Untap your party potential.
Meet Carol and Alyssa! They are the incredible mother-and-daughter duo Traveling Taps, bringing years of experience, great ideas and two super cool trucks anywhere you're hosting a party. We have been lucky enough to have worked with them for weddings and events on our Historic Hampton House 1908 grounds. They always brew up a great time with rave reviews from our guests, and we wanted to learn how they do it!
Read more from Carol Motter about how they got started, became the Upstate's ultimate symbol of a great time and discover their top 5 tips for the best bar experience at your next event.
How did you get started?
"I was getting married in 2020 and wanted to serve draft beer at our reception. I could not find a mobile bar that offered it, so I asked my daughter, Alyssa, who has a lot of bartending experience if she wanted to start a mobile bar. She immediately said yes!"
Why a truck for your bar?
"We brainstormed what would fit well with all the barn venues in the South Carolina area. A farm truck seemed like the best option, but we really needed to learn how to create a unique draft system for it, what the process for licensing is and ultimately, what else we were getting ourselves into! I went to the local pub and found their draft system professional. When I asked him if he could create what they had in the bar on the back of a truck, he said sure! We then went ahead and bought our first truck, Ole Blue, the following week. Ole Blue is a 1960 Ford F-100 that used to be a racing truck and is a legend in Easley. Everyone knows him, and he is definitely one-of-a-kind!"
Was it easy to get your business up and running?
"Not at all! It was a huge uphill battle to learn about the complicated licensing process, obtain the (very difficult to get) insurance and be ready to market to Greenville area weddings and events, only to have COVID-19 hit. Luckily, Alyssa is a social media marketing guru, so she saw that our local neighborhoods around Pickens, Clemson, and Greer were bringing in food trucks, so she started collaborating with them to have us join them. I then learned all about special event licensing, and we became fully booked on Thursdays through Sundays. Though we did not make the profit we expected, our name got out with 30 weddings booked the following year!"
Any unexpected obstacles in renting your mobile bar for Upstate weddings and events?
"Alyssa and I went to a wedding festival where some brides would say, I love your idea, but my Daddy would kill me if I brought a Ford to my wedding. He is a Chevy man, so....... We had to buy Lucky Lass, our 1953 Chevy 3100, all original, 3-on-the-tree beautiful emerald green truck!"
What's the best thing about running Traveling Taps?
"I love that we now participate in so many incredible celebrations and events throughout South Carolina. The best part of this work, though, is the people we meet and being able to do it alongside my daughter. I am proud to say that as the business has developed, we really love the time we get to spend together and the fact that we get the opportunity to grow as a team. We really do work well together."
Tip #1 - Make the bar the party!
Hire a professional, fun, reliable bar service that can add something special to your day! Guests always congregate at the bar, so capturing images of them enjoying your event somewhere unique makes for great memories. That being said, always make sure the company you choose is licensed and insured.
Tip #2 - Buy what you need.
Only purchase enough drinks that each guest will consume. Four (16 oz cups), is the average. No need to overspend where you really don't need to.
"The best part of this work, though, is the people we meet and being able to do it alongside my daughter. I am proud to say that as the business has developed, we really love the time we get to spend together and the fact that we get the opportunity to grow as a team. We really do work well together." – Carol Motter
Tip #3 - Keep it classic.
At almost all of our events, the guests are super happy with a bar experience that offers beer, wine, and non-alcoholic options. This can also ease stress and complications like additional security for most liquor bars and the potential for overconsumption. If you want a liquor bar, always ask for a premixed speciality cocktail to speed up the line and lower your guests' intoxication risk.
Tip #4 - Time it right.
The last call should be around one hour before the end of the ceremony. Ending nice and early will allow time for guests to stop drinking and sober up for when it's time to leave the event. It's always best to have designated drivers or Uber on hand for those who have had too much to drink.
Tip #5 - Be nice!
Be nice to your caterers, venue staff, photographer and DJ. Though this is our business and it is fun, all of us like to be appreciated. We all work extremely hard to make everything perfect for you!
Cheers, and here's to your next event!
Thanks to Carol and Alyssa for the tips, and consider booking Historic Hampton House 1908 together with Traveling Taps for your next celebration.
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