Putting together an event can involve a lot of planning, but if you're going to have drinks available, you'll want to make sure that you'll have someone familiar with mixology there to take care of your guests. Event bartending simplifies the process for planners, allowing them to leave one of the toughest jobs to someone qualified. You do, however, need to do a few things to prepare when hiring a professional bartending services provider.
Paperwork
Setting up a bar and serving people calls for more than just bringing in someone familiar with mixology services. Your locality will have its own rules about who can provide bartending services, who they can serve and how it all has to be set up. You'll need to get permission from whatever venue you'll be holding your function at, and you need to make sure the folks working at the bar have been properly licensed. It may also be necessary to either obtain an insurance policy for the event or to see if the company handling the bartending has a policy that will cover their part of the function.
Space
Setting aside space for putting up and bar and everything it takes to run one is important. Alcohol takes up a lot of space, especially if you intend to have a large selection of drinks. The bartenders will need to have completely free space to operate in. The absolute minimum is about 12 square feet of space, but your mixologists will usually appreciate having more, as long as you're not forcing them to run back and forth.
Security
The presence of alcohol at an event may lead to trouble, and it's a good idea to have a professional there to provide security. Many off-duty police officers are willing to take on the job to make an extra buck. Regardless of the circumstances, it's not what a bartending services company does, and you should not assume you'll be able to handle things yourself.
Supplies
Most event bartending companies have their own reserves of alcohol, mixers, sodas, and other supplies. You should, however, make whoever you hire aware of any unusual orders, especially if you're trying to impress a VIP at an event. They'll likely add a fee in order to purchase anything special, and you should provide advanced enough notice that any shipping issues, such as get a bottle from overseas, are dealt with.
For more information, contact your local event bartending service.