The twenty-five questions clients actually ask us before booking a wedding, backyard birthday, corporate event, or vineyard reception — grouped by topic, answered without marketing copy. If you have a question that is not here, text us and we will answer in minutes.
When you can reach us, and how fast we come back to you.
Yes — our booking line is open 24/7. Whether it's late Saturday night or early Sunday morning, you can call (213) 752-1446 and we'll take your event details. Our team gets back to you within a few hours (same day if business hours).
The dry-hire structure is the entire reason La Barra Co. exists. California law permits it, caterers hate it, and it saves clients 30-50% on the bar line of an event.
No. California law allows the client to buy and provide alcohol in their own name — this is the dry-hire model. You pay retail (materially less than a caterer's bar package) and unopened bottles go back to the store. We bring everything else: bar, glassware, ice, mixers, garnish, and the RBS-certified bartenders. More on the model: dry-hire explained.
Caterers mark alcohol up 200-400% because they are licensed to sell it. Under dry hire, you buy at retail (Trader Joe's, BevMo, Costco, Total Wine), and we handle service. A 100-guest wedding bar that would cost $4,000-$4,500 catered typically runs $2,500-$3,000 with us — same drinks, same service, no sales markup on the booze.
After booking we send a precise shopping list by guest count, hours and drink mix: bottle counts for beer, wine, spirits, and mixers; store recommendations; and which chains accept returns on unopened bottles. You can also use our free wedding alcohol calculator before booking.
Yes. Beer-and-wine only is the simplest and often the smartest bar for a 100-guest wedding — roughly 60% of our clients choose it over full liquor. We still pour, chill, serve, and clean up to the same standard. Pricing does not change based on what you stock; it is based on guest count and hours. See pricing.
Unopened bottles are yours. Most California stores (Total Wine, BevMo, Trader Joe's with receipt) accept returns on unopened bottles within 30-60 days, so you recover a significant chunk of what you spent. Opened bottles go home with you (or to the next party). We send a leftover audit at breakdown.
The question most couples ask with real fear: "Will I get in trouble?" Short answer: not if the alcohol is not being sold. Longer answer below.
Not if the alcohol is not being sold. California only requires an ABC daily permit when the host is charging guests for drinks (cash bar). A private open bar at a wedding, birthday, backyard party, or corporate event does not need a permit. We are RBS-certified and provide our bartenders' license documentation on request. More: do I need a bartender license for a wedding.
Responsible Beverage Service certification is required by California law (AB 1221) for every bartender serving alcohol at a licensed on-premises event. Every La Barra Co. bartender is current on RBS. It covers ID verification, intoxication recognition, legal pour duties, and liability. A bartender without RBS is a legal problem for the venue and for you.
Yes for virtually every SoCal venue. We carry California ABC compliance and RBS-certified bartenders. The combination clears Vibiana, Hummingbird Nest Ranch, Smoky Hollow Studios, Terranea, winery venues in Temecula and Santa Ynez, and the standard LA private estates. We send the compliance documentation directly to the venue 7 days before.
California ABC compliance is the standard most upscale California venues require; some ask for $1M and almost none ask for more. Ask any vendor you are considering to send the certificate directly from their broker. If your venue requires a specific endorsement or an additional-RBS-certified letter, we add it at no cost before the event.
Yes, on request, at no cost. We send the compliance paperwork (compliance documentation) with the venue listed as vendor file 7 days before your event. If the venue needs it earlier, we send it earlier. If they need a specific endorsement wording, our broker handles that same-week.
Four packages, no mandatory gratuity, nothing hidden on the invoice.
Intimate $795: 30–50 guests, 3 hours, 1 bartender. Signature $1,495: 60–100 guests, 4 hours, 2 bartenders, 4 signature cocktails, printed menu. Premier $1,950: 100–150 guests, 4 hours, 2 bartenders at a double service point. Grand $2,795: 150–200 guests, 5 hours, 3 bartenders, double bar. Full detail at /pricing.
No. Gratuity is never mandatory and never automatically added to your invoice. Most California mobile bars add 18-22% service charge; we do not. The number on your quote is the number you pay. Tips are welcome if the service earns them, never required.
50% of the package price holds your date. The balance is due 7 days before the event. We accept credit card, Zelle, and company check with W-9 for corporate clients. Deposits are refundable up to 30 days before the event and transferable to another date within 12 months after that.
50% deposit at contract signing, 50% balance 7 days before the event. Corporate clients can request net-30 with a signed W-9 and PO; the full balance is still due before the event date. No post-event invoicing — everything is settled before the first guest arrives.
Yes. Add-ons (extra bartender, extra hour, margarita cart, champagne tower, mimosa bar, signature cocktail design) can be added up to 7 days before the event. We also add extra bartender hours at $150 per bartender day-of if the party runs long. No change fee for upgrades.
What we bring, what you provide, what we leave behind.
A 6 ft by 6 ft footprint fits the Intimate bar with one bartender. Signature with two bartenders needs about 8 ft by 6 ft. Grand with two stations needs two separate 6×6 footprints — typically opposite sides of the room to eliminate lines. Patio, lawn, hardwood, concrete, or carpet all work; the bar has levelers.
Yes to all three. Full glassware inventory (wine, cocktail, rocks, champagne, highball) is included in every package. Complete ice program with insulated tubs. Premium mixers — Fever-Tree tonic, fresh-pressed juices, agave, simple syrup, bitters, soda. Fresh-cut citrus and garnish day-of.
60-90 minutes before your service start time. For venues with long load-in or security clearance (Vibiana, Smoky Hollow, hotel ballrooms), we arrive 2 hours before. The time is built into the quote — no setup fee, no overtime for arriving early.
Fully. All glassware, bar equipment, ice tubs, trash, bottles, and spills go with us. Bar footprint is wiped and dry at breakdown. Kitchen counters we used are left clean. Trash is bagged and placed where the venue (or host) directs. We leave the space the way we found it.
Staffing, ratios, language, and the "can I request Marco again" question.
Rule of thumb: 1 bartender per 50 guests for beer-and-wine service, 1 per 40 for full liquor, 1 per 30 for a cocktail-forward wedding with signature drinks. 100 guests on a full bar = 2 bartenders. 150+ guests = 3 bartenders or two bar stations to kill the line. Our packages are built around this math.
Every bartender on every event. California law (AB 1221) requires it, and we verify RBS currency monthly. We send bartender names and certification numbers to the venue on request — most do not ask, but a few corporate buyers do.
Yes. We staff bilingual EN/ES on request at no extra cost — standard on quinceañeras, Mexican weddings, and East LA private events. Our Spanish-language service pages are at bar móvil en español.
Yes, when they are available on your date. We log client-bartender matches and prioritize repeat requests. If your preferred bartender is already booked that weekend, we tell you upfront and offer the next closest fit.
Lead time, cancellation policy, and date-change rules.
Weddings: 6-9 months out, longer for peak Saturday dates (May-October). Corporate events and private parties: 3-6 weeks. Peak holiday season (late November through mid-December) is typically booked out by early October. Last-minute (under 2 weeks) is case-by-case — call us and we will tell you honestly.
Deposits are fully refundable up to 30 days before the event. 15-30 days out, the deposit is transferable to another date within 12 months but non-refundable. Inside 15 days, the full package is non-refundable but still date-transferable at our discretion. Weather and venue issues are handled case-by-case, not held against the client.
Yes, up to 7 days before the original event. New date must be within 12 months of the original and subject to our availability on the new date. One date change is included at no cost; subsequent changes carry a $150 rebooking fee.
The booking line is open 24/7 — call anytime. The founder answers texts usually inside the hour during business hours, and we get back to after-hours messages within a few hours. No form funnel, no callback-next-week.
Two free calculators built from real Los Angeles events. No signup, no email, no sales call.
Alcohol CalculatorOpen Bar Cost Calculator