Alcohol and Events: 5 Things to Consider

There are numerous ways to get the party started at corporate meetings, conferences, and events. One of the most popular is providing (or selling) alcohol. However, serving alcohol at an event can be a risky proposition, so you need to ensure you’ve made the right preparations beforehand.

  1. Have a plan in place
    Rather than wing it and serving alcohol willy-nilly, it’s imperative that you consider every detail. How many attendees will there be? How many bars will there be and what sort of drinks will they serve? How will you handle attendees who get out of hand? Have a question for all these answers.
  2. Obtain the proper licenses & permits
    Think dealing with an intoxicated attendee is your biggest worry? Guess again! Serving alcohol without being properly licensed in a serious offence, and can expose your company and your client’s and sponsors to a significant liability. Regulations are different from state to state and city to city, so make sure you do your homework.
  3. What about insurance?
    You may already have insurance for your event, but make sure you talk to your provider about liquor liability coverage. To simplify the process, hire a catering service with their own policy and have them cover you with it.
  4. Drink tickets are a good idea
    The mixture of alcohol and events makes it easier and fun for attendees to mingle and loosen up. However, you want to avoid an incident at all costs. Avoid any adverse situations by offering a few drink tickets to each guest to limit alcohol consumption.
  5. Prevent drunk driving
    Arguably the most important point, drunk driving prevention should be a major priority. Understand how many of your guests plan to get to and from the venue. If it’s in a major metropolitan area, this shouldn’t be a problem, but if driving is the only option, offer a shuttle service or readily available taxi service.

There are many factors to consider when planning an important event and McVeigh Global Meetings and Events is here to ensure no of them fall through the cracks. Contact the dedicated team at McVeigh Global Meetings and Events and let’s get started!