I'm rather on the same page as the rest here, as you probably should seek some
experience before you freelance, as you will be expected to make
recommendation to your main customer on what to stock for an event. Most
certainly you will have to work with the caterer to provide beverages that
complement a meal. You will also have to figure out how much of what to
stock, often working within a set budget. Order too little and you will have
people believing you are inefficient, order too much and you will be taking a
hit in your potential salary.
A job bartending will allow you to gain the confidence to KNOW your cocktails,
how to banter with people while you are busy and how to do your job
efficiently. You also get the opportunity to learn the laws that apply to
your state and the owner will absorbing the cost of operation.
One suggestion was to get some "service" time under your belt. That, I
believe was the best suggestion as of yet. I'm very reluctant to hire a
bartender who has never even waited on a table as a server. Try that route,
and let employers looking at you know that you have taken the time to take a
bartending course, showing you do have a genuine desire to work in this
industry.