You’ve always invisioned your wedding or event going off without a hitch and one way to curb disasters is to be prepared for the worst. We totally recommend putting together a small kit for the “just in case” moments you might have at your wedding. You never know if Aunt Linda just might spill her third glass of wine on you when she’s giving you that 10th hug of the night…so here is a complied list of items you might want to bring to the church and reception hall, just in case…

The Essentials:

• Extra copy of directions to reception
• Cell phone
• Numbers of all participants in wedding
• Numbers of all vendors
• Driver’s License
• Cash

Beauty:

• Nail polish (2 shades)
  • Clear for runs
  • Shade being worn
• Nail file
• Nail polish remover
• Cloth headband (for pulling back hair while applying makeup)
• Compact mirror
• Makeup (for touch ups)
• Curling iron (humid or outside weddings)
• Hairdryer (rainy weddings)
• Hairspray
• Bobby pins and barrettes
• Brush and comb
• Perfume

Hygiene:

• Toothbrush and toothpaste
• Mouthwash
• Floss
• Deodorant (roll on or spray)
• Feminine hygiene products (tampons, sanitary pads, etc)
• Breath mints

First Aid/Medicine:

• Bandages
• Neosporin
• Allergy medicine (Claritin, Benadryl, etc)
• Aspirin and pain relievers
• Pepto Bismol, Alka Seltzer or Tums

For the “What ifs”:

• Wine Remover (Satin Devil Fruit and Red Wine Remover)
• Small hand towl (for stain removal on dress)
• Wet wipes and tissues (for tears and spills)
• Lint brush
• Extra earring backs
• Travel size sewing kit (with small scissors)
• Extra buttons
• Double-sided hem tape
• Extra pantyhose
• Flat shoes for the reception
• Foot cushions
• Crochet hook (for bustling)
• Umbrella
• Mini flashlight
• Swiss army knife
• Smelling salts
• Static guard
• Febreze (the small bottle)
• Tide Pen
• White chalk (for covering up stains on dress)
• Q-tips
• Super glue
• Visine
• Purelle
• Bottle water
• Snacks
• Hand Lotion
• Straw (so that you don’t spill your drinks on you as you are getting ready)
• Baby powder
• Safty pins

With all of these items, you’re sure to curtail the the typical wedding day debacles!

Cocktail’s Bar Services (Cocktails) has been serving San Antonio’s event industry for almost seven years. The idea for such services stemmed from owner, Lisa Scherrer’s own experience in the bar and restaurant industry. After working for years for different companies, Lisa decided to venture out on her own and launched Cocktails in 2003. First starting with staffing for caterers, venues and events, then in 2007 they were granted licensure by TABC to provide full bar and catering services.

Cocktails offers clients the option of doing an open bar, cash bar or partial cash bar for their next event. For an open bar, the client would bring in the alcohol and Cocktails would serve it to their guests. Or, for a nominal fee per person, you can have Cocktails do all the work and provide all of the alcohol and mixers so that you don’t have to worry about a thing on your special day. For brides on a budget, a cash bar is a wonderful option. You simply pay for the set up and your guests pay for the drinks. If you would like to offer your guest some beverages, but do not want to break the bank, a partial cash bar would do the trick. You could do a cocktail hour, where you pick up the tab during a 1-2 hour timeframe and then a cash bar the rest of the evening. Another option is providing beer and wine free of charge for your guests, but if they would like hard liquor, they can pay for that themselves.

Making their mark in the event world of San Antonio, Cocktails works approximately 75-100 events per year and provides services for events exceeding 3000 guests. They are also very comfortable working at Plaza Lecea because they have the same priorities as we do: Keep the client happy (the night time view is a plus too)! They continuously work with their clients to provide the best service and customize packages to fit their budget. They also take that extra step to ensuring client satisfaction on the day of their event as well by assisting caterers when needed, arriving early for set up and staying late to help with the clean up, or providing a special drink recipe for an individual’s wedding party.

A bar service tends to be an after-thought, but in reality it is an integral part of a successful event! Don’t leave it to last minute to book or hand it off to your groom. Here is some insight from Lisa about the importance of a professional bar service,

“Brides should remember that as well as the venue, caterer and decorations, the bar service is a vital part of an enjoyable wedding. A professional, responsible and courteous service will always leave a lasting impression on your guests. We spend most of the event providing service to your party, (so) don’t let your bar service be an after-thought in your planning. Cocktails will help you decide on a service to fit your budget and can also provide you great contacts and suggestions, for all your needs on your special day.”

The Essentials: Website: www.cocktailservices.com Phone: 210.363.8025; Email: info@cocktailservices.com. Click here to see all of their happy client’s testimonials: www.cocktailservices.com/testimonials.htm