Who’s having just wine at the wedding?

People can get just as drunk off wine as with anything else. Alcohol is alcohol. If your reasoning for just serving wine is not wanting people to be drunk, you should either definetely have a bartender all night as they know when to cut people off or have a dry wedding. I would consider adding beer as well, since people usually (not always) either prefer wine or beer.

I think it’s pretty common to limit the bar to just beer and wine. I’d suggest that route. Only wine is pretty limiting but most people will drink one or the other.

View Quoted Comment Me and my SO agreed on just wine we just didn’t know how long we should have a bartender for

You should have the bartender the whole time. People won’t stop drinking after dinner.

I definitely wouldn’t base peoples’ level of intoxication or chance of vomiting on the type of alcohol you serve. People can get just as drunk and sick (myself, even more so!) on wine.
As far as a bartender goes, check with your venue. If your venue requires a licensed bartender to serve all alcoholic beverages, then you will definitely need to hire a bartender for the whole evening. If it is not in your contract that you are required to have a licensed bartender serve, then it is up to you how long you have one for. However, if you don’t have a bartender for the entire evening, who is going to serve the beverages after dinner?

View Quoted Comment I was thinking of having a bartender from 4:30pm - 8:30 pm and then after that no alcohol will be served at all just regular beverages. Obviously if the bartender left I wouldn’t serve anymore.

I think you should have the bartender all night, or at least until 9pm. You can have the DJ announce when the bar is closing. Some guests might want that second glass of wine after dinner is already cleaned up.

View Quoted Comment Well how could they drink if they don’t have the alcohol and the bartender leaves

View Quoted Comment That’s what I was thinking .. dinner starts at 5:45 so do you think the bartender leaving at 8:30 gives them enough time ?

View Quoted Comment I guess it kind of depends on the vibe you want for your wedding. I’ve found that wine usually makes for a quiet evening and tired guests. If you fill their bellies and serve them wine, then cut off the alcohol, you will probably be looking at an empty dance floor and people leaving early. But, if you aren’t looking for the dancing/party vibe, and prefer a quiet laid-back evening, then that could work.

View Quoted Comment Maybe I’ll take with my SO about having beer too.. definitely don’t want anyone to have a boring night.

Oops I meant to say talk** lol

View Quoted Comment I don’t think it would necessarily be a boring night. I’m sure your guests would have an enjoyable time. It’s just likely not going to be a super upbeat party vibe. It depends a lot on your guests though, also! I know if we served wine only, it would be a much more laid-back vibe with our guests. Most of our friends and family aren’t going to be dancing the night away without the aid of liquor 😆

View Quoted Comment I guess you’re right, but then I wouldn’t expect people to stay long after that. This could depend on your crowd I guess, but if we went to a wedding where the bar shut down immediately after dinner, most of our crowd would leave early.

View Quoted Comment I think 90% of the crowd is family lol .. I’m thinking of maybe pushing it until 9pm and then our wedding ends at 10pm so a bartender from 4:30- 9 and our wedding is 4-10

View Quoted Comment Sure, but I agree with the other Sarah that after the bar closes, people start to leave.

View Quoted Comment I just spoke with a bartender! We would have the bartender from 4:30-9:30 ... Which means 30 minutes before the wedding we will stop serving alcoholic beverages which is fine with me!

View Quoted Comment Perfect! That gives people the hint that it's time to wind it down.

I know you agreed on just wine, my question is do all your guests also drink wine? Just a thought. I know in my group very few drink wine and the rest drink beer, so just wine would go to waste (Not saying that is the case at all with your group).

You can also have the DJ/MC/Appointed person to give a last call before the bartender leaves. That way everyone knows the wedding is winding down

View Quoted Comment No not all of them drink wine ... some of my fiancé’s side get wild when they drink so we were thinking just having the option of wine would possibly keep that craziness at bay? I’m not sure to be honest we are still kind of thinking about it!