Cocktail hour, wine during dinner, champagne toast then cash bar - Is this enough or rude

I'm sure you'll have a lot of people responding that any sort of cash bar is rude, but personally I think that sounds nice. Guests can get festively buzzed for free, and get drunk if they wish.

Cash bars are completely normal in my circle, which is something to consider in your situation too. The weddings you have been to, have they been cash or open?

I agree with Silan, this sounds fine to me. A lot of people will argue that you MUST have an open bar though. So it mainly depends on your circle of friends and what you (and your guests) are used to.

As long as you are providing something to drink you should be fine.

This is what I am doing and I was told I am rude, tacky etc. from a lot of people on here but in my area/circle cash bar is normal. A lot of girls from my area agreed that it was plenty but be prepared for some negativity.

I think it should be fine as long as there is something free offered as well. I went to a wedding a couple months ago that was set up like that and I had no problems... I just stuck to wine!

Sounds good to me too!!!

Go for it. I'm in the I'd rather pay for drinks than not have the option of drinking camp and quite frankly you're providing a good amount of alcohol.

Thank you so much for your responses. Silan, my circle of friends and family are very easy going. but I'm more worried about my FH family friends and other co-workers. I've been to different weddings where it was a backyard weddings with beers and spiked punch, and others were there was alcohol but I wasn't sure if it was open bar or not since I don't drink and never noticed. To me, alcohol is never important to have fun. As long as I have good company and good food to share, I'm good to go. Same with most of my friends.

Most here will say that a cash bar is rude.

The last reception I went to (before my own) had a cash bar. This was before I came to WW and knew all things (well, most) wedding etiquette & I honestly thought it was weird.

Michelle you are better than me. I'm not serving too much alcohol at all and I was told I was rude too but I know my guests and they know FH!!! FH feels people don't need alcohol to celebrate with us if they are there for us. I must admit I agree. We also aren't serving alcohol because we live so far away from everything so we didn't want people driving drunk any where. Saves us the liability and guilt should someone get into an accident. We will be serving Moscato just not sure how so you are offering more than enough. I'm not even offering a cash bar so you are the bomb.com!

I think since you are providing drinks all through cocktail hour & dinner, this plan sounds fine.

My problem that is you're asking if it's okay.. which kind of implies you can afford to host more alcohol to your guests but you're choosing not to, and asking if this is "enough" to justify spending more money on something else for you. If you have the budget I would increase the length of the open bar- or at least continue to serve wine throughout the evening to guests.

Instead of a top shelf open bar, could you afford to do wine and beer for the rest of the night?

I agree, get rid of open bar for an hour and just have wine and beer all night- prices should be similar

It is never appropriate to ask a guest to open his or her wallet at your reception. I wouldn't serve it at all or have a limited bar as Kristen said. You obviously see an issue with your plan since you are asking; follow that thought and properly host your guests, whether that be a dry wedding, limited bar or full open bar.

I think its plenty

I wouldn't say rude because at least you're considering your guests by asking, and I know cash bars are a regional thing, but up here (New York, New Jersey areas), I have never been to a wedding or any type of formal affair that had a cash bar. It's always an open bar. I agree that as a guest I would rather have no alcohol for cocktail hour and a beer and wine option for the rest of the night.

@Emmy I don't see this as asking guests to open their wallets, it's more allowing them to if they wish. As a guest, I'd rather be able to buy what I want than be limited to only certain drinks.

@kassy...my apologies, it's a phrase rather than a literal directive... let me restate it if you are confused. It is completely inappropriate to have a situation that your guests open their wallet at your event.

Eh. Agree to disagree. I'd still rather be able to get something I want even if I have to pay for it than be limited to certain choices.