We have gotten a keg of root beer for our last two parties. Lots of fun for everyone and really quite good. You will likely have left overs which do not keep, but everyone loved it.

DS graduated last year and before his party a friend told me that the law is that if one of the kids were to consume alcohol at your home and ended up in an accident you could be charged. I never researched it so I'm not sure if that's accurate but it was enough to make us decide not to serve the adults. i admit to being a nervous nelly about that kind of thing though.

I am interested in this too. I e-mailed the venue and caterer about this. They offer soda, lemonade as an option. Most of us are fine without alcohol, but SIL loves her wine. To be honest I am uncomfortable with serving alcohol at the party I am throwing. Teens still always find a way to sneak it, always. I hope the venue doesn't offer alcohol for purchase. I wonder what the venue policy is about it.

OP here. Thanks for the replies. I guess it’s best to just not have alcohol. Since this is our first grad, I wasn’t sure what the norm is. Just to clarify - I’m not concerned about the teenagers sneaking alcohol. They definitely aren’t partiers and there will be way too many adults around for them to sneak anyway. More concerned about the optics, I guess.

My friend (jokingly) suggested putting it in a cooler and labeling it “beer and wine” in cursive so that the teens can’t read it.

I would have a bartender and say anyone that looks under 49 is carded. Problem solved.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are having DD HS grad party next weekend. I want to have beer and wine for the adults but I don’t want it to look like I’m trying to serve alcohol to minors. How should I go about that? Just have it in the fridge and tell adults? Put it in a low-key cooler while non-alcoholic drinks are in beverage tubs and bar cart? Or is it better to just not have any alcohol?

I think the adults should be able to go without alcohol for one event.

+1,000

Anonymous wrote:Seriously? Of course the adults are allowed to socialize and have a drink. Do you withhold every time you have families over?

Do you have to drink every time you socialize? No one is saying they aren't allowed but the op is worried about 17 and 18 years drinking at her party and then her being responsible.

If you can't go ONE event without alcohol than you are an alcoholic or have serious drinking problem. If you can't live without it, drink before or after.

Seriously? Of course the adults are allowed to socialize and have a drink. Do you withhold every time you have families over?

Anonymous wrote:We are having DD HS grad party next weekend. I want to have beer and wine for the adults but I don’t want it to look like I’m trying to serve alcohol to minors. How should I go about that? Just have it in the fridge and tell adults? Put it in a low-key cooler while non-alcoholic drinks are in beverage tubs and bar cart? Or is it better to just not have any alcohol?

I think the adults should be able to go without alcohol for one event.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Kid focused party...no alcohol.

This.

+1. And it’s respectful to the person being celebrated.

Anonymous wrote:Kid focused party...no alcohol.

This.

Kid focused party...no alcohol.

I would not serve alcohol if it is a milling about party. If it is a sit down dinner, then serve a drink with dinner.

How many kids will be there approximately? I wouldn't want to spend the entire party monitoring who had what in their hand so I'd rather just not serve the adults. A lot of kids have had something to drink at that point in their lives and know many clever ways of sneaking alcohol into parties. I was shocked to hear of the ways they snuck it into prom.

We are having DD HS grad party next weekend. I want to have beer and wine for the adults but I don’t want it to look like I’m trying to serve alcohol to minors. How should I go about that? Just have it in the fridge and tell adults? Put it in a low-key cooler while non-alcoholic drinks are in beverage tubs and bar cart? Or is it better to just not have any alcohol?