Open Bar Question! - How long?

My caterer said they close the bar for 30 minutes while people are heading from the cocktail hour and into the reception. We're not doing it because my coordinator put her foot down on that one. She said that it doesn't work as well at our venue.

Why not just have beer and wine only all night? What you're suggesting is not appropriate and would likely confuse guests.

Just do beer and wine, possibly add a signature drink.

I like a drink with my food, I would be annoyed having to wait 30-60 minutes to get one, especially if they were available an hour ago.

Given the choices, I rather close the bar toward the end but the bar would not be fully utilize during dinner hours.

How many guests are you hosting? It seems weird that they charge per hours. Can you change it to another package like per consumption or per person?

Four hours includes the cocktail hour, I assume. Okay, the biggest bar rush is cocktail hour, so it's good that you're doing the open bar there. First hour -- 5:30 - 6:30. Then, the drinks will continue to flow until, I assume, around 7:30 when you'll likely serve dinner. Typically the bar is closed for dinner. Second hour -- 6:30 - 7:30. So, you still have two hours left. I don't know how much time you've scheduled for dinner, but let's say it's an hour. At 8:30, the bar opens again. You still have two hours of your four left. So, if my math is right, your bar should be closing at 10:30 for the night. The drinking slows considerably at the end of the night. Guests are worried about driving and have now begun to drink coffee. It is perfectly acceptable (customary, even) to close the bar 30 minutes prior to the conclusion of the reception, and honestly, even if it were an entire hour, I'd be thankful for the fact that you had an open bar for a majority of the evening.

Don't spend the extra $1K -- the morning after your wedding, you'll be glad you made that decision. By the way -- where were they going to put the other half hour? I'm still counting a dinner close and a last 30 minute close. Even if you kept the bar open until 11:00, where would the other half hour be added to the timeline?

I've seen venues close the bar during dinner. But, wine is usually placed on the table for dinner.

@HoneyLife and @Kayla I can definitely just do beer and wine instead. I thought some people would prefer the option of house spirits as well but I understand what you mean about guests being confused/annoyed with having to wait 30-60 mins. I appreciate the feedback.

If your crowd isn't all heavy drinkers you could instead do a 4000 cap. This would technically be open bar and they would refund you what ever is left over.

I will add: I have never been to a wedding that closed the bar during dinner,(the bar always had people lined up) , but some have closed 30-60 minutes before the reception ended.

It could be a regional thing though.

If you want a drink with dinner, you go to the bar and order one right before they serve dinner. It's done all the time. Maybe it's just a matter of how different families handle it, but the only types of bars my family hosts are full open bars, but those bars are always closed during dinner.

I think the OP has a great set-up, very normal, and Valerie, if you decide to do beer and wine instead, that's great. However, believe me, there will be plenty of guests (like me) who will so appreciate a signature cocktail option (I can't drink wine and I hate beer). If you would consider changing the option of house spirits to wine and beer to get an extra hour of the open bar, you really don't need to. You've got enough liquor with your current plan.

@The Centerpiece Flowers thank you for the feedback, I think I will also look into what it would cost to add a bottle of wine at the table during dinner, this may help solve my problem as well and not cost $1k!

Thanks again!

I'm having cocktail hours from 7-8 then bar will be close til 9:30 and be open the rest of the nite. It very well know that we close the bar during dinner. Everyone is different but it alway work out as a wedding planner myself never seen a problem. And when I mean close the bar I mean alcohol beverages only are not to be served.

I've been to many weddings where the bar was closed during dinner. I have a 5 hour open bar so with that the last hour wouldn't be open but when I asked the coordinator she said they would throw in the last hour for free since most people don't drink that much at the end anyway. Maybe ask if you can have the last hour by consumption since there will be less people and less drinking.

My reception was 5 hours but the venue only allowed 4 hours open bar so the bar closed for 45 minutes during dinner and then 15 minutes before the end of the reception.

Every wedding I've been to (except one) only opened the bar after dinner.

I have been to several weddings that closed the bar during dinner.

The weddings I have attended closed the bar during dinner, I didn't see or hear any of the other guests complaining about it amongst themselves. IMO I think it's okay to close it during dinner.

We are having ours open during cocktail hour, closed during dinner (venue closes it for 30 mins anyways while people walk from cocktail hour down to dinner) and then reopened for the rest of the night.