Closing bar during dinner, cocktail hour, or one hour early?

Ours shut down during our plated entrée. The venue said its much easier without people up and in the servers way. Food gets out hotter and quicker. There was wine service at the table during dinner.

This is tough, but I would definitely NOT close it for cocktail hour. And whenever you do close, it must be properly announced by the DJ so no guests are left surprised.

I would just end your reception when the bar has to end. It would be strange to just have the bar be suddenly closed.

ETA: double post

I would go with closing during dinner.

Our wedding coordinator (supplied by the venue) actually suggested we pay "based on consumption" for the hour during dinner because people hardly ever get a drink then, and it's WAY cheaper than "open" for everyone at that time. Maybe you could do that instead depending on your budget?

I would not close the bar for cocktail hour - I feel like most guests will expect drinks at this time to get the party started.

As for the last hour, this might be a good option if your guests will be traveling after the wedding to get back to their overnight accommodations - gives people time to sober up.

Hope that helps!!

Close it an hour before the end.

Definitely not during cocktail hour, I would probably do it at the end

I would think it was really weird as a guest if your bar closed during cocktail hour. I mean, it's called COCKTAIL hour. I went to a wedding that I did not know was dry until we were invited to go to "Cocktail Hour" and there wasn't a drink in sight. People weren't happy. Either of your other two options could work well.

Can you split up the hour? Ours will be open for cocktail hour, closed for a half hour while everyone moves into reception room and we do the entrance, our first dance and the welcome speech, then it will reopen and close again a half hour before the end of the reception

An hour before the end, and make sure that it is properly announced before the closing.

I would definitely do it an hour before the end. Most places stop serving before the event is officially over anyway, so people can sober up. I would NOT close it during cocktail hour - everyone will want a drink with their apps.

The end. It makes more sense as most places do a "last call" half an hour before the end of the reception anyways

Our bar shut down an hour over dinner service. And, truthfully, the majority of weddings that I have attended were run this way. (*Not* saying this is "how it should be" or asserting that this is proper etiquette. Just what I have seen done.)

My best friend's venue required that they close the bar 1 hour before the end of the reception to give people a chance to process the alcohol a bit more before they had to drive, which is probably a good idea.

At my venue, bar has to be shut down 30 minutes before the event ends. Can you split it up so it is down 30 minutes (during dinner) and then closed the last 30 minutes of the night?

At almost all of the venues I have attended, the bar has closed during dinner, but there is still wine service at the table and you can order a drink through the servers if you want. In your case, if there would be no wine served and no bar open, I would opt for the last hour of the reception.

My bar will also close for an hour during our played dinner. It will be announced and there will be wine on the table. People gathered around the open bar while people are trying to serve them and make sure they get the entree they ordered doesn't seem like it would go over well haha

COCKTAIL hour. So a hard no on that one.

I have been to multiple weddings where the bar closed during dinner. Usually that just means people "stock up" right before the reception starts.

You could also do last call an hour before the end of the reception.

Our's was closed for the first hour of our reception, which was the intros, first dances and then a small portion of dinner, so it really wasn't noticed by the guests at all.

I'd do it hour before it ends