No Alcohol?!

It's totally a hosting issue. Thank you KarenM.

Its more of a family party if you think about it. Not an adult party. Children are coming to our wedding as well and i dont think it would be appropriate for a ton of adults to be drinking around little kids. We are having activites for kids and are still doing favors and serving dinner and everything. I dont really see how its a hosting issue.

Then you're not listening.

I think it depends on your circle. If it is a family event and your crowd doesn't drink, then don't serve alcohol, but like Celia said, some people are going to be upset.

I'm having a 'mostly' dry reception. Granted it is at noon and there will be a champagne toast. I am expecting people to leave around 3. Lunch is served at 1:30. I, myself, am leaving at 3:45.

But... I am having an after party with an open bar. But that is in my budget. The reception would be dry either way. When my budget took a hit the after party was going to be tbe first thing to go. I'm not having a bar at the reception because it is noon, FFIL is a pastor, and my extended family is quite religious. So the reception is dry in deference to our families. I know some of the guest will be pissy and think it is a hosting issue, but honestly someone is always going to have issue. And maybe it is a hosting issue, but I think having my rather my grandmother and aunts, honored guests in my eyes, be uncomfortable is a bigger hosting issue to me.

You have more excuses than a person going to jail. Its a hosting issue and the issue is you are a bad host.At this point a cash bar would be more appropriate and cash bars are almost never appropriate.

Lol how are cash bars not appropriate?

You don't want to go there, trust me.

'come to my party. pay for your drink'

I'm out.

There are tons of parties where you buy your own drink. You buy your own drink at sporting event etc. We are already paying for dinenr for everyone and why support and pay for people to get drunk? They dont have to come if they are that concerned about not being able to drink. In my opinion, its quite ridiculous that alcohol is needed in order to enjoy an event. What kind of logic is that?

People won't be *happy* exactly, and like others have said they might leave early.

That said, if you can't swing alcohol, I would just try to still make it interesting. Serve mocktails instead of just sodas or lemonade.

All your posts have been about you saving a buck on flowers, a good deal on a DJ, plan the wedding you can afford, it doesn't have to be a huge party if you can't afford it but host your guests poperly

A sporting event is not a party. You're comparing apples and oranges. It's like inviting someone to dinner and not letting them drink anything. A sporting event people pay to go to. A dinner at your house people are invited to. Do you understand yet?

Thats what i have been trying to say. I cant afford alcohol and i dont see the point of going in debt to have something that i dont even want. My whole wedding is under $3,000 so alcohol would greatly increase how much i spend. I really dont see how im not hosting my guests properly though. But okay.....

At first I thought Celia was a strict lady! Then after time I realized she knows her stuff! For example, I am starting my ceremony at 4:30. I saw her recommend to start at 3:30 to end by 10pm. I thought I would be fine, but now I'm running out of time for all my music to play (no DJ for us). I should have just bumped it up an hour. I should have listened. I don't see a problem with no alcohol if no one wants it, but some people will. Alcohol has the power to loosen people up and has been classically renowned for celebrations and bringing people together. It's a symbol of merriment and rejoicing. Have you checked that your venue will allow people to bring in flasks of liquor?

Your question was, "What are people's reactions to a dry wedding reception?". You have three pages of people's reactions (and if this were a weekday, you'd have plenty more). You have a majority of people telling you that they would be disappointed, some people telling you they'd make the best of it, and a smattering of people telling you they'd be okay with it. Those are people's reactions. Why not just say thanks for answering the question?

The reason the tone of this thread is turning is because you don't like the majority opinion. If you were confident in your decision, you wouldn't have even asked the question (there would be no reason to because you have no intention of changing your plans anyway). You asked because you have this nagging feeling that your wedding will end early and your guests will be bored. The survey you just took here confirms your fears (just because you and your bridal party don't drink doesn't mean the entire guest list abstains). Secondly, you very clearly stated that your primary reason for not serving alcohol is budgetary. Then, as typically happens when someone says that, "we have alcoholics in our family" and "there will be children there, and it is inappropriate to drink around children" declarations soon follow. Those are merely moral justifications for a financial decision.

Like a lot of the ladies here, I find dry weddings to be slightly disappointing and a little stiff. I'd be gone shortly after dinner. That doesn't make me the wrong kind of guest. It makes me someone who has invested time and money to witness your ceremony, spend a few hours at your reception, sincerely congratulate you, and give you a nice gift. There's only so long one can sit at a dinner table, and plenty of people need a little encouragement to hit the dance floor. Would I stay longer if you were serving something to drink? Yes. When it comes to parties and big celebrations, that's human nature and all the moral indignation in the world isn't going to change that.

If you're going to do this, just do it. You even heard from one bride who had a dry wedding and she said people left early. She was fine with that and expected it. So, there you go. You have your answers. Bottom line? You can either continue to plan your dry wedding or you can start figuring out how to host a little alcohol. But whatever you do, please don't get defensive and make excuses when you don't like popular opinion.

Just have a dry wedding. No one here CARES what you serve at your wedding. The reason you are getting people's reactions to a dry wedding is because you ASKED for them. And then you became defensive and pissy at those reactions because you didn't like what you heard.

And NO a cash bar is not ok for a wedding - if you had spent any time actually reading threads here, you would know that.

I have, and it was ok. But no one really danced.

I've been to one dry wedding. It was a daytime wedding at a hotel. First, most of the friends of the bride and groom brought flasks and were pouring themselves drinks at the table. Also, very few people danced. Then, the wedding ended early and the bride, groom and all their friends met up afterwards at a bar to celebrate.

Its a hosting issue because you are assuming that since you don't drink, your guests won't mind not drinking. It's not about you. Brides kill me when they say "It's my day . it's about me". No it isn't, it's the first party you are throwing as husband and wife. It's for your guests, about your guests, period. Stop focusing on yourself and consider what would be most enjoyable for them.

I've been to a few that were only cash bar and 2 that had no alcohol (one for budget reasons, 1 because they're Mormon and don't drink). We will not be having alcohol at our wedding, but there is a bar downstairs if the few people who do drink want to drink. My fiancé hates drinking and I'm allergic to alcohol (more than a few sips usually leads to flushing, dizziness, stuffy nose, severe sleepiness, and vomiting). I don't understand the obsession with alcohol at weddings. If that's why you're there, you're there for the wrong reasons. My family doesn't drink and if I get alcohol, I'd be paying about $500-700 for about 6-7 beers. No way. Now that I think about it, I've never been to a wedding with an open bar. Only cash. I can enjoy myself without alcohol and would never expect a couple to go into debt over booze.

Nay - "Its a hosting issue and the issue is you are a bad host." So if the couple doesn't have free alcohol, they're a bad host? Is that what you're saying? If so, that's ridiculous.