Cash Bar

When you host guests at your wedding, they shouldn’t be asked to pay for anything. Hosting an event means providing everything.
An open beer and wine bar is a great option to cut back on cost.

View Quoted Comment

Agree with this.

I would rather attend a dry afternoon wedding than a cash bar evening wedding.

I think do what you want it's your budget. Maybe open beer and wine and cash liquor. Just let guests know in advance. Every person will have an opinion. It wouldn't bother me to pay for my drinks. It's not mandatory you do it.

No one should have to open their wallet at your wedding.

No one should have to pay for anything at your wedding. If you can't afford an open bar, which with how expensive it can be, is understandable, it would be better to have a dry wedding. The guest come with a gift or cash, pay for transportation, sometimes lodging, take time off work, in many cases pay for child care and rent or buy clothing, asking them to pay on top of that isn't right.

Do what you can afford to. My cousin's wedding was drink tickets then cash bar. I was not offended, liquor can get expensive, and when no one is helping to pay, people gotta do what they've got to do. My opinion (which is going to be the minority), if you're going to a wedding expecting unlimited free booze, you're going for the wrong reason. We're doing beer and wine. Luckily my parents have offered to help pay, so I'm letting them make that decision of what they're willing to cover, but before they offered, when I was starting to plan, I was planning on doing a dry wedding so I wouldn't have to deal with that (then my mom complained that people don't want to go to a dry wedding....but my FH and I do not make enough money to supply alcohol and pay for everything else)

I've been to one wedding with an open bar. Cash bars are customary where I'm from.

View Quoted Comment You and I are both in the minority then lol.

View Quoted Comment I attended a wedding a couple of weeks ago and that’s exactly what they did. I noticed the guests were all over the cash bar but no one was drinking beer and wine.

View Quoted Comment Love the drink ticket idea.

View Quoted Comment Thank you for your opinion.

View Quoted Comment

So maybe not so much or I will say if it is just beer and wine and that is the only option then they will drink. I feel like if people really want to drink they will pay. I think if you let them know in advance to bring cash it is fine. I feel like everyone will have a difference in opinion. Some feel not having alcohol is taboo, some feel it is taboo to ask people to pay, and some do not care. I feel like unless someone is willing to give you cash then you have the final say. I always feel like do you really care if people do not like your reception? Nope! You are there to marry your loved one but that is just me.

I would never have a cash bar myself, but i wouldn't be mad if I was at a wedding that had one.

View Quoted Comment Thank you for your opinion.

View Quoted Comment Same here.

In my area cash bar is expected and an open bar is appreciated. It's amazing reading that youd rather have a dry wedding then having people chose if they want to pay to drink. We are having our cocktail hour open bar and a champagne toast...other then that it's a cash bar... we are paying for the wedding ourselves so an extra 4000 to have an open bar is just not an option...we may consider having a couple of wine bottles on the tables but that's about it. But I would not personally be upset at a cash bar at any sort of event/wedding/party.

I disagree with all these comments! People are supposed to be there to celebrate you and your marriage because they love you. I hate this attitude of people saying “they’re here to eat and drink” and “they shouldn’t pay for a thing”. If that’s what they’re at the wedding for then hopefully they just don’t attend!! I think you do what you can afford- lots of people do cash bars. We are just doing beer and wine rather than a cash bar but I think whatever you choose, people at your wedding should have respect and understanding for YOUR situation and care much more about celebrating you than what they’re getting out of the event.

You could have drink tickets, beer and wine open or signature drinks ? Or help keep the cost to your budget.. or have a cap - cap the open bar once it hits a mark then just have beer and wine open and cash bar for those who want to have something else ?

We are having a cash bar and our guests are fine with it. We are only having 25 people and we are in our early 50s late 40s.