A per-bottle fee a venue charges for alcohol you supply instead of buying from them.
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Corkage.
A per-bottle fee a venue charges for alcohol you supply instead of buying from them.
How it works in practice.
Corkage is usually charged per 750 ml bottle opened, sometimes per person instead.
The fee covers the venue opening, chilling and pouring your wine, the glassware, and the licence risk of serving it.
In Ontario and the GTA.
A venue holding a liquor licence does not need a Special Occasion Permit; whether it can take your wine depends on its licence and its own policy, so ask directly and get the answer in the contract.
In an unlicensed space, the picture changes completely: under an SOP, liquor must be bought from the LCBO, the Beer Store or a winery under the permit, receipts kept on site, and everyone serving must be Smart Serve certified.
Worked numbers.
150 guests, wine with dinner, at a typical planning figure of one bottle per two to three guests:
Add that 28 dollars to the bottle price you pay and compare the result with the venue house wine.
More detail, examples and common mistakes are on this page, below the video.
How it works in practice
Corkage is usually charged per 750 ml bottle opened, sometimes per person instead. The fee covers the venue opening, chilling and pouring your wine, the glassware, and the licence risk of serving it. Some venues charge for every bottle brought in, opened or not. Others will not accept outside alcohol at all, and many that do will only allow wine, not spirits or beer.
In Ontario and the GTA
A venue holding a liquor licence does not need a Special Occasion Permit; whether it can take your wine depends on its licence and its own policy, so ask directly and get the answer in the contract. In an unlicensed space, the picture changes completely: under an SOP, liquor must be bought from the LCBO, the Beer Store or a winery under the permit, receipts kept on site, and everyone serving must be Smart Serve certified. Wine from a cellar at home or carried back from a trip does not qualify. Check the rules for your situation with the AGCO.
Vendors quote before tax, so add 13% HST to corkage the same way you would to any other fee.
Worked numbers
150 guests, wine with dinner, at a typical planning figure of one bottle per two to three guests:
| Item | Figure |
|---|---|
| Bottles needed | About 60 |
| Corkage at $25 per bottle | $1,500 |
| HST at 13% | $195 |
| Corkage total | $1,695, or about $28 per bottle |
Add that $28 to the bottle price you pay and compare the result with the venue house wine. If the house wine is within a few dollars, bringing your own is not worth the logistics.
Questions to ask
- Is corkage charged per bottle opened, per bottle delivered, or per guest?
- Is the service charge added on top of corkage?
- Will the fee be reduced or waived if wine is ordered from the venue for the toast or the cocktail hour?
- Who receives, stores and counts the wine, and when can it be dropped off?
- What happens to unopened bottles at the end of the night?
Related tools
Estimate bottle counts with the bar and alcohol calculator, then compare corkage against an open bar package in the event budget calculator.
Why it matters
It can erase the savings of bringing your own wine; it is often negotiable.
Example
A restaurant charges $25 per 750 ml bottle corkage on wine the couple supplies.
Common mistakes
- Assuming corkage covers spirits (often it does not)
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