The Coffee Bar – A Great Idea For Fall and Winter Weddings
September 28, 2011
The do it yourself “bar” theme as an idea to get guests to interact and be entertained has been around for several years now with cigar bars, candy bars and ice cream bars. A twist on the usual “bar” themes of weddings, a Coffee bar is a perfect touch to your fall or winter wedding. You can host one in between the ceremony and reception, during your cocktail hour or even during your reception during the dessert course. Entice guests to brew up a warm cup for now and for later with take home coffee or cappuccino favors.
Worldwide, coffee and tea are some of the largest consumed beverages. Whether they wake up with a strong cup of coffee or wind down their day with a relaxing cup of tea, these beverages are probably consumed by most of your guests. If you are looking for a practical way to entertain your guests you may consider setting up several stations around your wedding reception with “bar” areas that they can help themselves at anytime. A coffee bar is one of the types of stations that can be kept running during your entire reception. Let’s face it, some people enjoy a good cup of coffee before and after their meal, why make them wait for a single cup of coffee right during dessert? And if you are having a fall or winter wedding, a steaming cup of coffee as they enter the reception will warm them up and keep them awake to kick up their heels for a night of dancing!
What should you include in a coffee and tea bar besides the named beverages? Make sure to supply the bar area with all the little additions that will turn the coffee bar into an extraordinary bar. Don’t just limit yourself to the standard beverages but also include if possible powdered drink mixes such as hot cocoa for the children and young at heart. You could also have the catering hall provide cappuccino, espresso, lattes, or even warm apple cider. Provide extra special touches such as powdered chocolate, cinnamon, vanilla powder, nutmeg, whipped cream, marshmallows, caramel or even chocolate syrup. You could even add stencils in the fun shapes of hearts or other wedding themes so that they can “sprinkle a little love” into their drinks.
Of course when you have coffee, incorporating a bite of chocolate is always a smashing idea. If you are planning on a coffee bar after your main course, include such treats as bite sized wrapped chocolates, brownies, small muffins, fudge, and other delectables.
And don’t forget to carry this theme to your wedding favors, coffee and tea lovers will delight in taking home a personalized or custom wedding roast that they can brew the next morning and think of the newlywed couple.
Erica Tevis is the owner of Little Things Wedding Favors. From Personalized Coffee Favors to a large selection of beverages you can use at your wedding coffee bar including Tea Favors, Apple Cider, Hot Cocoa, Cappuccino and Honey Jar accents. Little Things also offers a complete selection of wedding favors and a full line of wedding accessories and bridal essentials. Little Things Favors carries all the items to make your wedding unique!
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Erica_Tevis
The Average Income Of A Coffee Shop Owner
September 13, 2011
Coffee shops have experienced large growth rates around the country over this last decade. It is estimated that they grew by at least 70% over the last decade. Many young professionals and students dream of opening their own one day.
Salary
The average income is between $20,000 and $40,000 for an owner. The salary will greatly depend on how long they have been in business. The first year or two in business the owner could not turn profits as he will be paying off its start-up expenses. An established coffee shop owner will make around $40,000 a year.
Location
It is best to start one in a location that is highly visible to the general public. Some prime locations for them are downtown areas, major shopping malls, or at a major intersection. Choosing a good location is an important factor in running a successful coffee shop.
Expenses
Opening one can cost anywhere from $35,000 to $300,000. The average cost of opening one is about $200,000. These expenses will include a business location to rent or buy, the proper tools you need to make Coffee, possibility renovating the business location so it can be turned into a coffee shop, hiring and training employees to run it, and the advertising expenses in order to promote it after it opens.
Considerations
There are many considerations that should be considered when opening a local coffee shop. The first consideration is how to compete against the larger coffee shop chain stores. The answer to this is to provide the quality customer service and the best coffee in town. Price the coffee at a competitive price, in order to compete against the larger chain stores. Promote this new business by having local bands play in it.
Fun Facts
At the current time coffee is the second most commodity traded on earth. The first most commodity traded on earth is oil. More than 400 billion cups of coffee are consumed worldwide each day, this makes it the earth’s most popular beverage.
Coffee Shop History
They first came into existence in the early 1500s. They first really got noticed in Mecca around 1512 because of the political gatherings that were happening in them. They started in the Ottoman empire and quickly moved to Europe. The first came to England in the mid 1650s. They came to the United States in the 1950s and became very popular in the 1990s and 2000s.
