After Party: How to imply that we are not paying for drinks/dinner

The only thing I can think of is to say that there will be a cash bar at the after party.

Use phrases like "You are welcome to join us..." To me if I saw that something was optional I would think that I would have to pay myself.

I would prob do it a little after dinner. We sent out a pretty informal email to our friends that pretty much said hey we are crashing at x hotel and will be closing down the bar. Come hang out if you want. We will be providing a shuttle from the reception to the hotel, so let us know of you want a ride.

That's a great question. Our reception ends at midnight and there is a restaurant at the hotel that stays open until 2 and we were thinking of doing something like this for the guests that are staying at the hotel. I haven't mentioned it because we may not even be up to it so it may be a spur of the moment thing that we mention by word of mouth and make it known that we're not paying for it. I already mentioned it to my aunt and said "That part is not on us." lol

Since our wedding is clearly baseball themed, on the invitation insert we put that a post game party would be optional and at XX

Then don't do anything official. Anything official should be footed by the bride and groom. If you are going to have an after party, just make it word of mouth. That's how we are doing our pre-wedding night because i don't feel like I should have to foot the bill for everybody who comes out. Of course I may buy a round of drinks or appetizers or something, but, for the most part, I am telling people by word of mouth, so that whoever comes, comes, and is responsible for themselves.

I've got the same situation.

I agree with Riki that best to not make a 'official' invitation for it. etiquette wise that's probably the best thing.

unfortunately, proper etiquette isn't going to make certain people in my family understand that this is not a night out of free drinks and food. so there will be a announcement that all are invited to join the couple out to (wherever we end up going) but that the couple will not be footing the bill.

will some find it tacky and offensive? probably. but I'd rather have some people get offended before the party than get handed a bill they didn't think they were responsible for.

These are all helpful, thank you!

I think what you're doing is an excellent idea, and I wish I could steal it!

I would say after the cake just say, hey, we're going to The Restaurant; feel free to come with!

As Riki said, word of mouth. I wouldn't even put it on your website. We're doing the same, and I have told people we will have a couple hours to relax after, grab some dinner, then they can join us at a nearby bar if they're still in town.

We're having an unofficial after party at the hotel where we're staying. We didn't put it on the invitations or insert, but I mentioned it on the website. It says something like, "the newlyweds will be having celebratory drinks at the hotel bar after the reception. You're welcome to stop by."

Labeling it the after party, NOT the reception, implies that guests are responsible and pass it around word of mouth