Open Bar or Cash Limit

This would completely depend on your bar vendor. We did an open bar all night because we knew a consumption bar would be more expensive, we have heavy drinkers in our group.

I wouldn't do either. You could likely do open beer and wine for the entire event for the same price as a full open bar for 2 hours.

I would look into doing an open beer and wine bar all night long and cutting your budget elsewhere. Not offering liquor will save money as well as choosing a cheaper stationary option, not doing favors, etc.

I went to a wedding where it was open bar for 1 hour and then cash bar afterwards. As a result, everyone went crazy during the 1 hour when drinks were free. People were carrying trays of drinks to their table for the entire night so they didn't have to pay later. The bride said that totally backfired as their bill for the 1 hour was more than a whole night of open bar would have cost. Do open bar if you can.

Either scenario you’re going to have people double fisting drinks and getting drunk quicker to maximize their free drinks before they have to pay. I would do open beer and wine all night if possible.

I say do what is best for your budget and no worry about the guests. I feel that wine and beer is the cheapest option to serve all night and then liquor can be at a cost. If people really want liquor then they can pay but at least there is the option of beer and wine being a free libation. I have been to a few weddings that have done that. I like the 1 hour open bar but as PP's have said then people would go crazy that first hour and it will still cost you quite a bit. Maybe ask about doing a signature cocktail and guests can drink that as the liquor option and see if that is fairly cost effective??

I'm on board with most of the PP. i would ask to do open beer and wine the whole time.

Honestly, I don't think either option is going to be easy. I've been to wedding where there was a fully cash bar and hardly anyone had beer, wine or liquor. I've been to weddings where beer and wine was free and liquor was cash, and I've been to weddings where there was a full open bar. I think either options are going to have guests double fisting drinks trying to get as much in before it switches over to cash.

Is it an option for you, in your budget, to do a full bar for your guests for the entire night? If not, I personally agree with Meghan when she said to cut liquor out and just have a full beer and wine bar. Again, I think this all depends on who is supplying the alcohol.