Cash Bar Cocktail hour, Open Bar Later

I personally dont see a problem with it, ur at least offering something. We're doing wine, champagne and possibly beer. Anything else guests will need to buy. Its been mentioned earlier today too to not forget about having soft drinks free since not everyone drinks.

Oook. I'll be the one. Lol. Nobody wants to touch this due to an earlier fiasco. I think what you are doing is fine, but it could be confusing to guests. I would somehow make them aware of when it will be open and when it will be cash

We do have soft drinks/non alcoholic drinks available too. I have a couple people attending my wedding who don't drink at all so I made sure to have them covered. :-)

My venue told me that having the cocktail hour as a cash bar would be insulting and I shouldn't even have one if I didn't want to pay for it. I figured that it would be better to offer the alcohol at least and people can choose what they want.

PS: I did mention on our invitation that a cash bar will be available when the open bar is closed. It shouldn't be a surprise to the guests either.

Hmm... I don't know. But here is what we are planning to do:

Beer/Wine/Non-alcohol is on us.

Hard liquor is on the guests.

We have an option to make a signature mix drink (a set number like 100, 200 etc) which we might do. It'll be free to guests until the 100 or 200 run out (we have 300-ish guests).

I think its confusing.

Why not just do beer and wine all night?

I'd even cut out the champagne.

Will be a lot more affordable.

I agree, changing the time seems really confusing. I would either do beer and wine all night, or if you're really insistent on doing a cash bar (personally, I wouldn't) then go with having an open bar at the beginning of the night and closing it at a certain time. Like, the bar open through cocktail hour to Xpm, like 11:30 or midnight. People will have plenty of time to drink and not rush at the bartender to beat having to pay for drinks.

Agree that this would be incredibly confusing to me as a guest.

I vote wine and beer open the whole time

First of all, a Friday wedding can be very well attended from the moment the ceremony starts. Last one I went to started at 4:30, and the church was so packed it was close to SRO. Everyone of those guests made it to the cocktail hour, and they swarmed the bar.

You don't want to be continually mentioning cash bar/open bar/cash bar, but with a 9 hour event, you can get a little creative. Move your last hour of open bar to the cocktail hour because that's when people are awake, excited, and ready to have a good time. They're less inclined to feel that way at 11:30 PM after 6.5 hours. If you have older guests or guests that have been up since 6:00 AM for work, they'll be getting ready to go by 11:00 anyway (after 6 hours). Make a last call announcement at 11:00 PM, and include the fact that the party will continue for another 2.5 hours. Your guests, probably pretty well imbibed by this point, will understand the cash bar inference.

I think that's a little confussing. Also people tend to slow down over the couse of the night so I would just switch it to cash bar starting earlier at night and have open bar durring cocktail hour. No-one really needs to be drinking after 11:30ish anyway. That way you only have to tell everyone its switching once. I think that would be most accomidating to your guests and also it would be an extra "thank you" to your guests who did make it to your ceremony.

I would have open bar for cocktail hour and convert it to cash bar at 1120 instead of 1220. I think that would be less confusing.

It will be super confusing I think. What if you had open bar for cocktail hour, closed the bar during dinner, then opened it back up after? I've been to a few weddings like that.

I think either you should do beer and wine all night or do the cocktail hour and convert to cash an hour earlier at the end of the reception.

Instead of a cash bar during Cocktail hour maybe you should have the wine/champagne, close the bar during dinner and toasts since everyone would be seated anyway, open the bar until 12:30 and have the DJ announce a last call then switch it to Cash bar towards the end. Like @Centerpiece said by then your guests would be inebriated and wouldn't care for drinks.

Also keep in mind you would be so busy greeting guests and having a good time that you won't be able to keep track of the cash bar. Make sure your Maitr'D is aware of your cash bar schedule so that you won't be stuck with a bill at the end of your wedding night.

I agree with The Centerpiece Flowers' idea about pulling an hour of open bar to the beginning. It is such a long time so I understand not having an open bar the entire time. What about a cute chalkboard sign by the bar with the times of open and not.

I do feel like it might turn into "Beat the Clock", but those can be extremely fun.

Can you do it where you pay for open bar until a certain limit has been reached and then it turns into a cash bar?

It's generous of you to think so hard about this! But I agree, it is a little confusing. I think open bar in the beginning and then cash bar at the end, Wine & Beer all night long, would work just fine as well.

Well done Julie, I think it's very generous of you. Go for it

Do it up! We're doing open bar for cocktail hour then only beer and wine for the rest of the evening.

I would do the cash bar at the end of the night to let people sober up (if they choose to not pay for drinks).