Alcohol.... To serve or not to serve

Why not just limit the alcohol? Just have your toast and then wine/beer at dinner. I obviously don't know your family or friends, but most people don't/won't get drunk at an event so early in the day.

I am also having an afternoon wedding. We have decided to serve alcohol. I can understand your concern but at the same time one can only hope that it being earlier in the day people would not drink as heavy. I guess I will find out. Best of luck to you.

We plan to start our ceremony at 10:30 am, and have brunch around 11:30. We're serving alcohol, with the majority being brunch drinks. Think bloody marys, belinis, mimosas etc...

I think you can stick to brunch drinks like Ashley suggested. It's nice to give your guests the option if you can afford it.

It's the perfect time of day to have what you just described. Champagne toast will work nicely.

BTY, many can't grasp the idea of not serving alcohol. What you're doing is fine. Have what you want.

Do you honestly think your guests will become rowdy drunks at a noon reception? Do you have no confidence that they can act like adults and control themeselves? I am pretty baffled by your post as I've never been to an event at noon where guests have gotten out of control. Yes, I do think you should offer some alcoholic beverages such a beer, wine, and brunch cocktails and have a little faith in your guests.

Our wedding is at 2:30 with the reception immediately following. We are not serving any alcohol. I am also not expecting a big dance party. It's more of a luncheon reception.

@emily, yes I do. Hence the reason for this post. Unfortunately Some people have no self control. Others cast themselves as the life of the party and blame alcohol for the behavior later. Even if it were just a few out of line people out of 100+, it's an embarrassing distraction. I love my friends and family but this wedding is about me and my FH. Things can go left really quickly.

Wine and mimosas sound like really good options to hard liquor. Most guests are expecting patron and vodka. I'm thinking those are not afternoon drinks and will be easier on the heavy drinkers. Right? Idk because I don't drink wine. Does wine normally get people drunk?

@brittney, that's a great vibe for an afternoon wedding. Thanks!

I think it would be nice if you gave them the option, maybe just beer and wine?

It's up to you but I do think it'd be nice to have some alcoholic options. Even if you just offer some signature drinks. Offer mimosas, sangria and wine. I can't imagine guests getting rowdy off mimosas.

Can wine get people drunk? Of course. There are hard core alcoholics whose drink of choice is wine (they're called winos), and they are as addicted to alcohol as the guy who drinks a fifth of whiskey every day.

As for whether or not to serve alcohol at your wedding, that is a personal choice. Your guests have no reason to complain or protest your dry wedding, but you may have to deal with the fact that they will leave earlier. That's a distinct possibility as you've already said that your guests will be looking for Patron or vodka. I would probably serve champagne cocktails or some of the lower alcohol percentage cocktail drinks (or wine). Most people don't start drinking at noon, but a wedding is not an everyday event. There's nothing wrong with having a drink at an early afternoon reception. Restaurants with bars serve cocktails every day at lunch.

You should have a bartender serving drinks at your wedding. He should cut off anyone who is getting to the sloppy level.

I think a champagne toast is lovely. You don't need to serve alcohol, and having an early afternoon shindig makes it easy to forgo the booze. If you don't want it, do not do it. It's just alcohol. Have a couple other semi fancy drinks: peach iced tea or some fancy coffees. No one who matters is coming to your wedding for the booze anyways. (fingers crossed)

I prefer the option of having a drink, even if it's a cash bar. I would probably not look for a drink if the event is on a Sunday, brunch time. Just my thoughts.

Rowdy drunks at noon? Probably not. And like Emily, I've never been to an event where people got out of control drunk, and I've been at thousands.

When people start talking "dry or not", inevitably that rational comes up; "I don't want drunk people at my wedding". And while that can happen in rare cases, it's probably not the best reason to ban alcohol for the 99% of your guests who are responsible adults who can go out and have a cocktail or two without dancing naked on the cake table.

You don't have to have a full bar for an early wedding; wine, beer, champagne and maybe a signature drink like Cosmos or something similar would be just fine; I see that choice of limited bar at lots of my evening weddings too.

Yes, someone should serve your guests but no, a dry wedding would never fly with most groups of guests.

I agree with the "brunch drinks" idea - considering the time of day. I also agree with Celia on the whole - to ban alcohol just because you don't want drunk people at your wedding doesn't really seem fair to the majority of your guests who can control their alcohol intake.

I am doing an afternoon reception with a full bar. While you don't have to have a full bar, if your only reason for a dry wedding is you don't want drunk people, then I do want to say one thing. If people want to drink, they will find a way. They will bring a flask, etc. I would take the advice others have said and do the champagne toast and maybe offer two brunch cocktails. I would also do wine with dinner. This way you are limiting it, but there is still some alcohol for those who want it. I've heard of brides having two or three bottles of wine on the table for dinner (red and white) where they offer enough for each guest to have two glasses, so that could be something to consider.

I don't understand "no alcohol". People are adults, give them the option to be an adult or make an ass of themselves. As a guest I would be annoyed if I got to a wedding and it wasn't even cash bar, just no alcohol at all. I would like to make up my own mind on whether or not I want to drink. You are hosting guests. If someone came to your house at noon on a Sunday and when you offered them a drink and they said "sure I will have a beer", would you say no its too early? Its their choice, not yours. If you don't want to pay for it then don't.

I went to a wedding on Saturday. The groom is an alcoholic. All his groomsmen were people he met through AA. And it was still open bar. People can adult, let them!