Cash Bar versus Open Bar?

I don't think cash bars are really ever acceptable. Guests shouldn't have to pay for their own food or drinks at a wedding.

I have to agree with Veronica, I don’t think cash bars are appropriate at weddings. It comes off as very poor hosting to require your guests to open their wallets.

Instead of a full open bar you could do beer and wine. Beer, seltzer, and a signature cocktail. If you do, do a cash bar make sure it's written on the invitation and website so people know to bring cash.


I've never been to a wedding with a cash bar. If I did, I'd probably leave early and not stay all night dancing. But that's a me preference.

I also think cash bars are poor taste. Your guests are already bringing you a gift, now you're expecting them to pay for drinks. I agree with Alyssa that if you go that route to make sure it's told to guests.

If i were invited to a cash bar, I probably wouldn't stay long, and I'm not a big dancer without liquid courage so I definitely wouldn't make it to the dance floor.

My feeling is that guests should never have to pay out of pocket at a wedding reception. You've invited them, they're giving you a gift. Food and drinks should be on the couple. I understand your point that you'll end up paying for people who won't drink but that's just the cost of hosting your reception. I've never been to a cash bar wedding but I think if I did it would take something away from my overall experience of that wedding.

What is standard in your area? Some do full open bar, others do free beer and wine, some do consumption bars, others do cash bars, and some have dry weddings

I am from the open bars are standard, but that doesn't mean you are. In other parts of the world, cash bars or drink tickets (which I dislike personally) are very common. I would ask around in your social circle and see what other people expect from someone hosting a wedding.

If that is an open bar, then look at beer and wine, or consumption (sometimes this can be cheaper, other times it can be just as expensive) But if you are asking guests to pay for any part f the wedding, please let them know so they bring cash, believe it or not, not all venues take cards.

I always dislike going to weddings with cash bars because I never carry any cash and usually dont bring a wallet with me to a place where i dont expect to be spending any money. I've never been told ahead of time that the bar will be cash and then I end up not even being able to have wine with dinner or a few drinks with friends. I much prefer when a bride and groom who are potentially trying to save money do a few free options, like a keg and wine or something than full cash. Even drink tickets would be a better option than a full cash bar.

I'd even prefer a fully dry wedding over a cash bar.

I'm not a fan of cash bars. But we're doing a bit of a combo.

Our venue package includes 3 hours of hosted (open) bar. Our reception is 5 hours. So what we're doing is having open bar during cocktail hour (5-6), cash bar during dinner (6-7) as most people won't be getting up to get drinks during that and can grab one before dinner (there's wine at the tables, plus a Champagne toast during dinner), and then open bar from 7-9. We're going to cash bar again from 9-10, but doubt most people will go back after 9. We're also bringing out "late night snacks" at 9 in hopes that it will help soak up the alcohol and people will sober up a bit before going home (we also have coffee).

I'd love to have the cash bar for the entire 5 hours, but we don't want anyone getting over served, and hope that cutting it off at 9 will help curb that. Most people at the weddings I've been too, sit and eat/listen to speeches during dinner, and I didn't want to waste an hour of open bar during a time when maybe 3 drinks would be made.

The “approval” level is really dependent on region. Don’t quote me on this, but I *think* it’s the northeast where cash bars at weddings are much more common. And then there are other regions where it’s unthinkable lol. Have you been to other weddings in your regional friend circle to know what the norm is? Also, does your venue offer any room for negotiation at all, like letting you cut bar service early/during dinner like a previous poster mentioned? That way you can cut down on hourly costs. My venue offers a bill on consumption option, which is what we’re doing. They calculate an estimate based on the number of adults (two drinks the first hour, one drink per hour after that), which we're required to pay on the front end, and then if we come in under we get a refund, and if we go over we’ll get a bill after the wedding. We have a lot of non/light drinkers on our guest list, so while a normal bar package was an option, bill on consumption made way more sense for us. And that way we still have a full bar of options for those who want to partake!

I agree with others that this varies by region and social circle. I’m from the NY/NJ metro area and a full open bar is the norm here, so a cash bar would put a lot of people off. I agree with others that I don’t think it’s right to make guests pay for anything at your wedding. The reception is to thank guests for attending your wedding, and providing them with food and beverages is just part of hosting (you wouldn’t expect people to pay you for drinks if you hosted a dinner party at home, would you?). However, I’m biased because where I’m from, cash bars are not a common thing. If it’s common in your region/social circle, then people may not even a bat an eye.

Cash bars are beginning to slide into that “faux pas” area. The common thought now is that guests should not have to open their wallets when they enter your wedding. I definitely agree that you can have a great wedding without a full, expensive open bar! You can do this by buying a set number of bottles/cans of beer, wine, and/or liquor beforehand. Pinterest has lots of links to alcohol calculators for planning couples. My friend recently did this for her wedding at the beginning of November. I think each table got 2-3 bottles of wine and that was their supply for the night. From what I heard, it worked out well! I also went to a wedding a few years ago where the couple bought a certain amount of liquor and just had a fixed cocktail menu for the evening. I thought it was really cool!

As a guest I don’t have a problem at all when attending a cash bar reception and certainly
Don’t think less of the couple for deciding to have one. Gotta think that if I’m judging the couple for this - I really have no business attending their wedding in the first place.

I have to agree with above comments. Cash bars I don’t think are the way to go. I recently went to a wedding with a cash bar and all I heard were compliments from other guest. Plus I wouldn’t like if guest brought gifts and such then had to spend money just to drink at my wedding. Depending on the venue and the drinks the drinks can be pricey. Mine was an open bar.

I don't think an open bar leads to bad behavior, if that is your worry. Adults can monitor themselves. If you do have a bar, make sure to hire professional bartenders who can screen guests when they have too much and cut them off (as any other establishment). You can also point out any guests whom you know are prone to risky behavior. You can also hire security for added assurance. Personally, I think that is the better option than to have wine bottles at the table. Others can assume wine and beer are less strong, but that is not true for anyone who is not accustomed to it. Best wishes with your choices.

I'm in the minority, but I think cash bars are fine as long as you let people know. I've been to events with open bars where people drink way too much and take advantage, so I get where you're coming from.

I have to agree with those stating cash bars are not very inviting. You have chosen to get married and invite them to be a part of your day. There will always be people who do not drink, but in my opinion, it should not be on your guests to pay.


My fiancé and I do not drink but I will not stop everyone else around us from enjoying beverages.
Check with your venue, some allow you to bring in your own bartenders/alcohol (with appropriate licenses) or you can control what is being offered.
I’ve been to weddings with cash bars and found myself (when I did drink) leaving early or spending a large amount of money….either way not enjoyable

A cash bar is a way to pass off the cost of your event onto guests. No-one should have to pay for things at your wedding.

The only time a cash bar is acceptable per etiquette is when it is not a hosted event. Basically everyone pays their own way for all food and drinks and there are no guests. Think like a family reunion get together or a work function.


In our circles and among people we are casual acquaintances with, cash bars are the epitome of rude. If the hosts choose to not serve alcohol, then a dry event is hosted. Contrary to popular belief, people are not offended and they don’t talk behind the couple’s backs either. There is no reason to announce it ahead of time. An open bar with a flat per person per event rate is the way to go if you want to serve alcohol and only serve what you can afford and don’t offer what you can’t. In our circles as well, beer and wine will be left untouched even if that is the only alcoholic option. Our families and friends prefer mixed drinks and it would be a waste of money to serve beer/wine, plus it actually makes some people drunk quicker than liquor. From what we saw while shopping for alcohol, liquor is cheaper even if we were to only serve 2-3 types. Also, in addition to being impolite, cash bars where we live are considered illegal by the majority of venues.
Consumption bar is the most expensive because there is zero oversight. The bartenders can serve new drinks after someone takes a sip and decides they don’t like it or the waiter picks it when they go to dance or use the restroom and you are charged for the second drink as well. The same goes for bottles that may only have one serving poured but you are charged for the entire bottle. There is no math that makes consumption less expensive than others.

I wouldn't do a cash bar, that being said, an open bar can get very expensive very quickly. So I would suggest only offering beer and wine or maybe two signature (his and her) drinks.

I disagree with the majority of comments. In my opinion, expecting an open bar exudes an attitude of entitlement which is very disrespectful. Weddings are expensive, and unless you as a guest got the bride and groom a $300+ gift, your gift is likely not offsetting the cost of your attendance. I’m doing an open cocktail hour and then a cash bar. I stated it clearly on my website FAQs so people know to bring money if they wish to drink all night. We are paying for their food and first hour of drinks, that is plenty for a very expensive event, we both have huge families and have a guest list of 150. I looked at doing a wine and beer only bar, but it really didn’t bring down the cost enough to be worth it. If people who love and care about us would rather us spend $7000 for an open bar (and possibly go into debt so they can drink for free) than them buy a handful of drinks (that have been promised to be price capped at $10 by our venue), there’s a major problem there. They are adults, if they wish to drink all night they can pay for themselves. We have been told by multiple family members that they are perfectly happy to pay for their own drinks to save us $7k. I personally never expect an open bar at weddings I attend and I always bring my wallet in case it is a cash bar.