Stock the bar party

There are some discussions on corkage fees. I think this can be to dissuade people from bringing their own booze but it may also cover insurance costs. These can be rather high prices. It depends on the venue what is required and whether people can bring their own alcoholic drinks. So you have to compare prices that you will have to pay with the overall price for drinks ... and check on the cost of hiring a bartender supplying all this.

View Quoted Comment There is a $500 soda and bar fee but we provide the alcohol so that is why I saying to have a party for everyone to bring alcohol for that bar service since we provide the alcohol. That way we don’t have to spend so much on providing the alcohol and the guest know that the alcohol at the wedding will be ones they like.

Honestly, whatever you feel comfortable with is what matters. If you're okay with it why does it matter what anyone else thinks? Like at my wedding we're still having an open bar option and neither myself or the groom drinks and we haven't for years. Lol. It's all about you and the groom, if you love the idea, go for it.

View Quoted Comment Thank you 😊

View Quoted Comment No problem. But it also depends like the person before me mentioned, what does the reception place allow? Breaking rules is one thing, but adding more money to the wedding just by doing something that isn't okay with whoever runs the place you're holding the reception. That's something to consider cause you definitely don't want yourselves kicked out of your own reception ya know?

View Quoted Comment The venues rules are they provide the bartenders we just supply the alcohol and mixers. We just have to pay the $500 fee

View Quoted Comment Well you're good then. Drink it uuuup.

View Quoted Comment Thank you 😂

View Quoted Comment

It seems okay for people to bring their own (or bring something to share). This is best if you don't have people flying into town. This is also good if people really do have their own preferences.

This sounds like a version of "Stock the Bar" where guests bring alcohol for the couples bar at home, not to stock the bar for the wedding as it will be completely random types of alcohol unless you tell them to only bring these types, which doesn't go over well. Plus you may not get enough for the wedding

There are stores where you can buy beer and wine in bulk and then return the bottles/cases that have been un-opened.

I think you actually may get too much random stock. One bottle of liquor or one 6-pack of beer is too much for that one person to consume. I also don't think you should worry about others' preference as they will consume anything you give them, from well to top shelf. Just try to have a variety- vodka, whisky, rum, mixers, water. Or you can go wine and beer only. Janet's suggestion is economical and ensures a non-random bar-- purchase all yourself and return the un-opened bottles (dependent on store policy). There are beverage calculators online.

It's fun to imagine the wedding bar, but logistically this may be hard having another party, storing beverages in your home for months, then worrying how to transport everything to the venue. You also don't want 5 bottles of low-grade vodka, but no soda water. Good luck.

I have heard of stock the bar parties but more so for a housewarming than a wedding. It's a fun idea to stock your home bar but for a wedding it may be tricky to do successfully. As others have mentioned people will be likely to bring their favorites and you can end up with a very random assortment ranging for low end to high end. Best of luck to you!

Agree with the others that this is more of a housewarming thing than a wedding thing. Guests are already coming and most are bringing you gifts. To ask them to open their wallets and provide alcohol will not go over well. This is just my opinion, but I personally would not go to said wedding or would ignore the request to BYOA.


If the option Janet suggested is still not manageable, I would suggest a dry wedding.

I'm not sure how this is really any different than a cash bar, as you're asking guests to purchase their alcohol for your event (and then expecting a wedding gift as well?). I personally find it tacky.

Anytime you’re passing the cost of the event on to your guests, it’s not great hosting. I would look for bulk purchases that might be cheaper.

Asking wedding guests to pay for anything for your wedding is very rude. Please don’t do this.