Would you be offended? Limited Tab Bar

I have never went to wedding/fuction when I didn't bring cash. Do people honestly do that? I don't know anyone that does.

We were having open bar all night, but switch from a 50 person wedding to a 100 person wedding. Im thinking about drink tickets with the escort cards. Not sure yet. But not doing full open bar all night. No way...lol

Not at all this is what we did. We had open bar for coctail hour. then closed bar and only wine with dinner. Bar opened as soon as dinner was over.

We had 85 people and planned to cap our bar at $2000 (including coctail hour) We told our bartenders to tell DH and I when we were at $1,800 so we could decide if we would extend our limit another $250. If not we were going to have the emcee amounce that we were switching to cash bar in 30 min.

We ended up getting quite a bit of money from his sister the day before the wedding in cash, she said for any extra expenses she was givign us our gift early. So we kept the bar open all night and our total was $2,500 for 85 guests.

another thing you should really consider is saying NO shots, you will find your bar stays open much longer cause they are so fast a few people order a few rounds and theres $200.

Also talk to your venue about what they can and can't serve. We only offered domestic beer, and 2 premium choices. As well as domest

Drink tickets? I'm not sure I follow that. And I'm guilty of never carrying cash, ever.

As well as domestic rum, rye, vodka, scotch, gin (no premium stuff) no coolers. house wine only.

For us we were so glad we did, people were so generous with their cash gifts (which we didn't konw till after) im glad we could offer them open bar all night.

though looking at it ahead of time, it was good that we planned to do that.

Drink tickets TERRIBLE idea. one venue we looked at had those. The problem was you pre-pay for the drinks they included like 3 per person I think. But the thing is you have people that go home with those tickets in their pockets so no one drinks them and the venue makes money.

You are much much better capping the bar at a certain $ or certain time if you're concerend with money.

Ray_chull...you hand out like 3 drink tickets per person..or something..keeps it from going over budget and allows the guests to have their free drinks throughout the night rather then open bar for an hour.

Tickets- for example, each person would get three tokens/tickets with their invitation or at their place setting and would trade one for each drink. It caps how many total drinks you serve. If you can only afford 2 drinks per guest, you have 300 tickets and give each person 2. People can and will give others theirs but thats not a big deal since your costs are controlled.

ETA: I never carry cash either, I'm a plastic girl lol. But I also don't mind not drinking.

I would not be at all offended. If I'm attending a wedding it's because I want to celebrate and share the day with special people not get boozed up on their dime.

I don't like this ticket thing lol. It sounds worse than an all cash bar. Maybe I'm not in the loop haha. But I'm with you InLoveWithAValley. I don't mind not drinking if it comes to that.

You may also save $$ by nixing the champagne for the toast.

We did - the venue poured a glass of champagne for H and I but my guests toasted with whatever they were drinking.

That's what we're doing Spicydeene! Definitely a money saver for us. And everyone may toast with the champagne but few would finish off the glass.

I wouldn't be...but I'm not having an open bar...WAAAAY too expensive. We looked at even having an open bar just during cocktail hour...nope. We are doing keg beer, and then a cash bar (but, that is the "norm" around here anyway).

Agreed with carole...its more a geographical/cultural thing. where im from you just dont do cash bars. same thing with girft, its unacceptable to give anything other than money.

Same with me, my house has a full stocked bar and i dont drink it everyday or by myself. its when you have guests or an event its what you offer. i too have noticed weddings are done differently all over the country, it has nothing to do with expecting something for free

Wouldn't offend me at all! Then again, me and FH are not big drinkers. Like Rayy_Chull noted...it's a free meal for them. if I ended up having to shell out a few extra dollars for I drink a wouldn't mind.

@Future Mrs. C I with you. We're buying a keg and having a cash bar but that's the "norm" here too. :-)

Ray_Chull, now you got me thinking, out of curiosity what don't you like about a ticket system?

Tickets make things hard (both on the bartender and your guests) and don't really seem to lend themselves to a wedding atmosphere. If you choose to go that route, don't send with the invitation, people won't remember to bring them. Most people when they get dressed up don't carry cash, so they may leave early if it converts to a cash bar.

Limiting the time the bar is open will help control consumption. Most venues also require the bar to have last call at least 30 minutes prior to the end of the reception.

Have you spoken with your bartender and asked them how you may save a little money? Less options, less time, less expensive brands?

LOL - Vanessa, SO true. I was raised on Staten Island and the idea of a cash bar to New Yorkers (city) are grounds for expulsion from the family.

Hmm... good question lol I think the first thing is that I've never heard of it or seen it done so it doesn't make a lot of sense to me. I wouldn't want to keep up with tickets the whole night and it doesn't feel like a wedding thing... I would personally rather the hosts just cut the bar when they hit their consumption/dollar limit. The people that are there to celebrate with you won't leave simply because the free alcohol is gone.

Hate ticket idea. I know I already said it, but I hate it, and I think it's a bad idea. If everything else is cash bar, you'll have grannies and what not that don't drink that simply put their tickets away (not even give them to anyone) then you are giving your guests even less than you can afford.

Im into giving my guests what I can afford. If I can afford $2000 for drinks I want them to be able to use that, not my friend who has travelled to get her 2 drinks and no more cause grannie has pocketed her 2 drinks of tickets.

Another thing you might want to do is let certain people drink for free. ex. bridal party who have done so much for you. (regardless of yoru cap)

Amy I wouldn't be able to deal with $7 drinks and kids all night either.

A common thing around here instead of capping the bar is having a twoonie bar so every drink all night is $2 and the bride and groom pay the rest at the end of the night

I have been to a few weddings that had an open bar for the first 2 hours, and then it was a cash bar for the rest of the night. The couples let guests know ahead of time, so that they could be prepared. I didn't hear any complaints from any of the guests, and I wasn't offended at all. I have been to a few weddings where it was cash bar all night. The ones that prepared us for it and the drinks weren't outrageous, I didn't mind at all. But the ones where we weren't warned ahead of time, and the drinks were NFL football game expensive....I was a bit annoyed with. But, all in all, I say you do whatever you feel is best for your budget. Don't break the bank just to pay for your friends / family to party. I don't care what "etiquette" says. Finances are finances.