Alcohol or Dry Wedding?

I've been to a family wedding where the bride didn't do alcohol because it was a middle of the afternoon wedding and didn't think anyone would drink. She was wrong, my family STILL to this day talks about how terrible it was and it was quite a long time ago. People don't forgot being poorly hosted.

@Olivia - my mom (who passed in 2014) could tell you, the day, date and time of every wedding my parents attended where they had to pay for drink. In the 70's. She would also be happy to tell you about the wedding of my cousin where we ate off paper plates, again in the 70's LOL! (Miss ya mom!)

Did I seriously get flagged for jokingly saying "the rest of you are uncivilized and soul-less"

are you f'ing kidding me today?

I think it's a culture thing too, where I am from I have been to half dry weddings and half open bar, neither have bothered me (*although I don't drink). a lot of our friend groups are Christians that don't drink and their families are too and then all their friends are church friends so it's fine and no on expects or drinks alcohol, but my FH's family is like "where da booze at lets get wasted" so not having alcohol for them would be a huge no no. I think if your family truly doesn't drink and non of your friends do either and you're having an early wedding it's not that big of deal, but since you said you've never been to a dry wedding I'm guessing your family at least drinks a little so you should at least provide beer and wine consumption bar.

It's a cheap thing. It's not a culture thing, a religious thing, a philosophical thing or a "I don't like the way it tastes" thing. It's a cheap thing.

Those who choose not to imbibe can pass. But good hosting for adults is good hosting, even if one person wants a glass of wine.

@Monica, maybe it is more cultural because I really didn't think it was something people got so upset over. It should be noted that I have a relatively small family so we've only had two weddings that I remember. I just feel like, I go to a wedding to celebrate the couple and spend time with friends and family, not to judge the couple on the choices they made for their big day or the amount of money they spent. I'm glad I asked though, I didn't think it was a very big deal but I got a lot of responses that make me think it must be the most important part of the wedding for some people, so I can definitely take that into consideration in my planning now.

I personally would never host a wedding without alcohol around here...

However it can be a cultural thing and whoever says that it can not be may not be fully educated on other cultures and customs for hosting a wedding there.

@Celia Milton, it may not be a *your* culture thing, or a *your* religion thing, but few things in life are as black and white as you would like to make this seem. "Good hosting" can mean very different things to different people, and it's not in any way a threat to your way of life to recognize that other people feel differently about these things. It's really ok.

Alcohol.

Ooh! Pick alcohol!! The super big drinkers at your wedding can have a drink and the non-super big drinkers can ignore it and drink something else, but everyone will get the drink they want! Win-Win!

@Kayla, yes there are certain cultures that completely abstain from alcohol. But that clearly isnt YOUR cultural, as you have said you have never been to a dry wedding.

Oh! There it is! The, "Our family loves us so much we can treat them any way we want and they'll be so inspired by witnessing our love for each other that nothing else matters!!"

Don't believe that. It's a myth. Stick around the forums for a while and you'll see that

If you have alcohol.... People will drink... Can you take what's left over home?

I absolutely despise alcohol and fail to understand how not providing one type of drink is "poor hosting". The emphasis this forum has on it is absolutely bonkers to me. Parties with no alcohol are far more entertaining as everyone keeps their wits about them and I don't spend my time stopping people from eating a banana they found in the toilet.

@Jamie Sarcasm??

By all means I am a fan of weddings with alcohol...

However does no one else find it sad that having a non alcoholic party isn't enough to get the people who supposedly care about you to come witness your love? The comments people say about silly little things that make them never attend a wedding or would talk about the bride behind her back.. sorry not the type of people I would want at my wedding anyways.

If they were important to me I would go to my friend's wedding no matter which decision they decided to make! I also would not judge them for what they could or couldn't afford since I would be happy for them.

Then again: I extended my bar from 7-10 to 7-1am lol

@ISaidHallYes EXACTLY. The type of person who decides to be that mean about whether or not I host a bar is exactly the type of person who can show themselves out of my life permanently. I'm not here for all that drama.

It's not cultural to be a crappy host. I've been to several weddings that are outside of my own WASPy upbringing and there was lots of food, seats, and open bar for all. Like I've said, I've never been to an adult party without alcohol since I was 18.

Have you asked yourself why you have never attended a dry wedding?

I went to a party school in college and not once did I ever see a banana in a toilet... even at the frats. Maybe someone ate them already though.