Brides that didn't do open bar?

We're not doing a bar at all any alcohol for that matter just a tun of soda and juice and water lol we have alcholics on both sides of our family.

I think you can tell people to load up on the cocktail hour, even. it sounds like your package is good though, honestly.
My venue allowed BYOB in addition to the wine they gave us so we bought our own alcohol. They didn't mind there's no open bar aha.

I am NOT having an open Bar.

People can get drunk on their own dime and time.

I an not assuming liability for adults that don’t know their limitations or that they have an Alcohol problem.

People hear “Wedding” and automatically think “Free 🥂🍷🥃🍻🍸🍹”.

We arw provifing White Wine for the toast and that will conclude the “free drinks” portion of the evening.

Are providing...

We did a full open bar, but we've been to bars that had a cap to their open bar or cash bar weddings. In my experience, as long as alcohol is served it's fine even if people have to pay for it. It obviously depends on the crowd though, we have a rowdy/fun/outgoing crowd so there is always dancing and laughing and talking in our group regardless of the event.

We aren't providing any alcohol at all. We put a note in the invites that it's BYOB because it's just too expensive to do any kind of bar for us. Luckily though our venue allows outside alcohol

We did open bar for 3 hours, then it goes to cash bar. We are having 48 people and it was $27pp

We're having a cash bar. Our package only includes water and iced tea so we have to pay for all other drinks. We might pay for champagne during cocktail hour (they only cover water -ugh-) so we have to pay for all drinks then anyways. Drinks are getting expensive and fast lol

We are doing a cash bar. I don't drink at all and Im not paying for guests to get drink.

We did an open bar because it was important to us to do so but due to my family’s beliefs I’ve been to quite a number of dry weddings or cash bar weddings.

If theres an open hour typically people hoard drink for that hour (or they binge drink or do shots). If they know it’ll be a cash bar they’ll typically bring a bag of nips or mini wines in their bags so they aren’t paying crazy bar prices.

If bags are monitored typically most people leave after cake cutting or dinner.

Our wedding is in March. We almost did an open bar but decided we'd rather spend a little extra on better food, instead. People say it's tacky to not have an open bar, but we're not loaded and we're paying for everything ourselves, so 🤷‍♀️

We're going to offer free soft drinks, champagne for the toasts, then 2 free drink tickets per guest. Our reception is only 3 hours max, so it's not too bad. So far everyone we've talked to thinks that's totally fine.

In my region, a cash bar is considered very rude. A dry wedding (though it might be hard to believe) is looked down on way less than having a cash bar. Guests usually expect that the couple will pay for all food and drinks and will get very miffed if they have to pay for anything.

As as we all know, many social circles and regions of the world are different and I am sure there is something in your wedding which will make you the exception to the rule, but I have yet to attend a wedding with a cash bar without hearing the guests gossip about it. If the bar will be switching to a cash bar after cocktail hour, you need to make your guests aware so they know to bring money. Be prepared for very drunk people during cocktail hour.

We are paying x amount towards the bar for it to be open and once it hits that limit (if it does) it becomes cash bar..

Honestly, I love how chill this discussion is. I say that because I have seen elsewhere the opinion of "your guests are already paying for gas and maybe lodging to be there so why make them pay for alcohol" in regards to cash bars.
Like another commenter already mentioned: I'm not paying for someone to get drunk. We wouldn't have invited the people we did if we didn't like them, but we are well aware that a select few of them would immediately get wasted if they had the opportunity.

View Quoted Comment Seriously, it's like politics. People flip out. I understand if it's a destination wedding, or most of your guests are out of town, etc. But it's all close friends/family who live near me, and I'm buying them all 3 alcoholic drinks, and free soft drinks all night. People always say traditionally it's your job to provide everything. Ya, but when that tradition started it wasn't $10 a drink and people weren't double fisting them for hours.

I am having an open bar because it is very important to my FH that we do one. However I have been to a number of wedding and in weddings and I think cash bar is better then one hour of open bar. Ppl will take a crazy amount of shots at one hour and stand around the bar. If ppl pay up front I just think ppl aren’t running to the bar. Do what you can afford. As long as you have good music 🎶 people will have a blast

I’ve never felt that alcohol was a necessary part of a wedding. We will be providing beer and wine, but I absolutely don’t think it’s necessary.

Dry wedding here. I agree with others: I’m not paying for other people to get drunk. I don’t drink and see no reason for alcohol at our wedding.

We just spoke to our now hired bartenders. They are doing an open bar beer and wine and two specialty drinks at 11$ a head for 5 hours and throwing in a free 30 minutes. They do sodas ice tea and lemonade bar.. coffee and hot tea.. they clean up everything and made special drinks for my wedding themed to it We have 95 people so I’m not gonna complain! Now I don’t have to worry about regular beverages, ice, and cups! And all that fun jazz they will take care of it all! Love having one less thing to deal with!

In my area its considered rude not to provide at least some drinks. People say, "well I don't drink, so..." but your guests may enjoy it, and receptions are for the guests somewhat. To me it's like respecting that someone is a vegetarian and providing an option a vegetarian would enjoy.

Most venues here don't allow shots, so it's not a problem. Also, people who don't have alcohol because of alcoholics on the guest lisy don't realize alcoholics will find a way to drink no matter what you do.