Wedding this weekend was a let down!

She may have been confused as to what the term means. I would think that beer and wine only would still be an open bar. That doesn't mean she was lying. Honestly, this seems a little mean spirited.

So, this wedding was a let down because your alcohol of choice wasn't there? Jeez. Sounds like a personal issue to me!

"Etiquette snobs" would say that your friend actually did it right--according to people who adhere to old school etiquette, guests shouldn't even have the option of paying for anything. I'm definitely not saying I agree with this, I'm just saying that's what some people (like on other boards devoted to etiquette) would say.

I definitely would never be annoyed with free beer and wine. I would, though, be annoyed at pretty much anyone who repeatedly bragged about some aspect of their wedding. Especially if it was misleading.

I agree that it was an 'limited open bar', 'open bar' to me means beer, wine AND liquor.

I went to several wedding this year that were huge let downs.

1 was a dry wedding with at least a quarter of the guests being children under the age of 5, the kids ran around like crazy and screamed. Half the adult guests that were parents of the kids, they either sat at their tables and ignored them or they chased them around making things worse, a quarter of the guests went out into the parking lot and drank from flasks and the rest crashed another wedding. FI's family were the ones drinking and crashing. -_-

Another was beautiful but the food was horrible; we all went out to eat afterward.

The 3rd was a big wedding of 175 guests, the bride and groom barely sat, we barely had time to even congratulate them and the times we went to dance, the floor was blocked off by people standing around watching that you couldn't get through no matter how many 'excuse me' and taps took place. We left early.

We are supplying beer and wine. Hard liquor will be available for people to purchase on their own if they want, since we need to use the venue's bar and bartenders anyway. Our venue gave us an option to provide a signature drink for cocktail hour, so we are thinking about it. I just hope there's enough! Lol

Nicole, yeah we're doing the same, with a his and hers cocktail and people can purchase their own cocktails if they're not satisfied. I know, the fear of running out is not good!

According to dictionary.com she had a open bar-

open bar

noun

a bar at a reception that serves drinks whose cost has been borne by the host, an admission charge, a sponsor, etc.: Before the banquet there will be an open bar from 5 to 7 p.m.

she served drinks where the host paid the cost.

she had what I and others I know would consider that to be a open bar.

sorry she got on your nerves, but doesn't sound to me like she did anything wrong.

Free alcohol is free alcohol. I still don't understand how beer/wine is a let down. I don't think I could even call it an inconvenience.

Not everyone is dictionary/etiquette savvy. She may have thought she was being forthcoming by saying open bar. If its that big of a deal that you felt let down you should talk to her about it. IMO it's trivial and not worth it.

LOL and if she'd had liquor available as an option, but not paid for people would be outraged that she dared have a cash bar, so really there is no way to win. Also, I don't really see how it was that big a deal aside from she told you open bar, so you expected free every kind of drink. Not really that big a deal that it should be what stood out the most.

I'm with Mrs. M on this one...I wasn't aware that the bar was the most important thing about a wedding? I realize that it helps but it shouldn't be the main thing. If that was the one thing that caused it to be such a "let down", maybe you shouldn't have attended the wedding at all.

As a guest at a wedding, I'm there to celebrate the people getting married. I'll drink what's offered and if they don't offer my alcoholic beverage of choice, I don't drink alcohol. I don't complain about free and I certainly don't talk crap about a friends' wedding that they worked so hard to plan, regardless of whether her definition of open bar is the same as mine.

Who cares? You were there to see her get married, not drink, right?

Not a big deal. Wine and beer cover most people.....and really, it's not about that, is it?

When we were choosing our package at our venue, we were given the options of a cash bar, wine and beer only, open bar (including liquor), and premium open bar (premium liquor). I haven't been to many weddings so that would have led me to believe that an "open bar" means there is liquor included not just beer and wine.

Some clarification from your friend would have been nice but even then, not really much you can do. For the record, I don't have anything against whatever kind of bar people choose to have lol

Hmm, I refer to our package as an open bar. Beer, wine and well drinks will be available for cocktail hour (part of the package) then we are switching to just beer and wine for the rest of the night. Our venue refers to it as a "soft bar."

It was probably an honest mistake on your friend's part. I can't imagine being upset about beer and wine. Then again, I love craft beer ... we are hosting three craft brews, one that is pretty strong and expensive.

We can only have beer and wine - our venue does not have a license for liquor. Now I'm afraid people might be disappointment too

@HopeRebecca, just to clarify, there's nothing wrong with just beer and wine, even though my preferred choice of beverage is a cocktail. What got to me is that she was running her mouth telling me she was having an open bar while I felt shittty because I am doing only beer and wine but I never called it open bar.

I kind of get that, but the title of your post isn't "my friend is a hypocrite" it is more "OMG I DIDNT GET LIQUOR AT MY FRIEND'S LAME WEDDING"

@Renee - my preference is always liquor too so I get a flask that my FH will keep on him for the night haha

Uh it's semantics. She may have thought open bar meant free alcohol; whatever kind. and that is what you got. Did she specifically tell you liquor would be on there? If so I can see your disappointment. But dude you got free booze..I really don't see the problem.

The point of the day anyways is to enjoy the union between your good friend and her spouse. Not what alcohol options are available. I'd be pissed if I were your friend about you complaining on the internet about no liquor..

Your friend thought open bar could be beer and wine..not liquor. You thought differently. Move on and cause yourself less stress.

To me, open bar means: my guests aren't paying for alcohol. I can understand how she thought an open bar was the right way to describe free beer and wine. I don't understand how the wedding was such a huge disappointment without liquor. One night without a cocktail isn't going to kill ya.