There’s no shortage of breweries in or near most cities these days. When looking for an event venue to hold a birthday party, corporate dinner, or wedding reception, these spaces can serve as a fun and unique option for you, your family and friends to celebrate. Below, we talk to local experts about how breweries can best market themselves for a wedding event.
“Breweries, for the most part, are pretty flexible,” says Jason Santamaria, co-founder of the Atlanta based brewery Second Self Beer Co. “Typically, they have an alternative and open space — it’s not as stuffy as a typical event space. They’re not event spaces so they don’t have catering minimums, and the guests get some great beer.”
He adds that, since they don’t make any food in-house, most breweries won’t have requirements for catering or buyouts. “We’ve worked with guests in the past to make the experience unique and very special,” he adds. “We’ve created [one-off] beers or casks for the special day, custom tasting glasses for guests, and even had items as takeaways. We want our guests to make the event they want and not limit them.” You can also consider partnering with other local vendors for a preferred vendor program. This way, you can refer these businesses to clients for an event at your venue and vice versa.
An added bonus to having a private event like a wedding at a brewery is that you have access to layouts, entertainment, imbibing options, and extras that may not be available at typical outposts. “Having an aspect of your wedding event at a brewery is really unique,” says Allison Haber, director of communications at Green Olive Media and a representative for Max Lager’s in Downtown Atlanta.
“Max Lager’s, specifically, is not your typical venue, with an industrial loft-style historic building,” she adds. “The atmosphere really encourages a relaxed environment that can transform into whatever party you’re looking to host.” Haber explains that Max Lager’s offers several spaces for events and can be as casual or formal as the client likes, along with a trained staff that can help with arrangements, entertainment, decorations, and catering — a one-stop-shop. Plus, photos of these offerings are great additions to your social media pages, marketing emails, and the event section of your website.
One of the best parts of choosing a brewery as an event venue is the focus on being at ease, not taking things too seriously, and ensuring guests have a great time. This venue type can be particularly appealing to millennials and other clients looking for a nontraditional event space. “Simply put, breweries are fun destinations,” says Tucker Sarkesian, a representative for SweetWater Brewing Company. “Guests have more than just a blank space to entertain them — they get to see the inner workings of a craft brewery, and experience a cool, local attraction.”
Drinking local brew is an added bonus, and guests are likely to feel more relaxed and are able to focus on celebrating more so than they might be in a traditional venue. At SweetWater, options include bringing your own caterer, creating a special event cask, custom pint glasses, various guest number options, private tours, and creative photo ops.
You know what they say: Eat, drink, and be merry!
Editor's Note: This post was originally published on the Gather blog.