No Alcohol at the Reception

If you aren't going to have alcohol, you should have a short punch and cake reception.

Yes, you can expect everyone to leave after they finish their cake.

I've never been to a wedding without alcohol, but I would probably leave early. Sticking it out 4 hours without even one drink would be a boring party to me.

Go and elope to Maui. They have some beautiful wedding packages. Eat coconut cake and drink champagne. Tell everyone after you return home.

I agree, it's going to be much shorter without alcohol. Your best bet would be to have a short punch and cake reception.

Unfortunately these people are correct that most of your guests will clear out pretty quickly without drinks - especially if you want to have everyone up and dancing and a general party atmosphere, you will want to have drinks available. You can just serve wine and beer, which are easier for people to handle than hard liquor and will not have people getting out of control like you are concerned about. Also, get a good bartender to handle the drinks and then you can just ask them that if anyone starts getting belligerent or in any way making the group uncomfortable that the bartender will cut them off so they won't drink more and blow up. Trust your bartender to make these choices and the parents to be civil because it is your special day, and it should be fine.

If I'm putting on a dress and heels, and paying to have a sitter all day, I'll be expecting some alcohol. If not, I'm leaving after dinner and going to the bar. It sound mean when I type it out, but it's the truth.

I've been to a dry wedding and I stayed, along with 95% of the people there. I don't think having alcohol should dictate whether or not people stay, and if it does, those people shouldn't be invited anyways. I firmly believe that it is your day and you should do what you want to, if people cannot accept that, then it's not on you, it is their loss.

They are right.... folks will leave.... i wouldnt but im in the minority.....

We're having an alcohol free reception. Both my fiance and I are in recovery and so are most of my friends. My family are not. We're having a coffee and hot chocolate bar. We'll see how it goes.

Yep people will leave and dancing will be minimal as it loosens people up and they get more comfortable to dance. If you don't want that as others suggested, do a cake and punch reception.

They're right. Dry weddings are short weddings. Because for a vast majority of adults, a moderate amount of alcohol is a social lubricant that is very effective. I don't know who all these families are that have a couple of drinks and go at each other with the butter knives because frankly, I've never seen that happen.

Four people will post and tell you that it's okay. Those four people are wrong including Alyson.

Adults go to parties expecting at least a glass of wine, and this notion that "it's your day, do what you want" should die a quick death because that's faulty too.

It's important. Scroll around for this topic; it comes up at least once a week.

And offer at least beer and wine.

OHH no. There are not many Alysons out there. Please don't start giving us a bad name.

People will leave early or bring their own drinks.

I think do beer and wine.

I was in a couple of weddings within months of each other. One had alcohol, one didn't. The one with alcohol, we all left with the reception hall told us it was time to pack up and leave and stumbled back to the hotel next door to continue the party. The dry wedding everyone was gone by 9:30 and we were packed up and left by 10. Take your pick. I'd have the alcohol though.

Being in recovery is great, and not an excuse not to properly host a wedding. Unless you yourself never go out anywhere where there's alcohol.

We aren't having alcohol either.

Yeah, people will definitely leave earlier and dance less without alcohol.

I agree with PPs, the majority of people will likely leave shortly after dinner, if not bring in their own alcohol. The one wedding I've been to that had no alcohol was because of religious reasons and it was well known beforehand.

That's not true, u don't have to have alcohol to have fun, for the ones that are truly your friends and family they will stay! Your wedding will not b dry!