Cash bars??

View Quoted Comment Can you at least put one bottle of red wine, and one bottle of white wine on each table?


I’d find a different venue.

I don’t think a cash bar is tacky so long as you let your guests know ahead of time. Not everyone comes to party like that but in my experience those who do bring cash anyway just in case or a flask.

I think this moreso comes down to your group and what the “norm” is when it comes to what is or isn’t okay. The friends in my group who have married already did cash bar, and FH and I didn’t think anything of it, nor did any guests from what I noted. I made a part of my FAQ page on our website to include that alcohol would be available at a cash bar.

View Quoted Comment I agree. That's a great way to handle this situation.

Can you do a consumption bar?

You specifically asked for respondents' opinions, so I'll give you mine. I generally think cash bars are "tacky," especially at a huge wedding where clearly money was spent pretty freely on other aspects -- multiple ceremonies, attire, etc. If a couple is clearly on a very tight budget -- as evidenced by most the choices they make (e.g., a small guest list, not excessively extravagant wedding dress, perhaps a cake & punch/non-meal time reception, etc.), that's different. In that circumstance I wouldn't be surprised by a simple cash bar and/or a dry wedding. One of the very few cash bar weddings we've ever attended included about 250 guests, a high-end venue, multiple desserts, a videographer with TWO drones, multiple (pointless) favors, ornate attire for the bride/wedding party/families, etc. In that circumstance, we were rolling our eyes big time at the cash bar (including soda, etc.). Just my opinion, so I completely understand if you and others disagree. Personally, I think the level of formality and extravagance should be consistent. A huge wedding (and I'd consider 300 guests extra huge) doesn't shout "tight budget" to me, so a cash bar seems like the only place the couple went cheap was at the expense of the guests.

Your guests shouldn’t be required to pay for anything. I would either cut down on your guest list or find a new venue.

View Quoted Comment Oh, if youre going to have a toast- thats a little alcohol anyway. Right!! Your wedding isnt about drinking. I mean, who gets drunk at a wedding?

That is way over priced. And its not 15K food and bar? We are getting a premium open bar for 5K for our venue.

We are having a cash bar at our wedding. Due to the venue we booked and their liquor license, we have to use their alcohol and their bar tenders. We are paying the hourly rate for the bartender. We were originally going to have a backyard wedding with a BYOB and everyone was fine with it then as well. I personally think a cash bar helps people think about how much they’re drinking and you (shouldn’t) end up with anyone overly intoxicated. Water and tea will be served free at our wedding, we have made a soda decision yet.

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Easy. Invite far fewer people and treat only your nearest and dearest. There is no way that you TRULY need to invite 300 people.

We've only been to one cash bar wedding, it was kind of annoying for sure but we didn't leave or anything. We always bring cash to weddings & cards, especially if we want to tip a bartender even if it's an open bar.

I'm personally not a fan of cash bars. I like to think of a reception as a thank you to those who came to celebrate and support your wedding ceremony ( the important life changing portion) and. I don't like the idea of guests paying for a party that is supposed to be for them

I dislike cash bars but $15,000 is an insane fee for unlimited alcohol. Like completely and utterly absurd. $50 per person is within reason though, so I guest that is the cost of having a 300 person wedding.

I think having a wedding where guests have to pay for all their own alcohol is pretty tacky. Cash bars always feels cheap to me, like the bride and groom wanted to save money rather than host a party. However, if you can serve guests a glass of champagne when they arrive or at least are able to serve wine with dinner and offer a champagne toast, I don't think its the end of the world if guests have to pay for additional drinks. If I went to a wedding and was given a glass of champagne to start (I love when you get a drink before the ceremony has even begun), wine with dinner, and champagne after for a toast, I wouldn't care at all if the bar was a cash bar.

If you do end up with a cash bar for any part of the evening, I do think you need to somehow give guests a heads up. I usually bring some small bills to wedding to tip (if a tip jar is out) but wouldn't necessarily be expecting to buy my own drinks unless I was told so.

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I would agree with this.

This is a tough decision! It is difficult because people are so divided... $50pp is wild for for sure, but it may be bc your venue is so large. Who knows. We were able to get open bar for $28pp but that's out in my countryside town lol! Anywho, I came here to post! I understand the desire to want to give that to your guests, of course it would be great. But this is your wedding - it is about you starting your lives together. It shouldn't be about spending 15,000 dollars over your budget. If you can't do it, you can't do it. One option you could do that I have seen is contributing a set amount of money to the tab. I've seen this done many times. The house parts for the first like $2000 on the team. Once the bar his that limit, then the guests are responsible. Typically the amount you set aside is enough for 2 drinks pp. This works well especially if you don't have a lot of drinkers.

They don't offer like beer and wine? 15k for open bar is CRAZY!

i did beer wine and champagne and then if they wanted liquor it was available for purchase. that was included in the package i chose. even if i upgraded my package it wouldn't have been that much for an open bar.

If you can't afford to serve something, don't offer it. You don't charge guests to drink at parties in your home so don't do it at your wedding.