Choose the serving window around the role cocktails have in your event. A reception may need a defined cocktail period; a drinks-led party may need service through the main evening. Neither is automatically the better booking.
Match the hours to the way guests will use them
Look at arrivals, food, speeches and entertainment. If there are long periods when guests are seated elsewhere, decide whether cocktail service is useful then or whether the priority is before and afterwards.
For a short service window, think about whether guests can reasonably order within it; a concentrated demand needs proper staffing and preparation. For a longer window, plan replenishment and glassware throughout. Confirm the exact start, finish and any agreed break in writing, and identify who provides drinks outside those hours. Do not assume an unbooked extension is available on the night.
- Choose service hours from the actual event programme.
- Assign drinks provision before and after the cocktail booking.