I have been catering events for more than ten years and I can’t tell you how many times I hear clients telling me it’s a brunch or a day time event so no one is really going to drink alcohol. This statement is absolutely untrue. Do I believe it’s important to have a full-blown bar at 11 am in the morning? The answer is No however I think it’s nice to be able to offer your guests a Mimosa or a bloody 
Mary. Something of that nature.
In one of my prior events years ago, I had a client say to me lets run a tab because no one is really going to drink alcohol at11am. As a caterer I never recommend to run a tab for your event. When guests arrives and sees an open bar see they will make a B line straight to the bar I promise you this.
I have handed bar tabs too my clients and they have almost cried at the end of there event when they saw the bar tab they had to pay. I do not recommend ever running a tab because it can back fire. Sometimes you think you will save money and you end up spending more.
For that event that I did years ago not only was the bartender slammed when all the guests first arrived but I had to add an additional bartender just to handle the crowd. My client had me shut down the bar the first hour. The guests still had another three hours to go for their event.
What I recommend if you don’t want to offer alcohol beverages during the entire event maybe offer passed Mimosas or Bloody Mary’s when the guests arrive for the first hour. This way you still offered something in the beginning.
To me it’s worst to have an open bar then shut it down before the party even really gets started. This type of stuff usually will upset a guest.
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