For 16 years, the team at Erin Cook Personal Bartending Services has shaken, stirred, concocted and poured drinks at more than 1,200 weddings and events in the Kansas City area—around 130 in the last year alone.
Erin founded the company after years of bartending in restaurants, country clubs and private venues, and she built her business around the belief that professional bartenders can elevate an event as much as good food, décor or music. Today, she and her team offer everything from customized drink menus and themed bars to full-service event support.
“Our team has doubled in just the last five years,” Erin says. “When I started out it was just me and a couple of family members, but we’ve got 22 people on board now,” and in that time she’s seen how expectations for weddings and parties have evolved.
She describes what she’s seen lately as a “vibe change” from raucous partying to celebrations that feel more thoughtful, personal and guest-friendly. “I would say that people are being more ‘intentional’ about making it a more inclusive experience, even at the bar,” she muses. “We’re being asked to include more mocktail options, dirty soda bars, things like that.”
“Dirty soda bar” is hospitality jargon for a soda fountain offering customized soft drinks, such as Coca-Cola, Dr. Pepper or Sprite, with the addition of flavored syrups, creams, purées or juices.
Weddings remain her bread and butter, and she’s happy to see corporate events returning to pre-2020 levels. “The corporate side of things kind of slowed down a little bit, but we’re starting to see a growth and more activity in people coming together again,” she says.
But her second-favorite events are the ones rooted deeply in culture and heritage. “Quinceañeras, bar mitzvahs and bat mitzvahs, things that really incorporate heritage and tradition.” These events allow her team to tailor service in ways that honor long-standing customs.
When asked what she and her team “bring to the party,” Erin doesn’t hesitate. “Experience is our top attribute,” she says. “I’ve personally been doing this for about 17 years. I’m coming up on 10 years of business next year.”
Her team’s reliability is also a point of pride. “We’ve never canceled an event,” Erin notes. “We’ve even come in for companies who have canceled, and we’ve had to bail some out,” and her experience also gives her a clear view of what planners tend to overlook.
“The number one overlooked item is access to water,” she says. “Hydration is very important, especially for people drinking alcohol, so we always have a backup plan in case they happen to forget about water.”
The second: not reading vendor communications closely. “There’s a lot of important information that can get overlooked, so make sure that the coordinator is well-versed in what every vendor is responsible for.”
Third, she emphasizes the importance of identification—especially at events with minors present. “We card at every event that we do, and you’d be surprised how often people aren’t prepared.”
Erin’s relationship with Ball Event Center spans several years and continues to be, in her words, “satisfying in every way.” She estimates that her team has worked seven or eight events there in recent years and appreciates that Ball frequently recommends her company to clients. “Michael is always great to work with. He’s easy-going and always has our backs,” she says. “We have seen a lot of different events there—weddings, cultural events, corporate—and we’ve always been looking forward to doing more.”
The most recent testament to Erin and her team’s success is their nomination as 2026 Vendor of the Year by Wedpro. “We’re incredibly honored, especially since it is a peer-nominated category,” she says. “My team’s professionalism, hustle and heart make every event a success, and we couldn’t do any of this without them.”
You can learn more book with Erin Cook Bartending and follow them on Facebook and Instagram
