Bar Service FAQs
Below, we’ve answered common questions about the bar at Twin Gables. If you have more questions, please contact our team – we’re happy to help!
Exclusive Liquor License
As one of the few local venues with a liquor license, Twin Gables offers greater flexibility and a wider range of options for your bar service. This exclusivity allows us to provide unique bar solutions that other venues simply cannot match.
*Alcohol choices and refund policy are subject to change.
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🥂 Hosted Bar – Cover all of the drinks, allowing guests to enjoy without any cost to them.
💰 Partial Cash Bar – Covers drinks for the first two hours, after which the bar will become a cash bar.
💵 Cash Bar – Just like at a traditional bar, guests purchase their own drinks using cash or card.
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Hosted Bar: 💸 Base Fee: $1,600 - 🍹 Includes: Bartenders, cups, napkins, straws, and all essential bar supplies. 💵 Alcohol Costs: Not included in the base fee. You’ll select and purchase your desired drinks separately.
Partial Cash Bar: 💸 Base Fee: $1,300 - 🍹 Includes: Bartenders, cups, napkins, straws, and all necessary bar supplies. 💵 Alcohol Costs: Separate from the base fee. You’ll pre-purchase the drinks you want to cover for the first 2 hours, and any leftovers will be refunded based on the refund policy.
Full Cash Bar: 💸 Base Fee: $1,100 - 🍹 Includes: Bartenders, cups, napkins, straws, and all necessary bar supplies.
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You can Choose up to 10 Drinks to Personalize Your Bar Menu:
Wines & 🥤 Canned Options have no limit within the 10-drink max
🍺 2 Keg Varieties
Choice: Limited to two different types of keg beer (e.g., Bud Light & Miller Lite)
Note: You may order multiple kegs of each variety if you wish🍸 4 Signature Cocktails or Add-On Liquors
Flexibility: You can divide them (e.g., 3 cocktails + 1 add-on liquor)*(Pop and water do not count towards the 10-drink limit)
Example Order Combination:
2 Keg Varieties
3 Cocktails + 1 Add-On Liquor
2 Wines (Cabernet Sauvignon & Pinot Grigio)
2 Canned Options (Truly Variety Pack & White Claw Variety Pack)
Note: You don’t have to select all 10 options. Many couples find that 6–8 options offer the perfect balance.
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You pay for all drinks for your guests throughout the event.
📋 Drink Options: Select up to 10 beverages from our complete menu, which includes both stocked and non-stocked items.
To view all drink options and prices, click on Hosted Bar Ordering Store.
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Add on mixers and garnish are available for hosted bars only.
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⏳ How It Works: You pre-purchase drinks for the first 2 hours. After that, it transitions to a cash bar where guests pay for their drinks. The menu will simply change to show item prices, and guests can pay with cash or card.
📋 Beverage Selection: Choose up to 10 items from our Stocked Items / Bar Backup Items, along with any cocktails and mixed drinks we offer.
To view all drink options and prices, click onPartial Cash Bar Ordering Store.
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💵 How It Works: Guests pay for their drinks during the entire event.
📋 Beverage Selection: Choose up to 10 items from our Stocked Items / Bar Backup Items and any cocktails and mixed drinks we offer.
To view all drink options, click onCash Bar Ordering Store.
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Ensure your event flows smoothly with our Bar Backup. Just order the drinks you expect to use, and if you need more, our on-site reserves are available for purchase. We provide plenty of canned beverages, a limited selection of keg reserves, and a variety of cocktails and wines to handle any unexpected demand. Enjoy your celebration, knowing that extra stock is ready when needed.
Keg Reserves:
Domestic Beers:
Bud Light
Budweiser
Miller Lite
Limited keg reserves are available to keep the celebration flowing smoothly.
Craft Beers:
Founders All Day IPA
Bell’s Two Hearted Ale
Limited pony and mini kegs are available.
Canned Reserves:Domestic & Craft Beers:
Bud Light
Budweiser
Miller Lite
Founders All Day IPA
Bell’s Two Hearted Ale
Seltzers:
White Claw Variety Pack
Truly Berry Variety Pack
We have an ample supply of canned options available for backup. Whether your guests prefer classic beers or trendy seltzers, we have plenty in stock to meet all needs.
House Wines: Cabernet, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Moscato, Pinot Grigio, Champagne
Cocktails:
Margarita
Blue Margarita
Whiskey & Coke
Rum & Coke
Frozen Margarita
Frozen Blue Margarita
Vodka Soda
Our cocktail selection is designed to delight. These are available as backup options to ensure drinks keep flowing smoothly. Shots are not allowed.
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Our bar service options include 6 hours of bar service, plus 1 hour for setup and cleanup.
Our standard service times are:
Friday & Saturday: 4 PM to 10 PM
Sunday: 2 PM to 8 PM
If you would like a different start time the earilest available times are listed below.
Weekdays: 3:05 PM
Weekends (Saturday & Sunday): 2:00 PM
Please note that we cannot begin bar service until 3:05 p.m. on weekdays due to the nearby school.
If you decide to start bar service earlier, please keep in mind that it will also end earlier unless you buy extra bar time. Six hours is standard for all bar options.
Important: Bar Closure
Closing Time:
The bar will close 1 hour before your event ends to ensure a smooth and safe conclusion.
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You can have alcohol at your rehearsal dinner. The bartender fee is $150.
Only beer and wine can be served.
Add the items you would like to your bar order and specify what items on the bar form.
Raise a Toast with Our In-House Bar
Our fully licensed in-house bar offers a fantastic variety of premium drinks, including fun frozen cocktails that keep the party lively. Whether you’re looking for a full or partial cash bar to suit your budget, or hosted bar, we have flexible options tailored just for you.
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No, due to our Class C liquor license, we must provide and serve all alcohol to comply with state regulations. This includes the bride's and groom's rooms and rehearsals.
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No worries! We can still take care of you and your guests with non-alcoholic soda, lemonade, tea, and water. Pricing will simply be a $250 staffing fee + $5 per guest. All guests will still be served from the bar area, not to guests seated at their table.
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There’s no general minimum, but some craft beers, specialty bottled beverages, and wines may have a minimum order, usually not exceeding $200.
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No Outside Alcohol:
All on-site alcohol (including bridal/groom suite drinks) must be purchased through Twin Gables Event Center.
How It Works:
When placing your order, fill out the separate bar ordering form and specify the items you’d like for pre-wedding use (e.g., champagne for mimosas or cases of beer for the groom’s suite). This ensures your drinks are prepared and ready in your rooms upon arrival.
Additional Purchases:
If you don’t pre-order any pre-wedding alcohol, you can still purchase additional items on-site during the event to ensure your bridal and groom suites are well-stocked.
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To ensure a seamless and well-organized service for your wedding bar, please adhere to the following order placement timeline:
Minimum: 2 Months Before Wedding Date
Maximum: 4 Months Before Wedding Date
Placing your order within this timeframe allows us to prepare and customize your bar setup according to your preferences.
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Once your order is placed, you will receive an invoice for the initial down payment. Here's how the payment process works:
Initial Down Payment:
Amount Due: Bar fee plus taxes
Payment Methods:
No Extra Cost: Check, Cash, or Bank Transfer
With Processing Fee: Credit/Debit Card (2.90% fee applies)
Remaining Balance:
Details: Your invoice will clearly indicate the remaining balance and the due date.
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Additional Hours of Bar Service: Purchase up to 2 extra hours for $250 each via the bar ordering store add-on category.
Closing Time:
The bar will close 1 hour before your event ends to ensure a smooth and safe conclusion.Extra Venue Rental
Additional Hours:
If you wish to extend your event beyond the standard hours, an extra venue rental fee of $250 per additional hour applies.(E.g. Extend the event by 2 hours; it would require 2 hours at $250 per hour for venue rental, plus an additional hour of bar service at $250 per hour.
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We strictly enforce Michigan’s legal drinking age. No alcohol will be served to guests under 21, and our bartenders are thoroughly trained to check IDs.
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Guest Count Over 200:
A $150 surcharge applies to all bar types (Hosted, Partial Cash, or Cash Bar) to cover the cost of additional staffing.
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Customization Requirements:
Clients must specify which drinks will be made with add-on liquors. We’ll list those drinks on the bar menu to ensure clarity and consistency.
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To maintain an organized and efficient process for all transactions, please ensure the following:
Separate Checkout:
Bar Items: Must be checked out separately from free store items and rental items.
This separation helps us manage your order accurately and ensures that all components of your wedding bar are handled with the utmost care and precision.
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A bartender tip jar will be the bar unless we are told you prefer not to have it. A $3 per person charge will be added for no tip jar.
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Maximum Refund: $500 for stocked items, $200 for non-stocked items (max $500 total)
Kegs: Non-refundable
Wine: Refunds for unopened bottles only
Cocktails: Refunds are limited to the liquor portion only; the mixers and garnishes portion are non-refundable. (Full Unopened Bottles Only)
Canned Items: Refunds apply to unopened full cases only
Refunds will be issued to the card used for the bar invoice payment or via check.
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Maximum Refund: $500 for stocked items only
Kegs: Refunds apply to the unused portion during the first two hours
Wine: Refunds apply to unopened bottles only
Cocktails: Refunds are limited to the liquor portion only; the mixers and garnishes portion are non-refundable. (Full Unopened Bottles Only)
Canned Items: Refunds apply to unopened full cases only
Refunds will be issued to the card used for the bar invoice payment or via check.
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Kegs, whether tapped or untapped.
Canned Items, unless returned as unopened, full cases.
Cocktail Mixers and Garnishes
Add-On Mixers though you may take these items home.
Opened or partially used items of any kind.
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When It Applies:
With Signature Cocktails: No additional service fee applies.
Without Signature Cocktails: A one-time $40 service fee is added to cover ice and preparation resources.
Why It Exists:
The cost of ice is included in our signature cocktails. If you choose to create your own drinks using add-on liquors, this ensures we provide enough ice for your event.
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If you've paid your final bar balance with a credit card and have leftover items eligible for a refund, the refund will be applied to that card.
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If you've paid your final bar balance with cash or check and have leftover items eligible for a refund, we will issue a refund on the original invoice. A check will be issued for the refund.
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At Twin Gables Event Center, all alcohol purchases made for your event are for on-premise consumption only. This means you are purchasing the right to use and enjoy these beverages at the bar during your event, and they cannot be taken off the premises.
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Please email us if you have any questions or need further assistance with your order. We're here to help make your wedding bar setup as smooth and enjoyable as possible!
