Weddingbee boards

Hello Philly bees!

I'm a long-time lurker, and am coming out of the shadows to ask a very important question. At least it's very important to those of us with guests who like their booze!

I'm in love with the Mask and Wig club for a venue. Their prices are very reasonable and they let you choose your own caterer, which is a must for me. Downside: they don't let you bring your own booze, but even more importantly, they don't charge an open-bar price. They charge an alcoholic drink deposit of $35/guest, but that's JUST a deposit: they tally up all the guests' drinks at the end of the night and charge you a retail price on each glass of wine, bottle of Walt Whit, etc.

Has anyone either dealt with the Mask and Wig, or any other venue where you're charged per drink your guests consume? We'll have a good mix of non- and light-drinkers to hopefully balance out those who will partake on the heavier side, but I know our 20-something friends and family can do a lot of damage at an open bar (as they should!), and I don't want to spend my reception dreading the bar tab at the end of the night.

Do I just bite the bullet and choose the cheapest wine and beer selections and pray that the teetotalers make up for our boozy buddies? Have any of you had a nasty surprise when presented with the bar tab at the end of your reception?

Just looking for any words of wisdom!