Invites and alcohol

Don't put anything on the invites. Why not just host beer and wine? To me it's confusing to have some hosted and other cash bar.

No. Don't put that on invites. I guess you could put it on the website. If you've never been to a cash bar, why are you having one?

Don't have a cash bar. Provide beer and wine that they won't need to bring their own cash for. Problem solved.

This is very confusing for guests. No one should have to open their wallet at your wedding. Just do beer and wine only as PP have said.

Echoing and seconding everything previous posters have said. Don't put anything anywhere and just have beer and wine available. If you manage to find some extra budget money you could do one or two signature cocktails, but it is not necessary.

No. Do not put anything on the invitations about the alcohol options. Also it is incredibly rude to have your guests pull out their wallets and pay for things at YOUR hosted event. Having beer and wine is perfectly fine but do not also add on other things your guests would have to pay for. If you have another option then do beer, wine, and a signature cocktail but having your guests pay for something extra is very rude and confusing to the bartender (not to mention your guests).

I don't have much more to add, just do beer and wine.

Instead of figuring out a polite way of telling your guests they'll need to pay for stuff at your wedding, I'd nix the partial cash bar and don't have the liquor available. Just provide the beer and wine to your guests for free and leave it at that.

Damn people are harsh. I think your best option is to do a beer and wine wedding, but if you really want to do a cash bar for hard alcohol too, I wouldn't put it on the invitation. If you know someone who really likes hard alcohol, you could tell them personally.

I missed where people are being harsh by saying only offer the beer and wine and forget the cash bar for liquor? OP, you are getting solid advice from those who say forget the cash bar part and to leave any mention off invitations. I would embrace it if I were you.

Host the beer and wine and cut the cash bar. Cash bars, of ANY kind, are just telling your guests that you expect them to pay for a portion of your wedding, which is extremely rude. The reception is their thank you for attending your ceremony. You wouldn't expect them to buy, address, stamp, and bring their own thank you card, would you? Then don't make them pay for part of that thank you, either.

Nobody was harsh......

@Temecula: You haven't even been here long enough to get to know the community, yet you feel it's justified calling people harsh? That's a laugh.

People here are very blunt. Sugar coating makes it WAY too easy for people to twist words to feel better/justified about making poor choices when it comes to their guests. By being blunt, there is NO room for interpretation, and thus if people continue to move forward with choices that will make them look bad, it won't be out of ignorance, it will be out of selfishness.

Blunt is telling someone their idea is rude/tacky/sucks and why. It's also often followed with suggestions, which is what you saw here. Rude would be telling a bride she looks like a busted can of biscuits in her dress. There's a huge difference.

You likely haven't even truly seen harsh here yet. Instead of attempting to degrade the community, why not actually try seeing the reasoning behind why people say what they do the way they do.

Most people realize this after being here a few weeks.

I went to a wedding in Ireland where they had servers serve wine and had beer and liquor for sale at a bar set up at the end of the hall that was very clearly a cash bar. This is typical for Irish weddings though as many attendees abroad like to drink until they are beyond well-sated and not is not as much of a thing here. I think you'll have less of a headache cutting liquor and honestly people probably won't miss it.

Polly brings up an interesting point, that there may be different customs in different countries, but I think in the US, it is better to just stick with beer and wine than charge for hard liquor.

That may be the first time we were called harsh by someone who was actually saying the same exact thing. I don't see how what Temecula said was any less "harsh" that what was said previously. Because no one was harsh.

I am going to chime in to say the same thing to hopefully prove to OP that this is the overwhelming majority opinion.

I admire that your instinct is "how do I let my guests know?" You're trying to look out for them. I get what you're trying to do. But as PPs have said, it's very confusing for guests and just not needed. Hosting (only) wine and beer is perfectly fine. By having hard liquor there that you are aren't able to host is almost like apologizing for not having it. And there is no need for an apology. By offering wine and beer, you are doing what you need to do! The signature drink is obviously a great idea if you can find a way to include it in your budget.

IF you ignore everyone's suggestions and do this anyway, I beg of you not to mention it on your invites.

I think word of mouth would be best. I disagree with everyone. I really do not like beer and wine only weddings and if your group is anything like mine they'll be sneaking in flasks. I'd rather pay for a cocktail then be stuck drinking wine for 6 hours.

ETA- last wedding I went to offered beer, wine and signature drink and everyone left early. Most people headed to a bar where they paid for their own drinks. I'm sure my friend would have rather had people stay at the wedding.

At the end of the day you simply cannot please everyone. There will likely be several guests who do not like any of the types of beer, wine or non-alcoholic beverages you will provide. Make sure to provide a good variety of both types of beverages (a light beer, a craft beer, a sweet red wine, a dry red wine, a sweet white wine, and a dry white wine, soda, tea, water, juice- for example) and you will be properly hosting your guests.

Hahahaha! A cash bar is typical at Irish weddings? Go tell my 100% Irish family that for the past two generations, they've been doing it all wrong. Once they stop laughing, they'll tell you that you're attending the wrong weddings on the Emerald Isle. All that statement proves is that the rudeness of the cash bar has crossed the ocean. There's one thing you can count on at real Irish weddings, and it isn't wedding favors -- it's whisky.

Don't have a cash bar. It's tacky

Just provide the wine and beer if you can afford licor