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8 Ways to Prevent Drunken Guests at Parties – Part 1

In my mind “it takes two to tango.” As the host, you should do all you

can to prevent guests from over-indulging. As a guest, it is your

responsibility not to get drunk.

This month, Part 1 of a two-part series discusses how to prevent guests from

getting inebriated. In our next issue, Part 2 will discuss “8 Ways to Stay

Sober at Social Events” and prevent being called “a drunk.” See

www.AdvancedEtiquette.com/blog

1. Provide ample food throughout the event. Have plenty of appetizers during

the reception, followed by a hearty meal. If the event lasts more than an

hour after the meal, put out extra nibbles to continue filling guests’

stomachs to soak up the alcohol. By “food,” I don’t mean salty snacks

such as bowls of peanuts and pretzels. A nice meat and cheese platter with

fresh vegetables and fruits is best.

2. Serve non-alcoholic drinks. For events such as weddings and dances where

guests are at their tables for a long period, have plenty of water pitchers

on the tables throughout the event. Create a specialty non-alcoholic drink or

punch that will have a choice of having no alcohol or some alcohol in it.

This way you can control the amount of liquor in the punch and no one will

know if someone is a non-drinker.

3. Limit the time alcohol is served. One of the best ways to help control the

amount of alcohol consumed is to limit the overall time alcohol is served.

Here are some tips:

— Close the bar during the meal service and serve only wine. Either have it

poured by servers or have a limited number of bottles of wine on each table.

Typically one bottle of white and red wine is placed at each table. When

asked for more bottles, instruct waiters to say they are only allowed to

serve at most three bottles per table.

— For shorter receptions where a presentation takes place, close the bar

during the presentation time. Have a sign posted at the bar that reads:

“This bar will be closed during the event presentation.” This helps to

ease disappointed guests.

— At a truly elegant affair, announce the bar will be reopened after dinner

for an additional 30 minutes for after-dinner drinks. Have a coffee station

set up for additional coffee before the event ends. When the 30 minutes are

up, announce last call and the event closing time.

4. Limit the variety of alcohol served. Having a fully-stocked bar invites

trouble by those who love trying one of everything. Limit the choices to only

one or two specialty drinks, or have a limited number of liquors, such as

vodka and bourbon.

For a unique and elegant touch, have bartender stations that only serve soft

drinks, juices and water. For wine and other alcohol, have wine pourers and

cocktail servers to take drink orders… well brands only.

5. Have a last call. For dances and other longer entertainment events, make

an announcement that the bar will close 30 minutes before the event ends.

This also helps to end the event on time. Having coffee stations available

after dinner until the end of the event is a nice touch. [More about coffee

and its true affects in next month's newsletter.]

6. Issue drink tickets. For some events, it’s acceptable to issue two drink

tickets per person, allowing guests to purchase additional drinks on their

own.

7. Use smaller glasses: Instead of serving drinks in large 8+ ounce

glassware, use ones that only hold a maximum of 6 ounces so when you fill

them to three-quarters full, even less alcohol will be served in each drink.

8. Designate a Guest Monitor, Drunk Monitor, or Event Watchdog. Whatever you

choose to name this person, it is their job to keep a watchful eye over all

guests to monitor their alcohol consumption. For weddings, choose someone

close to the bride and groom, perhaps a relative or close friend of some

authoritativeness, but not someone within the wedding party. They should

relax and enjoy. For corporate events, choose someone of authority who will

be well respected when the tough decisions need to be made.

If this person is you, your duties include:

— Introduce yourself to the banquet manager, bartenders, and waiters at the

event. They will be great extra eyes and ears.

— Make sure the entire event team knows who you are so they can find you

when a situation arises.

— Find one or two friends willing to help be designated drivers to the

hotel, or home, as needed.

— Have on hand the telephone number to the local taxicab company.

— Jot down all nearby hotels, motels, and other places where a guest can

choose to stay the night… their rates and whether they will accept

last-minute reservations the night of your event.

— When a guest is attending alone, accompany the guest to the hotel by

driving the guest’s car. You may need a friend to follow to drive you back.

— When a guest show signs of being drunk and becoming a troublemaker,

intervene as quickly as possible. Do not discuss the situation in front of

others in the event room. Take the guest (and a sober companion/witness) to a

quiet area away from the event to discuss the situation.

— For home parties, have arrangements set for guests to stay over in a

guest room, sofa, blow-up bed, or neighbors home, within walking distance.

BONUS: Providing for your own committee members. To prevent co-hosts and

attending staff from becoming inebriated and from hovering over the food

tables during the time they should be mingling with guests, invite them to

arrive at the event 30 minutes ahead of time. Announce it as the time

important final details for the event will be shared and a time they can

enjoy some food ahead of guests arriving. You will not, however, open the bar

until the event begins. Make it clear that during the event, their primary

focus should be on meeting and greeting guests, not on stuffing their faces

and drinking too much. The results: Staff members show up on time, they get

their stomachs filled; and everyone receives valuable last-minute

information.

Question: What else have you done or experienced at events to help prevent

guests from becoming inebriated? I’d love to hear from you. Do let us hear

from you by locating this article at www.AdvancedEtiquette.com/blog. You may

also reach us at www.AdvancedEtiquette.com. If you enjoyed this article and

want more, subscribe to our “Etiquette Tip of the Month” newsletter—at no

charge—filled with great monthly tips on all sorts of topics from

international business and social etiquette and protocol to everyday life

subjects. It will be great to have you as a member of our happy family of

subscribers at www.AdvancedEtiquette.com/subscribe.

Happy Practicing!
About the Author

Syndi Seid is the world’s leading authority on international business and

social etiquette and protocol. She has helped thousands of people from all

over the world master the skills to having “etiquette intelligence” in

any business and social situation, anywhere in the world. Find out more at

www.AdvancedEtiquette.com

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