DIY or Self Serve cocktail hour/open bar

Yep, hire a bartender. For safety especially.

Hire a bartender. I promise that you'll make up for the cost in non-wasted alcohol.

Hire someone.

Yes - What they all have said. Hire a bartender.

I think it depends on how much your family/friends like to drink. If we didn't have alcohol at our wedding some of our friends may disown us (not really, but they wouldn't be too happy). If your friends/family are okay with no alcohol then I don't think it's the worst thing in the world!

As another note, my friends found a company a few years ago that hires out servers and bartenders for parties. Whenever they have any type of party at their house they hire a bartender (they have a bar in their basement) and it's really nice for them to be able to enjoy the party and not worry about serving their guests.

I agree with PPs. Hire someone. My father had a backyard wedding with tons of alcohol and no bartender. Things got sloppy.

You could set up something nice that's self served in nice containers verses just beer in coolers, presentation is everything. Have a relative host and handle the alcohol station. Forego it all together, our wedding is dry for many good reasons! As Jen said we don't drink and many of our friends and family do not either, so it would be more nondrinkers than drinkers and being that we don't need it to survive our wedding day, it's an expensive that we didn't have!

@MARY - so not only are you not feeding your vendors....you're having a DRY wedding? Nice.

ETA: spelling

Why am I not surprised that Mary thinks it's perfectly fine to have family work, to have a dry wedding, and to not feed her vendors?

Because the way you do anything is the way you do everything.

How many guests are we talking here?

Bartenders are not as expensive as you may think. I was about to get one recently for 200.00 for 5 hours. It saves time and a lot of headache.

50-65 guest mostly family. Close friends and a few coworkers

@MARY the money you're spending on those Coach bags, hair/make-up etc. for the BMs AND tuxes for the grooms that FH is paying for could actually go to hosting your guests properly.

@Celia, this is far from the truth, however some things aren't necessary and are indeed a waste of money so call it what you want!! @FurtureMrsMaidenName, that name is way too long for starters and your comment has got me rolling! lmao. And excuse me @GymRAt, vendors are not guest,further last I checked you can spend what YOU desire on what's important to YOU on YOUR wedding day!!lol

"More non drinkers than drinkers", so the drinkers on your guest mean nothing? I hope you make them aware of that fact when you invite them.

Ooooo ouch....my name is too long! Does anyone have some ointment for that burn?

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I had 30 guests and only about 18 were drinking. I had a table set up with glasses and openers and surrounded the area with vintage metal tubs that had beer/wine/soda/water. For me, this worked out. I didn't have hard alcohol but plenty of wine and beer choices, the time frame was short (all together the entire event was 3 hours), and it took place earlier in the day before heavy drinking starts typically. There was less of a party atmosphere and I knew my crowd. I think you just have to be careful. This worked for me, but I can easily see how it could go wrong. If you have ANY hesitations then just get the bartender.

Hire a bartender.

I would just hire the bartender.