Cash bar with complimentary wine and beer (resolved already:))

No, it's not a good option. It basically screams "we don't know how to host." Do you have people over at your house and tell them they can have some drinks for free, and pay for others?

Just have beer and wine, that's perfectly acceptable. Skip the hard liquor and avoid making your guests open their wallets.

Thanks all! We are doing that now!

It's like saying "Hey come over for dinner we made spaghetti but couldn't afford to buy garlic bread for the side. But if you want some, the grocery store is only 5 minutes away so you can go pick some up." You wouldn't do that would you? No, you would just serve the spaghetti with a smile and not even mention garlic bread, and have a lovely dinner with your friends/family.

Just serve beer and wine and you'll be a perfectly good hostess. Don't offer what you don't want to pay for.

Why not just do beer, wine, and a signature drink? If they want liquor, they have whatever drink concoction you and your FI come up with.

There's their option. Don't make them pay for an option. Just do a signature drink and spare yourself (and your guests) the headache.

Or just do beer and wine only, no liquor at all.

Just beer and wine!

It's confusing. Just do open with wine and beer.

Glad to see you are nixing the cash bar idea and just sticking with beer and wine! Great choice!

I'm glad you saw the light OP!

If there is a bar at your venue I would expect people to leave to go get alcohol. I would rather have an option to buy a cocktail at the wedding than have to go searching for a bar. If most people don't like it maybe that won't be an issue...

Good choice OP! Way to be!!

@Soon2Be... witaf??

I can see what everyone is saying about it being confusing. How many bartenders will you have? I mean if you really wanna make this work, I'm thinking logistically speaking. How will your guests know that hard liquor will "buy your own"?

OP, you might want to change the title of the thread so people who comment without reading previous comments where you changed your mind won't keep telling you the same things.

My mom and dad had their anniversary party like that and no one really complained we knew they either going to pay for it or have it in the car and just got ice from the bar.

And back in my drinking days, I'd have a friend say (or I'd say to a friend), "Hey, I'm really feeling x drink tonight, could we do that with the rest of the drinks we're havin?"... "Ooo, I'd love to but x alcohol is really expensive and I don't get paid till next week, all I got is y and z. But you could totally pick some up if you want... I have a and b to go with it."... "Oh... ok" (totally not offended)

Two bartenders, two bars. I suppose we will put signs says, enjoy x and y wine and x and y beer. But now we are doing beer and wine. I don't think we need to anymore

Just do open beer & wine. Skip the cash bar.

ETA: just read the comments. Good choice.

I'm still flabbergasted by this. Every wedding I've ever attended had a cash bar. Never even thought twice about it.

Patricia, that doesn't make it right.

I still think people who want to drink will find a way. If you want people over at the bar during your reception then serve beer and wine only.