Guest dismissal and bar announcement

@Audrey B. No. Just no. Anytime you use the phrase "saving thousands" towards entertaining the guests that are spending a pretty penny to attend your nuptials...you are doing it wrong.

I got it. Have your officiant or DJ announce that after cocktail hour the bar will revert to cash and watch the fun begin. You won't have to worry about clearing that room.

It's being cheap, and it's being a poor host.

@ Dreamer - I echo your comment re: Audrey.

OP - It is poor hosting to have your guests pay and I think you know this deep down as you say in your post "How should we word this to the guests without giving too many details?" which is indicative that for some reason you do not what people to know.

Mrs. M has the best wording re: Open bar until X time however I expect something like this when I go to a college party....not a wedding. As a guest your rationale for having a cash bar is your business however, I would be doubly ticked if I had no advance notice that I had to pay for my drinks at a certain point and had no money.

Good luck.

Room flip is fairly standard, and a pretty natural progression (people are inclined to follow you out anyway, think of a church wedding -- and people don't necessarily assume both are in the same room) Have your officiant day "follow us to X room for cocktails" put it in the programs, put it in the website, have the venue coordinator direct.

If you're going to do an open bar do an open bar. If you're going to do a cash bar, do a cash bar. I would be terribly confused if I go to the bar for a drink and it's free then an hour later, have to pay for it.

And, I think having your guests pay for their drinks isn't being a good host.