Ask the Expert: How Do I Monitor an Out-of-Control Guest?

Question: My soon-to-be brother-in-law tends to get a little rowdy at parties, especially when there's an open bar. How can I make sure he doesn't get out of control — or get the mic in his hand — at our reception?

Answer: If you’ve got a planner, the first thing you need to do is make them aware of this, and they’ll tell the bandleader or DJ — or if you don’t, tell them yourself, says Phyllis Jablonowski, wedding planner and owner of Glenside’s Eventricity. “Then, the bandleader does not offer the microphone — and the bartenders should be making sure that no one gets overly intoxicated,” she says. “I don’t think that the idea of trying to make someone responsible for him always works, because then the babysitter might not have a great time. A trained staff, as long as they’re aware of what’s going on, does know how to handle that personality. The biggest thing is not putting choices out there that allow someone to make a poor decision.”