Open bar... the norm?!

We are having beer and wine only..... Im in Indiana

To serve hard alcohol its a nightmare to get permits,....its just not worth it

From a smaller town in PA here. Our venue is allowing a cap for the bar at our reception, then once that is met it is a cash bar. I'd hate to pay $20+/person when hardly anyone on my side of the family drinks. I've been to fancier weddings where it was open bar but the family's budget was much higher than ours. I spoken to several of our guest and they're fine with this setup. They are aware of our financial situation and completely understand.

Open Bars are normal but where we are having our wedding the Open Bar is included in the price. ( We could cancel it for $10 less a person but we're not going to), some caterer's include it in their price as well. I don't expect there to be an open bar but obviously I enjoy an open bar way more, and personally I'm trying to create a type of wedding I would want to go to.

San Francisco area. I have never been to a cash bar wedding and only one dry wedding (there were very special circumstances for that one, but it was still awkward). I just don't get it; I wouldn't ask someone to dinner and expect them to buy a drink at my house. Why is it different if I'm giving the dinner at a larger venue?

Rural Iowa- out of all the receptions i have been to, only 1 was open. The rest have been cash bar. I always expect to pay for an alcoholic drink when Im at a reception. Im not at all appalled or offended that I have to pay a few bucks for one. Its not like Im not spending 50 bucks on drinks, maybe 10. Not a big deal to me. I guess thats just how my area is. We are having a cash bar.

View Quoted Comment I'm also in MT and I've never attended a wedding with full open bar. Max a signature cocktail that was free. I'm debating between a full cash bar and providing a keg or two. I don't drink beer so I'm not sure yet.

Only been to 1 cash bar wedding in over 40 years. I'm from the NW suburbs of Chicago. The cash bar wedding was in Wisconsin.

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This is why, as a Minnesota girl, I love Chicago and we mock Wisconsin. (Ducking tomatoes from Badgers)

Cash bars are never appropriate at weddings. If you cannot budget in a full open bar, budget for 'wine and beer only' but I wouldnt even offer a cash bar.

Located in Southern California, I’ve been to weddings in New York, Chicago, Colorado, and Southern California. All had open bar. Mine will be open bar, too. It is imperative for us for everyone to get hammered and have a blast at our wedding without reaching for their wallets! The max time we can have an open bar at my venue is 5 hours, so the last hour will be cash bar.

View Quoted Comment When hosts can't afford alcohol for their wedding, the solution is pretty simple-either wait until they can afford it, or cut the guest list. Their is no excuse for poor budgeting and poor planning.

There * on mobile and can't edit 😩

Open bar is typical. I’ve also attended a wedding where they did beer and wine and a signature drink!! I’ve been to 15 weddings all over the country and never once did any of them have a cash bar. Do what works for you and your budget!!

I have attended a lot of weddings, a lot! From all over the USA - California, Alabama, Texas, Georgia, Ohio, Massachusetts, Kentucky, and Montana. All have been an open bar. One wedding I attended here in California though was open bar until 9pm, from then until reception end at 11pm was cash bar. So only 2hrs cash bar. To me that was very odd. It is universally proper to host your guests and not make them pay for anything at the wedding. Meals, drinks, parking, etc.

All of the weddings I’ve been to in NJ and NY have been open bar.

Indiana here. Yes on the open bar, I have never seen a keg at a wedding ever.

Open bar or at least beer/wine bar are the norm here. If someone has a cash bar or a dry wedding it's always for a religious reason.

Its definitely the norm here in Pennsylvania unless its a religious couple and then there's no alcohol at all. Been to both and I enjoy the alcohol more. It really gets the party going for the reception.

I’m originally from the Chicago suburbs and now I live in Cleveland. People would not think twice about having an open bar.

View Quoted Comment Why do you feel as though an adumbance of alcohol is a necessity at a wedding?