Cash Bar

We are doing a 4 hour open bar because FH and I dont want our guest to have to pay for anything at the wedding. We want them to come and enjoy themselves. I wouldnt say they are "tacky" but they just arent to our likings. We feel that if we invite you to a party (which we consider our recption a celebration) we dont want you paying. Our venue doesnt allow for us to bring in outside drinks so we chose a package that includes the full open bar. No you dont need alcohol to have a good time, but with us having an all adult reception, we figured it would really make the guest get involved and enjoy the night. I think its a combination of what you can afford as well as what you are comfortable with.

I also don't think it's tacky. I'm paying for all the non alcohol bev. and I am putting a cap on the host bar (I will pay for 2 drinks for everyone of legual age to drink) and after that it will switch to a cash bar. I am okay with paying for 1 or 2 drinks but I'm not okay with everyone getting DRUNK on my dime and I've seen it before at a friends wedding where she had an open bar on bottem shelf booze/beer/wine and her tab at the end of the wedding was over 8k and she had less then 100 people and I'm sorry I know they are they for me but I am not okay with that.

@MRW82584

$8000 for 100 people! Oh my! That's a lot of alcohol, bottom shelf no less.

I don't think it's tacky. Prob depends on where you're from too. I've never been to wedding that had an open bar! Most people just don't do that in my area. But a majority of the time there will be a keg or two (or three...just depends on the size I guess) of beer and maybe some bottles of wine provided at the wedding and then the rest is cash bar. That's what we will be doing and paying for nonalcoholic drinks. We can only afford so much so I think this is a good compromise.

Oh my! 8K. I have heard a couple of instances of parties going crazy. Yes, put a cap on it by all means when you have an open bar........or just have it for the first couple of hours during cocktail hour........

what is so horrible about beer and wine? I think a cash bar is a little tacky.

I wonder if you could provide a fixed amount of beer and wine for free.

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At my wedding, people loved the alcohol and food. It was help yourself to hard liquor, beer, and wine. We had some monitors/helpers but other than that, people did not go too crazy......

keep in mind

1) know your budget and what you can afford. It would be such a nice gesture to pay for what you can for your guests

2) know your crowd. If that crowd is young and into drinking and you're not Midas, you better keep that in mind.

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My crowd just loved beer and red wine. And they were so happy that we provided the alcohol for free.

Ultimately, I went with an open bar and put a limit on it. I also had wine with dinner I didn't even come close to my limit and it was nice to get the money credited back to my account. However, I did comtemplate doing the cash bar to save money. I didn't want my guests paying for their drinks when they were taking time out of their already busy lives to spend come to our wedding plus most of them purchased us nice gifts for the wedding and for the shower.

I did google the etiquette on it and I found that it's really a no no, but depending on what social group you associate with is what is what really matters. Do you care what your guests will say??? Here's one link among many: Enjoy. http://www.superweddings.com/etiquette.html

We are having a cash bar i dont think its tacky at all. we werent going alcohol at all but there is a bar in the hotel and if my guests leave the banquet all to drink they cant come back in because the insurance wont cover it so in order for me to have alcohol insurance i had to have a open bar or a cash bar. I feel i shouldnt pay for people to drink i am already having champagne. I think you should do whatever you want!

Yes, Ladylee, where I'm from cash bars are the norm, infact, I've never been to a wedding where the bar has been free. And I've been to weddings all over the province! A cash bar is the norm 'round here. And none of our guests will care if it's an open bar, it's what we're all used to. The concept of open bar really does vary from place to place.

I would also like to add that we live in a really small town where we don't have hotels wil banquet rooms and catering. So the only place you can hold the reception is our local hall. So we have to find our own caterers and what not. The type of stuff you need for a wedding reception is not available in our small town, caterers, photog, etc..

Im doing a cash bar. Our venue doesnt allow us to bring in outside alcohol. Against the Law in RI. We may do a drink, we are thinking sangria that we would offer, but remainder will be cash bar. Our familys are filled with HEAVY drinkers (including ourselves) and we just decided that we cannot afford open bar with all of them. We provided all the alcohol at our engagement party, but we just cant do it at the venue, too costly. We will provide for a champagne toast.

Kinda OT, but my venue doesn't even allow us to do a cash bar. Something about not having a liquor license. We can bring in our own alcohol, but have to have an insured bartender serve it.

Cash bars are much more common in some parts of the world than others. In Chicagoland it's not very common. But in the long run, you need to do what's right for you.

LOVE the ticket idea!! Two tickets per adult is a responsible level of drinking, and you know how much you're going to be paying for. I'll probably add it in somehow on their escort card. Thanks for this thread. I would love to have an open bar, but there are a couple of people (my dad and his buds) who I know would take advantage of it, and possibly cause a scene.

I don't know if I'd use the word "tacky," I think it just depends on what the norm is in your area. I'm from Western PA, have been to at least 8 weddings in the past year (start to lose track), and have not seen one cash bar...

We will also be having an open bar. Most of the wedding packages around here have alcohol already included in the price.

I'm in NJ and the norm is to have open bar or just beer, wine, and non-alcoholic drinks. I'm going for an open bar but, that's just what our families/friends are used to. Do what is right for you.

I don't like cash bars. You are hosting a private party. You wouldn't have people pay to attend a party at your home, your wedding is the same. Most people won't tell you directly, but they think it is in poor taste to ask them to purchase bevs after they have travelled to attend your function and have probably provided a gift. I would have beer & wine or a specialty cocktail. You can put a limit on it, if you are having 100 people, pay for 85, everyone will still get a drink, most caterers plan on 1 drink per person per hour. If you are providing your own, you generally get 5 glasses of each bottle of wine or champagne. Also, ask your venue if they can have a keg on tap, it will be cheaper than bottles.

If you have a lot of young people attending your wedding, I do like the ticket idea that someone mentioned. That way you are providing something and most responsible people will only have a few drinks and for the others who are there to get their drink on, it's not a frat party, they can wait until they get home.

We are considering a cash bar mainly because we are currently college students and we dont want people "crashing" our wedding just to drink... but that is not the only reason. My family will not pay for alch. but we are having a cheap cash bar ($1 or less a drink) and will probably do the ticket thing or a 1 hour open bar then cash or something like that.