.
In your opinion, how much do you think the bartender's tip at a wedding's open bar should be?
We have a policy of three choices for weddings – allowing tip jars on the bar, allowing tip jars + adding a host gratuity, or eliminating the tip jar all together with a 20% prepaid gratuity.
What are the basics of bartending?
Wedding bartending is 10% skill and 90% personality.
Wedding bartending is 10% skill and 90% personality. It is important to know how to make a drink but we believe it is imperative that someone who is interacting with guests be adept at communication and possess a particular dynamism. We are fortunate to have created a strong roster of exactly these types of people. A wedding is an extremely special day for all involved, and having the person at the helm of what is invariably a focal point of the event be likeable and charismatic fosters a sense of ease and sets a really nice tone for the event.
A wedding is an extremely special day for all involved, and having the person at the helm of what is invariably a focal point of the event be likeable and charismatic fosters a sense of ease and sets a really nice tone for the event.
What are the typical services/packages offered?
All of our packages & pricing are explained on our website.
What is your policy on cancellation or refund?
Cancellations made between 8 to 14 days of the scheduled event will be charged 50% of the estimated cost. Cancellations made within 7 days of the scheduled event will be charged in full.
We try very hard to fulfill the requests of our clients but occasionally we do have to say no to service requests that fall outside of our wheelhouse. We don’t want to pretend to know how to do something in particular and find out later that we can’t execute it well.
What was the most difficult request you have handled?
We try very hard to fulfil the requests of our clients but occasionally we do have to say no to service requests that fall outside of our wheelhouse. We don’t want to pretend to know how to do something in particular and find out later that we can’t execute it well. So we try to stick to what we know, which is serving up tasty drinks with a smile and an open heart.