Open bar: Worth it?

My friend is having an open bar for cocktail hour, dinner and speeches. Then at 8PM when the dance is underway she changes to a toonie bar ($2/drink). That way you pay for guests to drink during the actual wedding part, but if they want to get hammered they will help cover the cost.

We're doing a limited open bar. We will buy what we can afford which is looking like its gonna be beer, stuff to make 2 signature drinks, stuff to make sangria in dispensers, a couple bottles of bourbon and maybe some moonshine. Once it's gone, it's gone. Our wedding is going to be really laid back and for the most part all of the party people will be staying on site in a cabin so I'm sure there will be some BYOB situations as well. If you honestly can't afford an open bar then there's nothing wrong with a cash bar as long as your guests know in advance. I would rather have the option to buy my own drink than no drink at all!

Nope! I've known too many people in the industry that said they would NEVER do that since they caterers deliberately do things like open extra bottles and such so your bill goes up.

too many people get stuck with a bill way above what they expected !

Nope we are doing limited. I dont have an unlimited wallet. Besides if I hosted a party anywhere else people would have just what was there and I never went to someones party and complained I could only have a couple of drinks. However in the case of the wedding if people make a choice of their own free will to purchase after the limit is made thats solely up to them. They are grown adults if they want to pay to drink more all power to ya.