How to word a limited bar on the invitation?

Wedding wire is very opposed to guests having to buy their drinks so you will not get the feedback you are looking for.

I think "Limited beer and wine bar available" is perfect.

Honestly, I would probably not include any wording about the bar on your invitation. If you really feel like you NEED to include something, the information card might be the best place for it.

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You're right, we're not putting it on the actual invitation, it will be on the information card that shows the meal options and directions from the ceremony to reception site.

I don't see anything wrong with letting guest know, just in case they would like something stronger to drink.

There is not a tactful way to tell your guests that you will not be hosting them the whole night, mostly because its rude not to host your guests the entire night. Do you invite friends over for dinner, offer them a beer, but then tell them after 9 pm that beer will be $3?

How many guests do you have? Do you think you will go over $1000 by much with just beer and wine? I would just cut costs elsewhere and have this available all night for your guests. This will be very confusing when the last free drink is served. Also, if guests are aware of this ahead of time, they will all be crashing the bar in the beginning to make sure they get their drinks in while they are free. I know I would!

“Limited beer and wine available” could be misleading as it could also be interpreted as a small variety/small selection

We are also bouncing back and forth the idea of having drink tickets. Give 3 tickets to each person and then once they run out of tickets they then use cash to buy more drinks.

I don't understand this whole it's rude to not have a completely open bar. I have no problem paying for everyone to have two or three drinks. It's not my responsibility to pay for people to get trashed.

View Quoted Comment Your bartender should be responsible for people not getting trashed. You are treating your guests like children by limiting their alcohol consumption. It is rude because your guests shouldn't have to open their wallets at a hosted event. As someone said above, you wouldn't serve your guests 2 glasses of wine at your house and then ask them for $8 for a third.

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This!

Also don't do drink tickets.

You don't have to do a completely open bar as beer and wine is fine. I think that it can be confusing to your guests when there beer is free and then they go back in 30 minutes and now it's $3.

Personally, I'd rather cut something else out, like less money towards floral or something, than to skimp on this.

What you put is probably fine, but expect your tab to be gone in a flash. Once people hear something is limited (this goes for literally anything), they rush to indulge in it as much as possible before it's gone. You don't want to leave it a secret, either, so no one is surprised when they are denied a drink unless they pay.

How many guests are going to be there? If it's a small wedding (40 or under), I think your tab might be fine. If you're pushing a larger list, you may want to increase your tab or just make it an open bar. I usually advise to count on at least 4 drinks a person and use the most expensive drink option to calculate how much you'll need and compare the prices.

You don't have to have an open bar . "Open Bar" means that all types of liquor are available. You should however, provide whatever beverages you are providing, at no cost to your guests. If those beverages are limited to beer and wine, that is perfectly ok.

It is not good etiquette to ask your guests to open their wallets at an event you are hosting. Rather than make cuts that affect your guests, look for other places to cut expenses.

Ok...well bottom line, we're having a set limit on the alcohol. If people are that mad at me for not buying them 10 drinks then I don't want them at my reception, anyway. I was simply asking how it should be worded on the information card.

Thanks to the people who did give some ideas!

If you won't listen to the very good advice provided by PPs about opening the bar and properly hosting, I would at least do drink tickets rather than putting so much on the bar tab. There's no way to make sure that's fair. What if I'm at your wedding, sipping on my first glass of provided red wine, and someone comes up and says 'The bride and groom are so generous, this is my 6th beer!', and by the time I go back I have to pay?

Alternatively, if you have 1000$, you probably aren't that far off from just being able to host properly and fully open the open.

With a $1000 limit, imagine two guests at the bar. The first guest gets a free drink and that drink maxes out the $1000. The next guest is told his/her drink is $5. What the heck, they think. Why was that person's drink free and mine is $5? If I was that person, I'd be pissed.

You need to pay for the bar all night long. Cut out your makeup. Cut out your hairdresser. Cut out favors, menus, programs, centerpieces, etc. in order to afford to the bar.

If you write “limited beer and wine available” people aren’t going to think that means bring cash because you’re only paying so much. They’re going to think their options will be limited.

View Quoted Comment No one is going to have 10 drinks if you have a licensed bartender. Why are you having these people at your wedding if you can't trust them to drink responsibly? There is no proper way to word this because it is confusing and poor hosting.

Could you maybe do it as a time limit instead? Like open beer/wine bar until 8:00 (or whatever time you choose). That would be easier to explain to guests than a set $1000 limit where it will be cut off randomly. Talk to your bar provider and maybe estimate in 2 hours the amount of people drinking beer and wine would equal $1000. That way you aren't going over budget but it isn't as confusing to guests?