Wedding Coffee Bar Ideas

With champagne toasts, wine with dinner and a bar, guests drink and have fun during a reception. As the reception draws to an end, offer a wedding coffee bar with various brewed coffees and condiments to send off guests on a warm note. While a self-service coffee bar gets the job done, guests love the chance to order a specialty coffee drink from a professional barista.

Setting Up the Coffee Bar

Common coffee supplies needed for a wedding coffee bar include regular coffee, decaffeinated coffee, coffee filters, powdered creamer, liquid creamer, sugar and sugar substitute. Depending on the coffee bar theme, offer flavored syrups in regular and sugar-free, cinnamon and nutmeg. If iced coffee is offered, provide an insulated cooler with ice.

Self-Service Station

Brew and store coffee in clearly marked thermal containers. Set out creamer, sugar, sugar substitute and other coffee condiments on a table with thermal containers containing coffee. Supplies for a self-service coffee station include cups, stirring sticks, napkins and lids. Designate a friend or family member to brew coffee and refill thermal containers as needed. Check with wedding venue staff about using on-site coffee makers. If coffee makers are not available, purchase two to three coffee makers to brew coffee during the reception.

Wedding-Themed Coffee Drinks

Instead of preparing an alcohol-based theme drink for a wedding, the bride and groom create a wedding themed coffee drink. Hire a barista or local bartender to serve the themed coffee drink to guests. Provide a sugared, sugar-free, caffeinated and decaffeinated variety. Give guests other coffee options. Serve wedding-themed coffee drinks before the reception, with cake, with dinner or after dinner.

Barista Station

Set up a coffee station with a hired barista. Collect coffee drink recipes on note cards and give a copy to the barista before the wedding. Keep a copy of coffee recipes for the wedding coffee bar. Meet with the barista the day before the wedding to test wedding coffee recipes. Supply all ingredients in clearly marked containers. Ask a friend or family member to help brew coffee and espresso, as needed. Supplies needed for the coffee bar include an espresso machine, coffee machines, ground espresso, ground coffee, decaffeinated ground coffee and coffee filters. The bar will also need coffee cups, lids and coffee stirrers. Set up the coffee bar near a sink so the barista can clean tools between drinks. Offer guests self-serve condiments like creamer, sugar and sugar substitute.