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If it's too pricey for a full bar, try beer and wine. Or an open bar for the first two hours. Everyone loves an open bar - but they're not the ones paying for it.
Good luck.
You can also do beer, wine and maybe a "signature cocktail"
I was a wedding DJ for many years and heard many of the comments from the guests when it was a cash bar
Anything from
"With all of the expenses now we have to buy our own drinks"
to
"I didn't bring any cash,did you"
Now you can eliminate the champagne for the first toast, usually everyone has a drink by then
I can't tell you how many times I saw folks taking a sip and leaving the rest
agree...no cash bar. Either do a limited bar (beer only, or beer and wine, at least it's something) or do an open bar for 2 hours, like someone said, and then switch it to cash bar. You will also need to state something like that on the invites, or food choice card, so that people bring cash. I never have cash, so if I didn't know, I wouldn't be bringing it.
Do expect people to get a little p&ssy, if they have to pay for any drinks. Whether or not it's right or wrong to be mad at a cash-bar, many people will. You figure, every girl most likely buys a whole new outfit for the event with matching accessories, most of them make their men buy something new, they pay for a gift or give cash to the bridal couple on the wedding day, pay money for a bridal shower gift, and then chip in for the bachelor/bachelorette party.
I know that any wedding I ever went to, I spent more on the wedding than the dinner/drinks amount cost for my head and my date's.
People might feel with all that they put out for this person's special day, that they shouldn't have to pay for their drinks.
I would say no cash bar. I too find it kind of tacky. I just recently got married and we were going to go with no alcohol to keep the cost down. The place we found had a package with the open bar for the 4 hours and the difference in price was not that big so we did opt for that. But when it comes to wedding receptions, I just kind of feel it is tacky to expect the invited guests to have to pay for anything. The place we did the reception at had mandatory valet parking, they told us the guests would pay their own valet, we didn't even allow for that. We had arrangements with the location and valet to give us all the tickets and we'd cover them, but to not charge the invited guests.
A cash bar will likely irritate some guests, but what will REALLY **** people off is not having a bar at all! Dry wedding = torture for a lot of people, myself included.
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