Open Bar vs Cash Bar

I've been to some weddings that have an open bar for cocktail hour, then shut down open bar for liquor during dinner and only serve wine and beer at that time and then open it back up during the dancing. Could you maybe budget for that? Having the 3 hour open bar split between cocktail hour and the final 2 hours, and make a cut somewhere else to be able to have beer and wine during dinner time.

Also, what kind of alcohol does this package include? What tier of alcohol are we working with?

Is it for top-shelf/premium liquor? You could opt for well liquor instead.

Or, again, inquire about beer & wine only or a consumption bar.

Be careful with consumption bar, as others have suggested! You could end up hit with a higher bill than you ever dreamed of.

Personally, id want to know what I have to pay in advance, especially when budget is an issue.

Talk to your venue, what are your options? Cross cash bar out and never think of it again. How about well liquor, beer, and wine? Or beer and wine only? Etc. talk to the venue

As others have said, what about just doing wine and beer for open bar? Most people are fine with this, and at least have options to what will be free for them. I went to a wedding last year that was completely dry. Yep - no alcohol being served at all. Luckily there was a separate bar not related to the wedding that we could buy drinks, but as guests, it pissed us off.

Unless your guest list is just parents, siblings, and grandparents, you haven't cut back as far as you possibly could. There's definitely room to cut more, you just don't want to.

Do beer and wine, that's all you need. Don't make your guests shell out any more money for your event than they already are.

No cash bar! Make cuts within the guest list, florals, whatever you can to make sure your guests don't pay for their own drinks.

A cash bar is not generally a great idea. A cash bar with a minimum you need your guests to spend is much worse. Do not do that.

I think you should volunteer to pay the tab and do not charge your guests! See if they can ring up all the drinks and just pay for it. Consumption bar is the way to go here, and you'll be sure to meet the minimum anyway. Win/Win. And my sisters wedding was only 3 hours long and yes it was a consumption bar.

Yes. You have two options; cut the guest list or do wine and beer. Everyone can cut the guest list once you get beyone IMMEDIATE family; parents, step parents, siblings and SO's. You'll be flat out amazed how fast that list drops. That cousin you haven't talked to since 2015? You don't need to invite her. Your co workers? Nope. The friends you feel like you need to invite even though you don't even like them? Nope. Parents' next door neighbors? Nope.

Think about it logically; isn't it better to have JUST the people you actually love and treat them well? Or treat them badly so you can invite more people you kinda like.

Wine and beer is fine, but don't make them pay and don't change the plan in mid party. It's confusing to the guests and annoying to the bartenders.

Thank you for all your responses. I appreciate all the feedback. I do not want to do a cash bar but was looking for other suggestions and to see what others have done.