Specializing in beverage catering for weddings and events, meet Bar Magnolia! From the first connection to packing up from your event, this mobile bar service aims to have couples feel at ease knowing they’ve got it covered and recognize that you’re truly getting the best of the best bar experience. Learn more about this amazing company in the interview with owner Sarah below!
Tell us about Bar Magnolia + how long you’ve been in business.
Sarah: Bar Magnolia is a mobile bar and beverage catering company focused on making it easy for hosts, event planners, and venues to create awesome bar experiences at events. We formed in 2016 and are moving into our fourth season!
How did you get started in weddings?
Sarah: Weddings kind of chose us actually! The concept for Bar Magnolia formed after attending a lot of non-profit and political networking events with really really sad bar experiences. John and I met in restaurants, and both spent over a decade working in food & beverage, so we knew it didn’t have to be that way. Eventually, John told me that I either needed to stop complaining about the bars at these things or do something about it, so Bar Magnolia was the result of that! As we started networking and telling the world about us, our mobile bars, and our service models, we found more brides reaching out than non-profits or corporate clients. Our feminine energy, high-touch concierge-level service, and professionalism lend itself well to how couples and their parents want to be treated for their big day, so it’s an ideal match really.
What’s the philosophy behind Bar Magnolia?
Sarah: Our mission is to make great event bars easy. Most people planning events are doing it for the first time and aren’t sure what’s needed to execute a great bar. Even if it’s a corporate event planner planning their 100th event, the bar experience that they’re trying to create might be completely unique each time. We specialize in event bars. That’s all we do. We don’t do food, we don’t do general event staffing, we JUST do beverage experiences, which enables us to be real experts in our niche. With Bar Magnolia, we work closely with the host to create the experience they’re dreaming of, but without them having to think through all the details of making it happen. It enables us to think through the 100 things that an event planner or bride might anticipate, and the 200 things they might not even think to ask or consider.
What are your strengths compared to other mobile bar companies?
Sarah: The threshold is pretty low on getting into the mobile bar space. Many in our category have built and launched beautiful bars, but have never tended bar professionally, or worked in events before launching their bar company. Others have worked in events for decades and specialize in crafting incredible craft cocktails, but don’t have mobile bars as a part of their offerings. Still, others focus just on providing friendly and competent staffing for basic bar needs. The beauty of this niche is that there is room at the table for everyone, because there are clients out there looking for it all! Bar Magnolia focuses on offering a healthy dose of all of it. Having a Masters in Hospitality from Cornell and over 15 years in bar and event execution experience, the operational part of this business is the easy part. I’ve created a cocktail menu full of culinary-inspired and crowd-approved craft cocktails, and we spend a lot of time and energy hiring manager-level bar talent with excellent experience, but also the very best at providing our expected level of southern hospitality. Put simply, what makes us different is being continually focused on being the best at what we do from initial contact by the client through the breakdown and load-out with the venue! We want everyone who comes in contact with Bar Magnolia to say “we love working with them, they’re so easy to work with and the best at what they do.”
What attracts brides to Bar Magnolia?
Sarah: I think brides are drawn to Bar Magnolia because of it’s uniquely feminine energy. When I started building the business, I just sunk everything about me into it. All my experience, all my love for this industry, all the things that make me happy doing business with other companies. What emerged was a friendly, professional, and approachable client experience. I think brides resonate with that.
What is the most innovative new product, service, style or other aspect of your industry that brides and grooms might appreciate?
Sarah: Bar Magnolia has always specialized in unique bar experiences, so we try and stay on top of/ahead of the general trends. We were the first mobile bar in Nashville to branch into kegged cocktails, so we’ve got that process down pretty perfect. Our fleet is currently comprised of a tap wall, a champagne cart, and a tap trailer. The champagne cart pairs beautifully with the new trend of the champagne wall too!
Not only do they offer great service, but I think we can all agree that their set up is one to have guests talking. So modern and pretty! Thanks so much Sarah for sharing more about Bar Magnolia. Brides, you can find more information on this mobile bar service HERE and on Instagram!
