The non-alcoholic people can mix the OJ or peach juice (for the bellinis) with bubbly water or drink them plain. What else would you have at brunch normally? Coffee, tea, water, and juice seem fine to me.
I will be doing a similar brunch although I’m not sure if we’re hiring a bartender. I’m always concerned with having every form of milk and substitute milk too.
I think (hope) we will have the regular assortment of sweetener, creamer, etc. Its a lot to keep track of. Today’s tasks were ordering a cake, meeting with a guy to repair our front steps and a side brick wall, but then having to meet with a pressure washer to pressure wash the brick before it gets repaired. And ordered thank you gifts for the hostess of the shower today. Am looking for ideas for a bridal shower gift for the future DIL. She and DH are pretty down to earth (no frills) and live in a very small (under 800) Sq ft apt across country. Thoughts? Ideas?
I decided to hire a caterer with a server and a bartender. We will be having a houseful, which also includes the future DILs immediate family nd their significant others, and DS#1, wife and baby. The last thing I want to do is worry about serving and refreshing , etc.
A cooler full of ice and sodas?
Most full bars will have mixers for alcohol including seltzer, soft drinks and juice. Most weddings I’ve been to, I’ve had maybe a glass of wine and then either water, ginger ale or diet coke.
This is not a wedding, folks. Jym is hosting a brunch for the couple. In her home. 
Tea and coffee and mimosas are what I personally would expect at such events.
There will be soda too, lol. My BIL is addicted to Diet Coke. One of the funniest things over the holidays was when MIL took a big bunch of us to a fancy “tea” and he had to do without his preferred beverage while eating cucumber sandwiches and crumpets for 2 hours.
I’m thinking of hiring someone to make omelets, but having the rest of the food delivered. It will quite a hodgepodge as we have several dietary restrictions and the B & G want it to be vegetarian too. We tried out a few vegan things from a special bakery last week and thank goodness we did! We renamed them Hagrid’s rock cakes. Not ordering from that place!
When I hosted a shower we had champagne for when the guests arrived and for a toast. Otherwise we had lemonade, tea and water. Coffee and tea with dessert.
For S the venue only allows beer and wine so that makes it easy. I am fine at an event that just offers beer, wine, water, lemonade and ice tea. Many are getting around the full bar and having one or two signature cocktails. That keeps the cost down. In my opinion a cash bar is tacky. Or at least it is in my part of the country.
Had a good conversation with my S and his fiancé. They are finally moving things along. Save the dates should go out in a few days. I suggested to them that they give my S some tasks to accomplish this week. He is off work due to the highway between his house and work being closed and has some time on his hands.
I would be happy to drink OJ. I just didn’t realize it would be available because I had no idea that it was a component of one of the specialty drinks.
I think that people who drink alcohol but are abstaining on a particular occasion (for example, because they need to drive) are the ones who have the sophistication to order nonalcoholic versions of alcoholic drinks because they understand what’s in the drinks and what options would be available. Those of us who don’t drink at all are less likely to understand these things. We would appreciate having some visible nonalcoholic choices available, like a pitcher of orange juice (a nice choice for a brunch anyway) or a cooler full of sodas (including diet sodas). We understand what those drinks are.
The shower is the next day, at someone else’s home. This is a brunch in our home to celebrate two events, and it is an open house/drop in brunch (because we would be overflowing if everyone showed up at once… so crossing my fingers). We are not having a full bar, and will possibly have some soda as well as water. The coffee/tea will be with the food. The bartender will handle the mimosas/bellinis and bloody mary’s. I can’t really imagine someone being miffed if they didn’t like what was being served. They can always get water from the fridge door if they choose (but we will probably have water bottles available), and honestly, if they don’t like what is being served… well… I suppose they can leave.
Mimosas are OJ and champagne. Bloody Marys are usually tomato juice, mixer, tobacco and vodka (essentially). So there should be juice options for those who so choose. My house isn’t big enough to handle some massive spread. And honestly, if someone was miffed about the food/beverage they were invited to enjoy, well, I’d be miffed.
How formal vs how casual? A large, nice pitcher of ice water is good. The bartender can pour or guests can. We used two of those (attractive) wide mouthed gallon jugs with a spout, on a stand. Added some fruit slices. Even with wine and lots of young adults, it was popular and we refilled a few times.
You can look online for how many ounces to count on, per hour, per guest, and per type of party or time of day.
And in some areas, if you buy too much champagne or vodka, you can return unopened bottles.
But I think the ‘beauty part’ of a home brunch is that you can do what you want, as long as people are fed well. OJ, TJ, Mimosas/Bellinis, Bloody Marys, champagne, water, coffee, sounds fine.
Thanks. The idea of one of those tall water things with fruit slices is nice. Will see if the caterer has one or if I can rent it (there is a nearby rental place). Not sure I want to own another big thing I don’t have room for.
The event is pretty casual, but not “water and beer in an ice cooler” casual. Am having someone come and take candid photos during the party, and will ask him to take some family shots before things get cranking. So now I have to figure out what to wear.
@mom60 cash bars are tacky. Everywhere. Would never make an invited guest pay for anything. If the host can’t afford to pay for the booze, don’t serve it. To be clear, my question was whether it is cheaper to have an open bar (flat fee for each guest) vs a hosted bar (per drink fee, paid NOT by guests, but by us) and from these posts, it looks as if the open bar is the less expensive option.
@jym626 your brunch plans sound lovely. What a nice opportunity to gather everyone. Your plan for beverages sound perfect. People will be able to see their many options.
@jym626 It is hard to imagine a shower gift for a person who doesn’t want or like household things. Being a curmudgeon on this topic, I’d say don’t have a shower! Given that there is going to be a shower–which, don’t get me wrong, is a nice thing to do–I would suggest things that are consumable, but not in overwhelming amounts that would become burdensome. Do they cook, or want to cook? There are expensive luxury ingredients that would make a great shower gift, such as Tahitian vanilla beans, real balsamic vinegar, specialty chocolate (think Michel Cluizel single origin), black or white truffles, good caviar. A membership to an art museum or something of that kind. A gift certificate to a special restaurant. A box of Penzey’s spices. A Kindle or Nook gift certificate if they have one. A bottle or case of special wine. A gift certificate for a small catered cocktail party or picnic or whatever that they can schedule themselves.
A lot depends on their interests.
Interesting thoughts.
I am hoping that people attending the shower will have the gifts shipped to their apt across country so that we don’t have to ship it or send them home with extra luggage (though that’s probable for at least some of the gifts).
We are honored that friends are hosting a shower and no way would we cancel, especially since other friends did it for older s’s wife and younger s’s fiancée attended.
They are tough to buy for, as they are pretty low maintenance, they live near wine country, DH gets most of his meals at work (think silicon valley) and h is fiancée works long hours (and is a vegetarian), so I would bet dinners are light, veggies, etc. I have frequently sent them cheeses and such, and in fact their holiday gift was a 3 mo delivery of Harry & David Cheese and fruit. One month left… We’ve gotten them coffees (and they got a new coffee pot on black Friday) and their apt is small, so not sure an expresso machine would be a good idea as it takes up counter space.
Will look into concerts in their area, etc. They have a gym in their apt bldg. with video yoga classes, so even a gift certificate for yoga classes might be a waste. So far I thinking may get a nice cutting board, but it seems impersonal. Thought about a robe, but not sure that’s her style.
@jym626 I think I recommended this to someone else here recently, but this is a business located here in foodie Portland, and these vinegars are really quite extraordinary. I gave S and his GF a bottle each of Wild Rosemary Olive Oil and Summer Peach White Balsamic for Christmas. The coconut balsamic is amazing. It’s the kind of thing that you can just sprinkle over a salad or some grilled fish or shrimp and it just makes a delicious dish with no effort.
A zoodle maker? A pink Himalayan salt block with holder/carrier thingie?
Thanks, @consolation. We must think alike, as I have sent them specialty oil and vinegars in the past!
What is a zoodle maker? Will go look that one up.
My DD also lives in a tiny apartment. Any presents she gets will be stored here until she has more space.
Because of logistics…we aren’t having a shower at all…so we don’t have to worry about shower gifts.
If they love cheese, a nice cutting board would be lovely…and useful…and pretty. With maybe a gift card to Whole Foods so they can buy the cheese!
Ah, the dreaded wedding shower. D’s MOH is hosting D’s shower, but it will be at my house. I had intended to redo my living room before the shower, but … it’s in 2-1/2 months & I haven’t ordered any furniture, so that’s clearly not going to happen. Luckily, the shower guest list is relatively small & most of the folks have been to my home before. Future MIL & her friends would be the only ones I might be embarrassed to have see my 30+ year old living/dining room decor (it used to look great, but it hasn’t quite come back in style yet). I alternate between caring & not giving a flying fig. I am fortunate that MOH will take care of details, but it’s my super busy season at work, so I may end up stuffing random things into spare bedrooms in an effort to declutter the downstairs. We’ll have the brunch catered, but I live in an area with few options for catered brunch. There is one place nearby that is good, and that will just have to be the caterer. They don’t deliver or set-up. Not sure why I offered my house (MOH said we could do it at a restaurant), but c’est la vie.