Open vs cash bar

We are doing open bar and just buying the liquor. My wedding is in September and we plan on buying a bottle or two every month. Also at the bridal shower instead of getting gifts we will ask for liquor. The wine is covered....14 bottles for $40 on Groupon red and white.

My bar manager gave me the idea to do a signature drink, a couple popular beers, and some dry/sweet wine as open and the rest cash.

We are doing a ticketing system. We are paying for everyones first two drinks and after that, they will have to do cash.

We did kinda half and half. We paid a portion of the bar tab up front and once it runs out, then it's a cash bar. We didnt feel like it was necessary to get other folks drunk on our special day, we would rather them be present and if they wanted to drink they would need to be responsible for that. Plus, our wedding is a sunday evening, most folks have to work the next day

Either a beer and wine bar or limited bar with one or two signature drinks only but definitely don't do a cash bar!

Cash bars are terribly rude. Just host beer and wine (no "cash for liquor purchases) or just don't serve alcohol if you'd rather go that route. Guests should not have to open their wallets at an event that is hosted properly

We are doing open for beer and wine only. Cocktails will be served for cash. It’s already expensive!

We don't have a lot of heavy drinkers between our family and friends so we're doing a Cash bar. We found it uneccessary to pay thousands more for an open bar and nobody really touched it.

We are doing open bar; it comes with our venue. It was never a discussion with us as we know our crowd; when we host parties in our home we provide an array of alcoholic beverages, so our wedding wouldn't be any different. Its a preference. We have been to various weddings with the array of options everyone has been suggesting. Beer and wine, cash bar after a certain amount of hours, full cash bar...makes no difference to me and I honestly am not going to judge what people can and cannot afford. You guys will come to a compromise and meet somewhere in the middle on what to do and it will be fine. Its your day and you can plan/host it however you both please to. Good luck!

We are splitting the difference. Free beer but cash cocktails!

Do whatever is in your budget. Grown adults should not be offended at all about having to pay for a couple drinks on a day that is not about them at all. A wedding is expensive & no one should feel like they NEED to have an open bar because people would judge them otherwise. We’re going to do hosted beer/wine up until a certain $ and cash bar for cocktails all night. This has been the situation at most of the weddings I’ve been to & I’ve never heard one complaint.

View Quoted Comment I am doing a cash bar. Not because we cannot afford to pay for the bar but because we don't drink. I wouldn't buy someone a drink in regular life, therefore I'm not paying for them to drink at my wedding. If you don't want to come or stay, that's fine with me. If they want drinks, they can pay.

View Quoted Comment I completely understand. I feel it's an extra, unnecessary expense. If folks want to drink, it will be available. We don't have a large drinking crowd.

I would love to do an open bar, I think it's a nice gesture to our guests, but FH is concerned about the heavy drinkers on his side of the family and insists on cash bar. (Also money since we are funding the wedding.) So right now we have settled on drink tickets and the rest is cash bar... Not super happy because I want it to be classy but money is money and we don't have a whole lot!

We're doing a cash bar. My fiance & I are paying for everything ourselves & simply cant afford it. Some of our guests can really drink so it might be for the best. 🤷🏾‍♀️

My hubby and I are doing 2 hours open bar and anything after that is cash. We have the venue for 5 hours! And we just can’t afford that at the moment. It might change later down the road , but I’ve always heard it can be tacky (cash bar) . But ultimately, do what YOU can afford. It’s not a good idea to go
over budget

We are having an open bar as well. We have to buy the alcohol through the hotel so we will be giving them a limit.
I will say, I had trouble with this too.
But, my best friend had a cash bar at her wedding and we probably had one beer a piece because everything was so overpriced...My theory is; it’s one day and it’s the biggest day of our lives. I want my family and friends to have a good time.

View Quoted Comment I will definitely have to see then with my venue. Thanks for the advice!

View Quoted Comment This is exactly how we feel on it. I don't think it's super rude to do a cash bar especially when they get cocktail hour and champagne. If they want any more alcohol after that, then it's available for them to pay for.

My fiancé and I are doing a cash bar, we where thinking about having an hour for an open bar, then we realized, we not only don’t have enough money for that, we are also responsible if anyone gets drunk from the open bar and breaks something or drives drunk, since we are technically considered the ones “who bought the drinks”. With a cash bar, we are not responsible for it, the guest who bought their drink is responsible for their actions while drinking and if something happens while they are drinking, then that is on them and not us. It is up to you and your fiancé, it might be tacky, but if you are having a large wedding or if you have some of your guests who like to drink, then a cash bar will be better, because with an open bar, it is easy for the couple to drop at least $5,000/$10,000 on the open bar. Plus remember you and your fiancé are responsible for those who get drunk and break something or if they drive drunk after leaving the wedding from having an open bar.