Because the vendor who is serving the alcohol is not profiting off of the consumption, they look to corkage fees as a way to make back some of the money they are “losing”. Lastly, as stated in the first point, wine, in particular, requires additional steps and supplies in order to serve it properly.

Why do wedding venues charge corkage?

Every venue is different but corkage is charge to cover costs for serving the wine, washing up the glasses, etc.

Why do we pay corkage?

Many establishments that allow BYOB (“bring your own bottle”) charge customers a corkage fee to cover the cost of serving the wine and to recoup revenue lost by the diners not purchasing wine from the restaurant.