Cash Bar

You don't because you don't make people pay for things at the wedding you are hosting.

You have a year and a half, cut the guest list or increase your budget to provide alcohol.

Um, you don't. Cash bars are rude.

Just do beer and wine. Cash bars are rude. If you hosted a dinner party at your house, would you charge for a glass of wine? Eta: Your wedding is over a year away. I strongly advice you to find other places to cut costs. STDs, super fancy invitations, favors, elaborate centerpieces, programs, menus all things that you can cut that none of your guests will remember. But they will remember having to pay for drinks at your wedding.

Having your guests pay for anything at your wedding is not a great idea. Have you considered hosting beer and wine only? It's a good compromise that's much easier on the budget than a full open bar. Or if you have a lot of guests who don't drink, consider a consumption bar instead if your venue offers that option. That way you pay for the actual number of drinks consumed instead of paying for unlimited drinks for everyone.

Open beer/wine is a cheaper and totally acceptable option.

Please don't do a cash bar. That's the worst thing you can do at a wedding

I never bring cash to a wedding. If there was a cash bar I'd leave.

Do beer and wine, and a signature cocktail if budget allows. But you have a year to save. Find other ways to cut costs and properly host your guests.

Why?? Please lurk before you post anything like this. Nobody wants to go to a wedding and pay for drinks. Granted- I may be one of the few that would rather pay for a cocktail then be stuck drinking beer and wine all night.

Are you sure you can't offer any type of alcohol with your budget?

"So, we can't afford y'alls drinks, so bring that dollar bill. Shout-out to anyone who forges drink tickets! You da real MVP."

Nope nope nope.... so rude! Save to have more and budget for it or cut your guest list. It's so rude to have guests pay for something at your wedding.

My fiance and I don't drink either, but if there is one thing you do at a wedding over everything else it's providing alcohol for your guests

You don't need to do an open bar! Just bring your own for everyone. We're filling two giant canoes of beers and wines and calling them "booze canoes" haha. It's not as expensive as you think and will provide your guests with an awesome time!

Kelsey, I love the booze canoe idea!

@Kelsey, do you not have a bartender? Is there anyone under 21 at your wedding? It seems like it would be super-easy for someone underage to just grab a beer, and I believe you'd be legally responsible for that.

My FH and I don't drink but we are having an open bar. It isn't proper hosting of your guests have to pay for anything. They are already paying for a gift (sometimes 2 cause of shower), clothes and accessories, travel and possibly hotel to come help you celebrate your day. If you aren't having kids there they also have to pay for a sitter if they have kids.

Thank you! Our venue is a barn (plus the entire grounds) and the wedding is a woods/mountain/camping theme so I thought the canoes were fitting

fallinthegarden - No one under 21 at the wedding and no bartender.

Yeah no. Don't do this. My friend was telling me last night that she left a wedding with a cash bar and drove to the liquor store to buy booze to smuggle in to the country club. If you find a venue that lets you bring in your own booze (with a licensed bartender), it's actually quite affordable. With our one day liquor license costing $250, we will then probably end up spending about $12 per person on drinks. Open bar. You can't beat that!

Doesn't matter if you don't drink unfortunately. If you want people there you have to host them well.

You could just not have alcohol...

^nope, please dont do this. And before you come back and say something along the lines of, "weddings are expensive, not everyone has loads of money to spend, we are paying for it ourselves!" Most couples here are paying for their wedding themselves and have only invited the number of guests that they can properly host. That can range from 10 guests all the way to 200+ guests, all of which are fine wedding sizes.

This post won't end well OP