Dry wedding is still a fun wedding right?

The moment you invite the first person to your wedding, it is no longer all about YOU. You have an obligation to host your guests properly, and if that means finding a new venue, you have plenty of time to do this. Please don't listen to anyone who suggests that not offering alcohol is just a "minor" part in your day... because to be frank, without alcohol, you might as well not spend the money on a plated meal or a DJ. It ruins the experience, for those who drink alcohol-- which you have mentioned both families do. This may seem like something small, but it is a direct effect on your guests' experience, and that is the last place I would want to be pinching pennies or skimping on necessities.

@polar for me personally, alcohol wasn't a big requirement with my guests. They couldn't care less. She could find other creative ways to keep them entertained. I'm just saying for me personally I would want to look back and see that we had what we wanted out of our day. It just doesn't make sense for the sake of having alcohol to change the whole venue. Especially with all of the problems having alcohol could make.

Kate's the real winner here.

DH went to one dry wedding. The bride and groom were Muslims. While he and his circle of friends tried to be respectful and have a good time without drinking, he says that a lot of people left, went to a bar or got drinks out of their cars, and came back hammered. While I don't condone what they did, I think you should expect that some of your guests may do this. I would either look for a new venue or have a 2 PM ceremony followed by a short cake and punch reception. If you're set on this venue, I wouldn't expect a huge party vibe with a DJ and lots of dancing.

Hell to the no! Just because you don't drink doesn't mean you should ignore everyone else's preference. It's like inviting 75% vegetarians when you're going to serve t-bones!

Find a different venue or do an early wedding. Maybe a lunch/brunch lawn games kinda thing

Can I have fun without alcohol, yes. But if it is a night wedding and I know no one will I want to, absolutely. I would either do like a lunch or brunch wedding in which case most people wouldn't want to drink besides like mimosas, or change your venue.

LOLOLOLOL no. You need a new venue.

@Amanda your guests probably didn't have fun, they're just too nice to say so to your face. Don't you care about your friends and family?

OP here is the thing - you clearly care about having a fun wedding, based just on the question you asked. Unless you left something out there don't seem to be religious, financial or health reasons you don't want to provide alcohol, it is solely a venue rule. I don't necessarily agree with the exceptions I just listed, but at least it is couple preference. This doesn't really seem like what you want, and as you can see from the majority of PP it WILL negatively impact your overall guest experience. That is the question you asked and it is answered. I would recommend looking elsewhere.

I didn't read the comments yet, but I don't have to. Because this is always the same set of arguments.

No. I have precious little time, as most people do. I don't go to an event and be prepared to "understand". I want to be entertained.

I don't think that's too much to ask.

And no Amanda, it's not the 'Brides Day''' if they have one guest.

Same stuff different day....

If they cared, they would just come

It's your day, do what you want.

If they need alcohol to have fun, there is something wrong with them..

Change the venue or reconcile yourself to the idea that for most of your guests, no, it won't be fun.

Most def.

Both my mom and dad don't drink (they are always the life of the party) and my FH intimidate family doesn't.

Amanda? They just didn't tell you. You're the one missing the point.

And if you pick a venue that won't allow alcohol, it doesn't matter why you picked it. It's not a 'dream' venue. Not for anyone but the hosts.

Nope, not a fun wedding.

@MrsMcK my family is pretty religious and ththiose who aren't are VERY opinionated and would if let me know because they know what type of person I am.

@Celia we've been here before lets just drop it. We don't agree on this subject and I'm just giving my advice to the OP just like you are. Variety is a good thing to have that way she doesnt feel like she has to follow the status quo on her day.

We've all been around long enough to know that our best arguments, our more memorable (and less than positive) experiences, and are most desperate pleadings are not going to change the mind of the couple who are, at the foundation of the issue, more concerned about their money than their guest experience. More than nine times out of ten, the dry bar bride has her mind made up. Now, it's perfectly acceptable, according to etiquette, to pass on hosting alcohol -- and that works fine -- in theory. However, in practice, reality is reality. People expect a party to be a party, and the Big Kahuna stopped being a cake when they were 11 years old. So, if you want to host a dry wedding, go ahead, but don't expect the majority of dry weddings to look or feel anything like a wedding in which the hosts actually acknowledged the truth and paid for their guests to enjoy a few drinks.

It does not take a statistician to prove that a dry wedding is shorter, less fun, and a bigger waste of the couple's overall budget than a wedding that hosts an open bar (and I always think -- what a burden on the DJ). An open bar of wine and beer is completely acceptable. You do not have to host top shelf open, but if you want a party that isn't disappearing in fifteen minute increments, you should host alcohol unless you want the equivalent a very short, very expensive to attend, party.

It's not about guests who need to be drunk to have a good time. That argument is so old that it isn't even insulting anymore. Have you ever watched a group of co-workers having a blast at a workday restaurant lunch -- despite the fact that what's in their glasses are soda, iced tea, water, or some other soft-drink? I have. I've participated in them. Sure. It happens every day of every week, and at about the one hour mark, we're all ready to disperse. Now, ask that same group to maintain that "happy" vibe for another four hours, with a three figure gift or card on hand, and after spending money on travel and lodging for this four hour lunch/dinner -- with nothing in their glasses besides their soft drinks. The party will fade...quickly -- probably about the second hour, and people will be looking to excuse themselves (and if they don't, it's because they see what's happening to your wedding, and they feel sad for you. They know what the exodus means, and they want to stem the tide). It doesn't matter what else you have, a DJ, games, or a cake (cake? Is cake that rare and that expensive that the promise of a slice will keep guests in their chairs for hours? No...not really) -- unless you host an adult party, an adult party is a bet I wouldn't take.

Do what you want OP. Do what you want, cash bash brides, but what you can't do is present any kind of compelling, convincing argument that will change the reality of human nature. Sure, you can complain about it, but what difference does that make when all is said and done? Alcohol will always be offered by venues because venues know they need to offer alcohol, and they don't offer it because doing so garners them police raided events, piles of vomit, or poorly enjoyed events.

ETA: Dry weddings, when it comes to certain religious sects, are expected. What comes to mind are LDS weddings. Those particular guests - 100% of them -- would be shocked to find alcohol there, as would some very conservative Christian sects. The point is, if you have a single guest who will want a drink, provide it. Everyone else can opt out. Either do a limited bar tab or a consumption bar. It won't cost you much -- if the majority of your guests don't drink.

My experience with a dry wedding...reception in the church's gym, cheese, gross lemonade, m&ms in a bowl and no alcohol. It was strange and very boring. We left after 30 minutes.

I wouldn't want to attend a dry wedding... Tbh

My first wedding was dry........I had someone smuggle me in vodka. My parents paid for it and didn't give me an option and it and my first marriage were not fun at all

Ok so I am going to try to word this very carefully.....I have the VERY VERY VERY UO that I wouldn't be mad about going to a dry wedding - but I am only speaking for me, myself, and I. This is for the following reasons:

1) Ever since I had my sons, I get very sick when I drink. So I pretty much don't drink anymore.

2) I do not need alcohol to dance. I love dancing. I dance around my kitchen while my kids eat pancakes. I just love it. I would be the only person dancing at a wedding and I wouldn't even care.

Now, I have been on WW long enough, and watched enough Four Weddings and Bridezillas and all the other wedding shows to know that most people don't like dry weddings because they're boring. Unless you have the perfect combo of people like me, plus the best DJ, plus amazing everything else, you're not going to have the party wedding that you want to have if you don't have alcohol. It's just not going to happen.

My husband hates weddings. For people like my husband, the very least you could do is have a beer for him to drink while he talks to the one other person he knows who doesn't like to dance, because he won't make me sit at the table with him just like I wouldn't force him to dance with me. If my husband and I went to your wedding, we'd probably leave early because he would be bored and I'm not going to make him sit there and be bored so that I can dance.

Ultimately, if this venue is so important to you for whatever reasons you want to have your wedding there, you're going to have to accept the fact that it is very likely your wedding will not be the party that you want it to be. And that you may very well offend some people, who will never say it to your face, but will be upset. My advice would be to find a new venue because in my opinion, if you risk offending/upsetting even 1 person with a choice that could be easily avoidable then that is one person too many.