Is it okay to not have an open bar?

Ask if you can bring your own wine and just pay for " cork fee" and for cocktail hour have signature drink of your choice .After that go for "cash bar "

No. Just no. It's a huge disappointment to guests when they get to a wedding a realize it's a cash bar, when most guests don't carry cash around. Even if you just do one type of beer and some wine. It's better than cash bar.

Yes - we'll be making our own wine for the tables. That's a good idea for cocktail hour! Thank you for the response

Yes, it's absolutely fine to not have an open bar. Anyone close enough to you to be invited should understand that not everyone can afford the expense. It doesn't bother me to go to a wedding reception without an open bar. It shouldn't be the focus of your event.

JMO its fine for an afternoon brunch or something. If you're doing a traditional reception venue I would find some place to work with the budget to do at least beer/wine.

I'm trying to convince FH to just do beer and wine. We're having an after party later. My FBIL/FSIL didn't have any liquor at their wedding.

IMHO it's not fine. I have never seen a cash bar, tickets or toonie bars in my area (nj/ny). Limited bars; wine, beer, soda, sig drinks? I see that all the time. It's a gracious way to stay on a budget and still be a cool host.

Get rid of something else; the Photo Booth, the favors, the programs, the 20 people in the bridal party, but have at least a limited bar.

This is always a hot topic and inevitably you'll get a lot of 'do what you want.....people don't need to drink......" but at adult parties, adults want to drink. And it does make a difference in the atmosphere.

WOW, maybe to total regional difference thing here but in Nova Scotia, Canada it's really less common I find to see an open bar. I actually can't remember the last wedding I went to that was an open bar.... of wait yes I can, it was in Alberta (that's the other side of the country) and a very traditional thing in their farming community. If someone was insulted that I didn't have an open bar at my wedding I would prefer they didn't come. Your coming to celebrate my marriage, not drink me into the poor house. That being said I have also noticed on the "price per plate" thread that maybe venues (in the USA mostly it seems) offer an 'open bar $per person' which I have not seen in my venue search here in NS. I have noted on my website that there will be wine served with dinner and otherwise there will be a cash bar.

Yes, I'm from Ontario, Canada and I've probably been to as many open bar weddings as I have Cash bar weddings. I agree with you @Mandigurl...you do attend weddings to celebrate but that doesn't mean it's all about drinking. I'm really on the fence with this one. I think I may just have wine on the table and give out a few free drinks per person.

If you can't do an open bar, then don't. I've been do "dry" weddings before and that's fine. But, to have your guests pay for their own drinks...Tacky!

Not having an open bar is perfectly acceptable!, But if you do plan on having alcohol definitely take the limited bar route or purchase your own alcohol and pay corkage fees. My FH and I are doing hosted wine, beer, champagne, and a signature cocktail.

Besides, not everyone drinks the variety of alcohols provided with the open bars so you're definitely wasting money. Let us know what you decide.

It's funny that this question comes up at least 3 times a week with the same responses from the same people.

I think it's bad form to have your guests paying for anything at your event. Can you host a limited bar?

Do a limited open bar. I am having an open bar for a couple of hours. After that, every guest for his or herself if they want to continue drinking. I understand you want to please your guests, but you should not go broke trying to do it. You have to live after the wedding!

Its definitely a regional thing, and something FH and I were on agreement on from Day One. There was no question that we WEREN'T going to have an open premium bar...

Just saying that as a guest, if I you invited me to your wedding, that means that I had to give up a day of my time, drive to your location and give at least one gift, I would be pretty peeved if I walked up to the bar for a cocktail only to find out that I had to pony up $5 for a drink...I'm also a person who never has cash, so that would be like the icing on the cake. So I would change my order to water and as soon as dinner was over, FH and I would be leaving.

I don't think that the open bar is a requirement, however, it shows that you and your FH are gracious hosts if you at least provide a hosted limited bar. There are tons of options that are available to you guys, just speak with your venue coordinator about the potential cost differences of having an open bar, limited bar, consumption bar

I agree with other posters in at least having a limited bar. I personally am having an open bar for my wedding, as that is what would be the most appropriate for my guests. Lots of drinkers. I have been to limited bar events, and those are also great. But I wouldn't recommend a dry wedding. Maybe not every guest will drink, but most will want some sort of alcohol option. Beer and wine is a great alternative, and much less expensive than open bar.

Oh man...I shouldn't have posted anything. I have no idea what to do now. I also had no idea how strongly people thought about cash bars. I've been to a lot of weddings for someone my age...and I've never once had an issue with paying for my own drink. Oh well! Whatever floats your boat I guess! :-)

OP...its a hot topic here and there are usually some passionate responses. I think the general agreement is to at least have a limited bar. Treat the night like you are hosting people in your home...you may not have what they prefer to eat/drink on hand, but you at least are able to offer them something, and thats what is appreciated.

Offer a limited selection of beer and wine. No one wants to bring cash to a wedding. You're supposed to be hosting these people. Host what you can afford, and may have a cash bar option if they want more of a selection like liquor, etc.

I have been to pretty much 50-50 cash vs. open bar weddings (Northeast MA). A woman at my work is from NY and she has never been to a cash bar wedding...only open. I'd never heard of a toonie bar until I came here. So you can see that these things are very regional. If it is common in your region to do beer/wine only, toonie, drink tickets, or cash bar then just do it. I'll be having an open bar but that is because that was one my priorities. As a guest I'd prefer open bar obviously or at the very least 3 drink tickets.