Cash Bar

We are getting a couple of kegs and FH's dad is buying champagne and wine. That's all we're offering. We don't feel right having a cash bar.

We are very light drinkers and most of the places around here have restictios to what you can serve or have to serve for acohol. We decided that unless our situation changes no achohol even for the toasts. One thing is I am not doing a adult only reception which means adults are driving with kids home. Second is that one of my locations is right next to police station which would look great if a guest got arrested. Third we have several reletives who get really silly and loud on just one or two glasses of wine. Not what I want at my reception.

I don't think its "rude" but if I was a guest at a wedding that didn't provide any alcohol for their guests and have to pay for it myself, I would be put off. I think if a wedding is serving dinner, they should at least provide wine. I would go home early, and open a bottle of wine

T.F.-you are right i would not invite people over to my house to pay for food or drink but it is always BYOB!!LOL!

JJ-Yeah I am providing food,cake,favors,gifts,entertainment etc....but i am still kinda of torn with this subject in a way i think it is not rude or tacky but in a way i do but i dont want to waste the money if not alot of people will drink that much however i never thought about asking about wine or beer only so i am really getting good ideas about this and yes i have already cut back on my flowers and invitations already so maybe i will consider a different route with the cash bar... I dont know....

I personally have never been to a wedding that did not have a full bar or would I ever not have an open bar at my own, but it's your day, and at the end of the day, it's what you want. Does your venue maybe do a per drink price? Or can you just buy a couple bottles and once that's gone it's gone? Ask your venue what your options are and if you decide you don't want to pay for it, at least if there is a cash bar and someone wants a drink bad enough, they will go pay for their own.

We've decided that we're going to have an open bar during dinner but then transition to a cash bar but my question sis how do you indicate that you'll be doing that? Is that on the reception invite? A neon sign above the bar? Word of mouth?

I think cash bars are tacky at a wedding. We are on a low budget wedding but we still wanted people to be able to drink so we chose a place we could bring our own liquor and are serving mostly wine, beer, and just some hard liquor that we already had and then champagne for toasting. I think its the one part of our budget we definetly went over but cash bars seem tacky for a wedding. Oh and someone told me for those interested it is much cheaper to buy your alcohol from other countries like the bahamas and have it shipped.

I would just have beer and wine thats it. I would not want my guest coming to my wedding having to pay for anything.

I say like I'm doing. Put in a certain amount of money down for the bar (I'm having 35 people so were putting 700 and once that money is done for the drinks it's cash bar) so put a certain amount of money down and after that is cash bar.

I think that would be fair

And for people to say that cash bar is rude and whatever... can stick it! I'm looking at the messages on here if your guest that YOU paid for them to attend, and eat for free and they have a problem with spending money on alcohol can kick rocks! and are not worthy, and really you know who came to see you be joined as one with your partner or who came to get a free meal and drinks.

@lalucci we are having the same amout of people at our wedding

Cool!! No it's not tacky to have cash bar, if your on a tight budget and people can't understand and want to complain about spending on drinks.. then tell there asses not to come or don't drink! simple as that! people kill me..If your providing there food, and entertainment then what's the issue? People who complain wasn't really there to see you wed your husband in the first place. But like I said for budget purposes, because full bar is very expensive and with the economy and with anything I just see full bar unnecessary unless you got cash to give away like that... people kill me spending 30k and up on oneday, for (some)people who really don't care and came to get a free meal... (but that's awhole other topic.. I digress) put up some money for the bar and let that be.

@ lalucci Girl you just spoke the truth with that one. Thats why it will only be 30 people at my wedding. I aint got time for all the nonsense. Im in VA to alittle further south though.

Lalucci is right.

Ok, speaking from experience, I had a huge wedding, almost 300 with a lot of kids and only about 15% moderate drinkers and 30% very light drinkers - we brought in our own beer, wine, and hard liquor. We had a lot leftover, which we could have returned, which we did not. We spent $600 on liquor. The guests, who drank, absolutely loved it. I am really glad that I was able to provide that for them and we almost did not because I still thought that was a lot of money.People were really happy with just good beer and red wine, more so than eating my cake and the fancy food! Whoa. I think it's worth it.

Still, it's true that no one SHOULD complain. If they do, it's their bad manners more than your bad manners, especially if you are not loaded and are very much on a budget...

Ok, given all of that, just look at your budget and what you can afford. Looking back, I could saved some money from the rehearsal dinner and not ordering so much cake. I vote for very limited b&w. GL

I don't think it's tacky to have cash bar, but I DO think it's tacky to make your guests pay for anything BESIDES a glass of water. What the heck!? At least have some lemonade and soda...

...ummm Maryke- I don't think she was talking about that kind of drinks....??? (wth) She said Cash Bar... liquor!

Lalucci, I am aware honey. Did you not read my post up further? A wedding we went to made you pay for anything besides water. Please read everything before you respond with some smarty pants answer.

If you can't afford an open bar, better to have beer and wine only than to do a cash bar. However, better to have a cash bar than no bar.