Is a cash bar at my reception ok?

This thread scares me.

I don't get how some of these people say they have only been to cash bar weddings. I really doubt it's a regional thing. It must just be your social circle.

I have been to several weddings with cash bars and it was awkward. At one, the choose premium liquor and didn't have well choices so prices were very high. Before the champagne toast, they gave us a thirty minute notice to go buy a glass if we wanted to take part. FFS, it was awkward, weird, and not inviting at all!

The mst recent wedding I went to had open beer and wine along with 2 signature sangria options. That was perfectly acceptable. Everyone had a drink and it was fun and delicious. No one got hammered. That's the least you can offer your guests who are taking time away from their lives, getting dressed up, bringing a gift, and coming to your party.

At a lot of venues the cash bars are expensive. At my venue IF I had a cash bar for my guests (I am not. I am having an open bar including liquor) it would be 7 dollars a beer for my guests. Damn. If I was a guest I would buy one drink maybe two and then leave.

Well folks, that's BINGO and for those of you following the drinking game, two shots. Anyone who goes to, and expects an open bar is an alcoholic! Yeppers, that's true. Also, we were brought up with manners.

Unfortunately, weddings just ARE expensive. Big weddings are considered a luxury but you MUST host your guests properly, which includes free booze. Other options include postponing so that you can save appropriately, or scaling back the guest list.

Also generally your budget determines the number of people you can invite. It's not choosing the number of people you want to invite then cutting corners to "make it work".

I'm afraid to ask but is it more ok to have a amount set for alcohol then it turns into a cash bar or should it be set amount then beer and wine only

@Future no. Don't set an amount and then change it. It's very confusing for guests!

It's either full open bar for duration of reception, or else beer and wine for duration of reception. You could also do consumption based (might be good if you don't have big drinkers) which means you pick up the tab at the end of the night, but there shouldn't be a limit or a time when it "runs out" if the reception is still going on.

Oh, you sweet summer child...

I don't see anything wrong with a cash bar. My venue has a tiki bar so I'm prob not even going to bother having one in the reception room.

Are you cash bar people charging your guests for their dinners, too??

I never understand why people announce the departure from the forum. If you walk into a bar or club and don't like the vibe, do you loudly announce you are leaving because you don't like the crowd?

Yeah I don't really like salad. So my guests can have salad if they want but they have to pay for it.

Hahaha!

Oh honey, I'm a small budget bride...with an open bar.

@Miranda, I can't drink OJ or other acidic juices so my guests will be paying for that. Oh and soda is bad for you, so if guests what to indulge in liquid sugar they will have to do it on their own dime! Who needs anything other than water to have fun!!!

The hilarity of OP asking a question, kindly thanking people for their responses on page 1, and being done with it. Here we are on pg 9, still fighting over a question and topic for which OP felt she had adequate answers. Oy.

If you can't afford to serve at least beer/wine, you can't afford as many guests as you have. Simple math. It is rude and cheap to pass the cost of the wedding off to your guests in the form of a cash bar. If you can't afford the bar, cut the guest list or save more money.

No!