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Our ceremony starts at 4 and should only last about 20 or 30 minutes.
My FI and I decided that we would open up the bar shortly after the ceremony ends (about 4:30) and offer free beer and house wines. At around 7pm the bar will become a cash bar. We wanted everyone to be able to have a couple of drinks with dinner, but we don't want anyone to take advantage of our hospitality (FI is in the navy, if that makes any sense). So, essentially we will be offering 2 1/2 hours of free beer and wine for our guests. What do you think of this plan?
I think that could work...what is your plan in terms of communicating that setup to your guests?
That would work. Another idea is something my cousin did, they gave everyone two drink tickets (little trinket type things, not actual tickets) valid for ANY type of drink.
I think we're going to have the DJ announce that the bar is open and will be hosted with beer and wine by the bride and groom until 7pm.
I am only having beer, wine and champagne.
If your bar is going to change to a cash bar at a certain time, having the DJ announce it would be a good idea.
Drink tickets are a good idea. What type of trinkets did your cousin use?
I think that sounds fine and having your DJ announce it to guests is a really good idea.
Bella13, I think that plan would work just fine. As long as your guests know that it will become a cash bar, it should go smoothly.
I think the suggestion with the tickets could work really well too - that would allow you to have some control over the cost.
I think she just used something coin like. I remember them being round, but not just the cheap paper tags. And I don't know if she provided them or if the reception site did.
if you are worried about people getting trashed, i would go the ticket/trinket route - that kinda limits each person. otherwise dj announcing is fine :)
We're doing something similar. We're doing free wine and beer to a certain monetary mark, offering a liquor cash bar the whole time. Once we hit that mark it will all turn into a cash bar. I think your idea is a good one. The drink ticket idea is good one too.
I don't think you need to make an announcement- its common to have an open bar only until people are seated for dinner. Many people will ask the bartender and word spreads quickly when free drinks are coming to an end. You could also place a couple bottles of wine on the table for your guests to enjoy during dinner.
I think you need to announce it or have the bartenders help spread the word. I was in a wedding and they didn't tell us that it was cashbar at the RD. They told us order whatever we liked/wanted and then changed it after the first round without telling us. We ended up having a really large bill. There was a groomsmen who ordered several rounds of shots at our table. It was very unpleasant.
Yeah, we'll definitely have him announce it so there isn't any confusion and/or complaints when it changes to cash bar.
Most of the weddings I've been to have either not had alcohol at all or have had a cash bar so I feel like 2.5 hrs of free beer and wine is a nice treat for our guests. If anyone complains about having to pay when it turns to a cash bar then they can leave :)
While it's a very hotly debated topic, it's also considered rude to ask/force guests to open their wallets at the reception for any reason. As a host, you should not offer anything you do not have the means to finance yourself. If that means you can only afford alcohol for 2 hrs, then alcohol will only be served for 2 hrs, period. No cash bar afterward. Contrary to popular belief, it is no different than if you were hosting party in your home. You don't charge guests to drink after you run out of what you paid for. The same rules apply, regardless of the venue. When the alcohol runs out that you purchased for the reception, then you switch over to all non-alcoholic options and no one opens their wallets. Otherwise you do risk offending guests.
I respectfully disagree Ember78. We're offering them free drinks for two and a half hours, which they will be fully aware of and can take advantage of during that time period. If they would like to continue drinking after 7pm that is their choice. We are not forcing them to open their wallets, it is their choice. Also, whenever friends of mine come over for a party they always pitch in or provide their own alcohol.
Would anyone be offended as a guest If I gave them free beer and wine during dinner?
I like your time limit bar. That could work really well if it's communicated smoothly. We're trying hard to cut costs on alcohol too, so our idea (so far, it's always changing) is to offer free beer & wine the whole night, with liquor being cash bar the whole time. But we'll start with x number of nicer wines and then switch to cheaper wines when that runs out.
Oh, and I wouldn't be offended if I were a guest and offered tickets for 2 drinks, or drinks for 2 1/2 hrs. That would be just fine, but then again, I come from the younger generation, and the group of low budget brides that completely understand your point of view.
I think it really depends on where you are. Where I am, I've never been to a cash bar wedding. I've attended ones in different areas, and no, I wasn't offended. The point of me being at a wedding is not to get trashed and drink for free...but that's how I think. I can say that I know people personally who have balked at the idea of a cash bar reception, but their motives are different. I think if you let people know beforehand (like maybe somehow include it on your website if you have one) then it'll be better. If people don't know in advance that at one point it will turn to cash bar, then I think you might get some snarky remarks. If you gave them fair warning, well then it's their choice to continue to drink.
I think the idea of a drink trinket is good. You might get some people who will try to get as much as they can in them while it's free so that they don't have to shell out the cash if they want to continue to drink.
I wouldn't be offended at all. I think it sounds like a great idea, I wish our venue would allow something like this actually!
@soonerpsych- we're definitely in the same younger generation/lower budget bride category :) I'm hoping my guests understand and appreciate that we're only 22 and we're paying for everything on our own!
We're having to save up big time just to be able to provide for a nice dinner and those 2.5hrs of free alcohol. Hopefully, we don't get anyone snarky!
Good point @hunnybear! I can totally see some of his navy buddies chugging beers while they're free! Oh gosh...!
@Bella....I have never personally been to a wedding reception that had a cash bar. Probably b/c most of my friends have been established and in their mid to late 20's when they tied the knot.
Having said that...I wouldn't make negative comments unless it was a surprise. On the flip side though...if you let people know in advance, you may very well end up spending just as much as you would for the whole evening since your guests may make a run for the bar in the 2.5 hours that it is an open bar (if your bill is based on consumption). I am thinking that the tickets would probably be the best way to go then your guests can decide if they want their "free"' drinks before, during, or after dinner.
I agree, @jamaica. Our bar bill is based on consumption so I'm a little worried about that too. I'm starting to lean towards the drink tickets/trinkets.
Should I have them handed out to guests over 21 as they come in?
I'd make sure that you put it on your website so that your guests are informed beforehand that the bar will become a cash bar after a certain point. I know that when I'm a guest at a wedding I'll only have a small amount of cash on me so people might just want to know. We're doing a similar thing - we'll have a set amount of cash behind the bar already and once that's gone it's gone. We made up "Drinks Tokens" in photoshop that said that if they presented it to the bar staff they'd get free drinks and then made a little asterisk star where the footnote said "At least until our money runs out!". Making a bit of a joke about it works for us and our slightly more informal wedding though so I don't know if that'll help you.
@Bella...are you doing a seating chart where the guests find their spot and seat themselves are will you have hostesses that will give guests their seating assignment? If you have hostesses, they can hand out the tickets as they give out seating assignments...otherwise you can maybe have it as an insert in the invitation?
We'll have a hostess that will tell the guests where they will be seated and ushers to take them there.
Would it be rude to have the hostess ask them if they would be drinking beer/wine? I know there are a lot of older people and people from my church that wont drink alcohol. If they aren't I don't see any point in giving them tickets b/c non-alcoholic drinks are included with dinner.
@Bella....I don't think it's rude at all. It will also cut down on the number of tickets guets get just to hand over to someone else =)
Aweseome! I'm going to try and find some cute little tickets/trinkets to use now :)
we are having a limited bar - just beer wine and prosecco - and a signature cocktail for the duration - when its gone its gone LOL
im not a huge fan of cash bar weddings, since i rarely have cash anymore, but if you tell them in advance, then sure go for it.
i think the only time i have been annoyed at a cash bar wedding is when they didnt tell you and theres no place to get cash and the place doesnt accept credit cards on site. THAT was annoying. .....
bottom line, do what you can pay for, and people wont complain :)
If I get them i'll make them black with white writing and I was thinking about adding
"courtesy of the bride and groom" at the bottom.
I think that it is a great idea! I would consider doing something like this, although my FI parents insist on paying for the alcohol. I have been to tons of weddings that have cash bars which work out fine. Not sure why people see the need to get wasted at weddings anyhow. I am on the same boat as you Bella, if someone doesn't like something at my wedding they can leave ;-) Plus you are treating your guests for 2.5 hours which is very considerate! =)
Those are very cute and I think those would work just fine. My cousin had all of them at each table setting before we got there. We still had to pay for soda so one of my other family members was going around to anyone who wouldn't be drinking and bought them their sodas so she could get a free drink.
We are having an open bar with just beer and wine. We pick 3 beers and 3 wines to offer and then just pay a set amount per person. Most people we know are happy with just beer and wine and if they really need something harder, well, there's a seedy bar right down the street!
Since I hate not knowing if a bar is open or cash, we've been spreading the word among our family and friends that it will be an open bar. We'll probably have the DJ make an announcement too since our carterer does close the bar during the dinner hour and only pop will be available then.
I think it will be just fine. The point is that you are treating your guests to a few cocktails and that should be all anyone expects. We are doing something similar: 2 hours of open bar plus wine service with dinner (so basically it will only be a cash bar for the last hour of the reception). I'm planning on posting the bar scheudle on my wedding website and on a nicely decorated sign by the bar. Do what you can and don't let anyone make you feel bad about your choice. I get so bugged with the automatic, negative knee-jerk reaction to this! Don't worry and good luck! Congrats on your wedding :)
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