Questions, answered.

Plan on one bartender per 75 guests — so 100 guests is typically one bartender, 150 guests is two, and 200 guests is three. That baseline covers a standard beer, wine and cocktail bar. Cocktail-heavy service runs closer to one bartender per 50 guests, which is The Knot’s guidance for full cocktail bars, so a 150-guest reception built around shaken drinks may want three. We recommend the count when we quote your event, based on your guest list, your menu, and how long the bar is open.

There is no single formula — the right amount depends on your guest count, how long the bar is open, and what your crowd actually drinks. Instead of guessing, we run your numbers through our alcohol purchasing calculator and hand you an exact shopping list: how much liquor, beer and wine to buy, in what bottle sizes, with an estimated cost. For budget context, The Knot puts average wedding alcohol spend at roughly $15–$45 per person. Because you buy at retail and keep whatever is left, buying slightly long is the safe mistake.

The base service includes 5 hours of bar service, plus 30 minutes of set-up before and 30 minutes of clean-up after. Most weddings and private parties fit comfortably inside that window. If your event runs longer, additional hours are quoted as an add-on — send us your timeline with your quote request and we will build it in from the start rather than adjusting on the night.

Every unopened bottle goes home with you. Because dry hire means you bought the alcohol at retail, none of it belongs to us — we do not resell it, so there is nothing to return and nothing to settle up afterward. That is why buying slightly long costs you nothing: the leftovers become your stocked bar instead of a wasted line on the budget.

A mobile bartending service brings the staff, the equipment and the plan needed to run a full bar at a venue that does not have one. For The Walters that means designing your drink menu, telling you exactly what alcohol to buy, arriving early to set up and style the bar, serving your guests for the length of the event, checking IDs and managing service responsibly, and cleaning up completely afterward. What we do not do is sell alcohol — in Oklahoma, mobile bar companies are not permitted to.

Dry hire means you purchase the alcohol yourself at retail and the bar company supplies everything else; a full-service bar means the company supplies the alcohol too and bills you for it. In Oklahoma, mobile bar companies cannot legally sell alcohol, so dry hire is how professional mobile bars operate here. The practical difference is cost and control: nobody marks up your bottles, you decide exactly what gets poured, and the leftovers are yours.

Bartenders, bar tools, shakers, jiggers and service equipment are included with every event. Ice, mixers, garnishes, cups, glassware, bottled water, a portable bar and cooler rental are available as add-ons, so you can hand over as much or as little of the setup as you want. Tell us what your venue already provides and we will quote only what is genuinely missing.

Yes. Our bartenders hold Oklahoma’s Event Bartender (EVB) license through the ABLE Commission, and The Walters carries both liquor liability and general liability insurance. Venues frequently ask for proof of insurance before an event — mention it when you request a quote and we will handle it as part of booking.

Travel is included up to 20 miles beyond Central Oklahoma City, which covers Edmond, Norman, Moore, Yukon, Mustang, Midwest City, Del City, Bethany, Piedmont, Choctaw, Newcastle, Guthrie and El Reno. Events farther out are welcome — just ask. Any additional travel is folded into your quote up front, so it is never a surprise line item later.

Often yes — but check with your venue first. Some venues require that their in-house bar handle all alcohol service, and that requirement overrides anything we can offer. Where a venue permits outside bar staff, or has a bar space but nobody to run it, we are a straightforward fit; we also partner directly with venues and planners as a preferred bar vendor.

Yes. A full non-alcoholic menu is designed for every event we serve at no separate booking, and we serve fully dry events. Our mocktails are built on house shrubs, cordials, brewed teas, botanical syrups and bitters rather than juice and soda, and they are served in the same glassware, with the same garnish, on the same printed menu as the cocktails — so guests who are not drinking are never handed something obviously lesser.

Your event date, venue and estimated guest count are enough to start. From there it helps to know your event type, roughly how long you want the bar open, what you would like poured, and whether the venue supplies ice, glassware or a bar. Send what you have and we will reply with availability, a bar plan and a price — plus your alcohol shopping list, so you can buy at your convenience.