Open Bar.

That sounds fine to me! Alternately you could just serve wine and beer only, and not even offer liquor 🤷🏻‍♀️

I agree with Gen, nothing wrong with that at all! We're not even offering liquor, but we are providing beer & wine for our guests.

This is the new norm where I'm from. (Wine used to be cash.) I see no problem with it.

There shouldn’t be a problem with it, just make sure to check your venue rules and liquor license. Ours was beer and wine only or liquor bar only and cash bars weren’t an option without paying for an extra cashier bartender and liquor bars needed an extra security person so double check all those details in your venue contract! But both sound like a great fun option that your guests won’t have a problem with. Make sure to say it’s a cash bar on your wedding website or info card so people bring money with them.

I agree with Gen. You could just offer beer and wine only. Or maybe beer, wine, and a signature cocktail. I was at a wedding this past weekend that had open bar with beer, wine, and 2 signature cocktails (a his and a hers). It went over well with the guests.

It's really whatever you'd like to do. It's your wedding, your money, you call the shots. It's HARD to remember that though when you see what other people are doing or there is family pressure.

We are opting for a "cash bar" but we are picking up the whole tab. We are going to give instructions to have the venue let us know when we hit our given limit for cost and then ask if we want to set a new limit. Doing an open bar for us doesn't make sense since most of my side of the family won't drink and we'd be wasting money. This seems to be what works for us.

Sounds fine to me

Totally fine, and agreed with the others that you can just host beer and wine only without the liquor add-on.

I think it's fine and way better than a full cash bar or dry wedding.

I think it’s crazy for people to expect open bar. It costs so much! We are doing beer/wine but liquor is cash bar!

I think it’s a bad move for guests to complain about what you offer! Your idea sounds great! We haven’t made a liquor decision yet, but we were thinking only purchasing champagne for toasting, but the guests can purchase additional alcohol. I’ve never expected an “open bar” or any sort from a wedding I attended!

I think it's a great option - you get to provide alcohol and save money and guests who don't drink beer or wine would still have an option to purchase their drinks of choice.

I think that's totally fine and it's personal preference. Depending on if you're stocking the bar yourself and you're budget, you may also like the idea of just providing beer and wine at your wedding. My FH and I are doing a full open bar (that was one thing he wanted at our wedding for our guests), but are purchasing more liquor than beer and wine b/c we know when liquor is available for free, most guests won't go for beer and wine, lol.

That’s what we are doing. Wine and beer open. Cash for hard alcohol. Honestly it’s very expensive to do open bar with hard alcohol.

I don't think so!

It's the norm where I live to have offer only beer & wine and then have other liquors (or even other beers) available for purchase!

I think this is a great alternative to a full open or cash bar!

I’m ONLY doing beer and wine and a possible signature cocktail and when it runs out it runs out

Offer what you can afford and don't charge guests. Have nonalcoholic options available.