What is corkage at a wedding?

Short answer

Corkage is a fee a venue charges when you bring your own drinks, usually wine or fizz, instead of buying them from the venue. It covers the venue's service, glassware and chilling. Some venues charge per bottle, others per guest.

Corkage is the charge a wedding venue makes for letting you supply your own alcohol, most often wine, beer or sparkling wine. Instead of choosing from the venue's drinks list, you buy the bottles yourself and the venue opens, chills and serves them. The fee usually covers glassware, ice, staff time and clearing up.

It can be a good way to control your drinks budget or to serve a particular wine that means something to you. But you need to work out the total cost carefully. Compare the venue's own drinks packages with the price of buying bottles plus corkage. Sometimes the venue's package works out better, especially when you count the effort of collecting, storing and returning leftover bottles.

Check the venue's corkage policy in writing before you book. Ask whether the fee applies to all drinks or just wine, whether there is a limit on bottles, and whether leftover bottles can be taken home. Some venues only allow corkage for the wedding breakfast, not the evening reception. If you are having a humanist or religious ceremony, the rules about alcohol on the premises may also apply, so check with the venue and your celebrant.