Dry wedding reception

The general opinion you'll get from the WW community is that dry weddings are bad form, and cash bars are almost as bad. They typically advise at least have beer and wine available, with liquor as a cash option.

Personally, I've been to all types and none of them bother me. I know how to have fun without alcohol (didn't even drink at my own wedding despite an open bar). However, I was irritated when I went to a wedding that had a cash bar only and didn't inform guests prior so we were unprepared when they didn't accept plastic.

I have the opinion that dry weddings are only okay when it’s for religious reasons and everyone’s aware (I.e.: there was a bride on here a while back. I believe she was Mormon, having her ceremony and reception in a church, alcohol wasn’t allowed, but the majority of her guests were also Mormon or aware of this). It doesn’t sound like this is your case.

Dry weddings are typically unfair to your reception as a whole. While it’s fine that you and 99% of your friends don’t drink, it’s unfair to push that onto your family. If someone wants to have a glass of wine with dinner, as an adult, they should be given the option. You don’t want your family to feel like they are being prohibited/policed/monitored. I got pretty drunk at my own wedding. However, if I went to a wedding and I knew the bride and groom were more conservative and not big drinkers, I would limit myself but I would be annoyed if I couldn’t have a glass of wine with dinner or during cocktail hour.

At a minimum, I think you should host beer and wine on a consumption basis. You only pay for what is ordered so if you only have a few family memebers drinking, the tab won’t be that high. I can’t imagine asking my parents and relatives to open up their wallets and pay for their own drinks on my wedding day, we wanted to treat everyone.

I have been in a dry wedding it is not bad... guest were fine with it from what I saw. To honest some guest BYOB which defeats the purpose. I believe most guest will respect your wishes. Happy planning!!

I went to a dry wedding and honestly it was pretty boring. Nobody was really dancing except little kids. When I went to one with a cash bar I was too young to drink, but I remember my dad complaining but thinking back the bride and groom were underage so it kind of made sense. I've been to a few beer and wine, one with the option to pay for hard alcohol/mixed drinks and one without, both fine by me.

I think the time of day and venue make a difference on whether it would be acceptable or not. My FH and I don't drink. We are getting married at noon and are hosting a luncheon reception in the basement of the church immediately following the ceremony. People don't normally drink that early in the day and wouldn't expect to be served alcohol in a church.

My first wedding was dry as I was only 20. It was literally over like 20 minutes after the ceremony. We had a DJ but no one wanted to dance, we ended up going to dinner after. It was fine but people don’t stick around.

We are having a dry wedding, but it is at noon, and over by 3 pm. We have the hotel bar reserved later that evening for people to unwise with alcohol if they choose to. We just don't eat the liability of people freeing out of hand, because our venue is a public park. We may do champagne for toasts, but that would be it.

I have only ever been to dry weddings, since nobody in my family drinks. FH doesn’t drink either, and his father is a Pastor who also doesn’t drink, so we are definitely having a dry wedding. I’m sure some people will be offended, but I really don’t care. We are providing great food, great entertainment, and great company, so if they decide to leave early because they aren’t having fun, it’s not going to bother me any.

My FH and I don't drink either. We weren't planning on serving alcohol, but an open bar came w/ our venue. You wouldn't believe the comments I've heard from people when we discussed not serving alcohol. It was like saying there would be no food! I never understood why people expect booze at wedding.

I’ve been to one before it was pretty boring. I was pregnant at the time so not drinking anyways but everyone was just sitting around. A few guests left ended up buying stuff and bringing it back that’s when the party got started. Unfortunately for the bride she signed a contract saying no alcohol so she got hit with a giant fine because none was allowed to be brought in from outside. Personally to me outside of a religious reason there should always be beer and wine available.

My wedding will be dry be cause the ceremony is in a park and the venue doesn't allow alcohol
I'm happy with it
If peoe wanted to drink there' other places

If you want them to unwind, have a consumption open bar with beer and wine.


If the majority of your guests are nondrinkers. It will be cheap and can provide you peace of mind that your guests will be able to unwind.

My FSIL had a dry wedding. Ceremony was at 2 with reception right after and everyone was leaving by 6.

FH and I don't drink, but most of our guests do. So, we're hosting an open bar. Just because we don't drink, doesn't mean i'll push that onto our guests.

A consumption bar is a good idea for you, just pay for those that want to drink.

If the reception is not at a church, I would consider maybe providing at least some wine options if those who do drink. Especially if most don’t. It would keep costs down but still allow those who want a little something to have it

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A lot of people expect open bars at weddings because that's the only kind of wedding they've been to. I've been to one wedding that wasn't at least a modified beer/wine open bar, and it was a cake and punch reception that lasted maybe an hour in a church hall after the ceremony, which was part of the 10 am service on Sunday morning. Cash bars or dry weddings are not common in my area/circle, and I would be super-surprised and pretty put off by one because it's not what I expect.

OP, if your family drinks, have a consumption bar where you pay only for what your guests drink. If not that many people drink, it will be way more affordable than paying for a full open bar.

Most weddings I've attended were dry due to religious reasons. I honestly don't care about the reason, I would just appreciate the option to drink. I personally wouldn't even care of it was a cash bar. The dry weddings I attended also don't have a dancing segment. There's a bit of toasting, wedding singers and games so I'm used to sitting around. Most people hung around til the end. I guess you just have to know your crowd

My husband and I hate alcohol, but still had an open (self serve) booze canoe with various beers, wines, and some liquors. It didn't feel right making the decision to not have alcohol for our guests just because we didn't drink, not to mention our friends and my family are big social drinkers. Everyone had an absolute blast.

I agree with the consumption bar! Sounds like perfect option and shouldn't be a huge expense if not all of your guests are drinkers

You have to host the bar, 100%. Very rude to ask guests to pay for their drinks.

That said, you can do a consumption bar, where you only pay for drinks that are actually ordered, vs. an open bar, where it's a flat fee per person and you pay for everyone to be drinking. You can also have the bar limited to wine and beer, if budget is an issue, but I think a consumption bar that allows people to have hard liquor as well is better.

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Because alcohol is a celebratory thing. No one wants to go to a dry wedding. It's boring AF.