Here’s a quick guide + some resources to having alcohol at your wedding in Utah! List of venues that do and don’t allow it at the end ❤️
Know the Laws
You can either go with a wedding venue that already has an alcohol permit so they can sell to you (but that means no minors allowed) or you can pay for all the alcohol yourself but no kegs. That’s the extremely watered-down version but essentially that is what the law states. Here’s a link to the full law: Utah alcohol laws for weddings/events
Also! Utah has strict drinking and driving laws. The blood alcohol content limit in Utah is .05%. The lowest in the nation. Here’s a quote from this NPR article to put that into perspective:
…the state’s blood alcohol content limit will drop from 0.08 percent to 0.05 percent, marking the strictest DUI law in the country.
To give you an idea of the difference in consumption, for a man weighing 180 pounds, it takes about four drinks to reach a BAC of 0.08 percent, according to the American Beverage Institute. But to reach .05, it’s about half as many drinks and can be even fewer for women.
So please encourage your guests to find a rideshare service to take, have a DD, or have them take some of Utah’s/Salt Lake County’s public transit options.
Know Where in Utah to Book for Alcohol Services for Your Wedding
Last year the Utah DABC reported 861 alcohol licenses in Salt Lake County alone, in contrast, San Pete county only has 2. You’ll have much more luck finding alcohol services some places in Utah than others-plan accordingly. Southern Utah, as far as I can tell, doesn’t seem extremely accommodating compared to SLC but you can still find a few places that offer it.
The only alcohol sold in grocery stores in Utah is beer
Yup. Even wine. Trust me, it took some getting used to after moving back here. I always just expect wine to be at grocery stores now. You’ll have to go to an ABC/liquor store for anything else.
Utah isn’t all that different from anywhere else otherwise
Utah is definitely strict however, purchasing and consuming alcohol isn’t all that different here (outside of wine not being in grocery stores, lol). I initially thought after moving back to Utah from North Carolina that alcohol would be really hard to get or at the very least way more expensive and it’s actually not all that different. Don’t stress about it too much if you’re planning your wedding here! Just remember:
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know the laws
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remind your guests about drinking and driving if that’s a concern
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and make sure your venue allows it.
Other than that it’s pretty much the same as any other state!
Wedding venues in Utah that do and don’t allow Alcohol
Here’s a few lists of venues that allow alcohol w/o bar service, allow alcohol but through their bar service/preferred vendor, and those who don’t allow alcohol at all.
Wedding venues that allow alcohol w/o bar service/preferred vendor:
Wedding Venues that allow alcohol but only through them/their preferred vendors:
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Memorial house (closed temporarily due to COVID-19)
- River Bottoms Ranch ($400 security guard fee)
- Snowbasin Resort
- The Foundry ($300 alcohol fee)
Wedding venues that don’t allow alcohol
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Carmel
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Aspen Landing
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Cottage Charm
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Thanksgiving Point
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Utah House at Utah State University
- Cold Springs Wedding Venue
Of course, this isn’t by any means a comprehensive list. Always check with your venue, especially before you sign a contract with them! As a wedding photographer in Utah, I love being apart of all kinds of weddings and I love a good party with alcohol ?? If you liked these photos, check out more of my work!
Happy wedding planning and cheers!
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