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Karilyn
Dedicated September 2018

Drink Tickets Logistics

Karilyn, on March 27, 2018 at 5:05 PM

Posted in Wedding Reception 230

Okay, first, I know how many of you feel about drink tickets and say it's rude. Please know we've pretty much made up our mind based on the details below but wanted feedback on a few logistics. It doesn't appear we have another option unless we had a dry wedding so do not try to talk us out of it (a...

Okay, first, I know how many of you feel about drink tickets and say it's rude. Please know we've pretty much made up our mind based on the details below but wanted feedback on a few logistics.
It doesn't appear we have another option unless we had a dry wedding so do not try to talk us out of it (a friend got married at the same place and it turned out her open bar tab was $10,000 for only a slightly higher guest count). And no, beer and wine only are not something we're interested in, nor much cheaper anyhow since they charge by the drink and house wine is $8/glass; even soda is $4/ea. I've been to plenty of weddings and never expected an open bar so maybe it depends on where you're from.


Now, the reception package already includes complimentary wine service with dinner and a champagne toast. We are currently thinking of giving 2 drink tickets per person to use as they please. We will have a beverage table with lemonade, iced tea, coffee, water. Our main questions are:

1. Do the tickets move hands pretty easily on their own? (I know 2 drinks seems low but we are hoping/assuming some will likely drink nothing and they'll get passed on to the heavier drinkers).

2. How do we distribute the tickets? Right now we're thinking to put them on/under the name card that gives them their table number as well. We'd prefer for the reception hall not to get a hold of them to avoid unnecessary overcharging and we don't want to leave on the table since we're only doing assigned tables, not seats.

3. How should we communicate the fact that some wine and champagne will already be offered in addition to their tickets? Just put a simple message under their name placard with the drink tickets?

4. For those who have attended an event or wedding with tickets, how was it overall?


This isn't fine-tuned, but just a rough idea..... "Below are your tickets to be used for two complimentary alcoholic drinks. You will also receive complimentary wine service with dinner and a champagne toast will occur later in the evening."

230 Comments

  • IGotTheD
    Dedicated April 2019
    IGotTheD ·
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    I'm sorry, can you explain what you mean? Nothing in my comment was a terrible idea, unless you're referencing the OP.
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  • firstoneat56
    Master August 2017
    firstoneat56 ·
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    Yes, thank you! There are lot's of options besides the terrible decision of cash car or drink tickets.

    1. Don't invite 150 people.

    2. Wait another year to save more money

    3. While I'm personally not a fan of beer and wine only, it's certainly fine and perfectly acceptable.

    4. Don't pick a venue that has ridiculous drink prices and policies.

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  • Mrsbdg
    Champion August 2017
    Mrsbdg ·
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    Really? I'm far from "super rich". We did a modified open bar for a five hours for our 65 guests for under $700. Why make guests jump through hoops for drinks?

    We were two grad students at the time we got married...
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  • P
    Devoted July 2018
    Precious Stone ·
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    I'm having an open bar for 8 hours because I can afford it.... but I will still tell you and FH to stick to that if that's what you can afford. No need going broke after a wedding, not good for beginning of a marriage. Your wedding is not a drinking bar for drunkers to get drunk. 4 drinks is enough. If you and FH are comfortable with it go ahead with it. If someone will turn down your invite because they are entitled to only 4 drinks, then they really don't deserve an invite.
    Ps: if you have an mc, let them take care of that. Goodluck and congratulations on your engagement.
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  • Karilyn
    Dedicated September 2018
    Karilyn ·
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    Thank you for breaking it down and being polite despite not agreeing. I had read some previous posts and some said it ended up being very seamless with the tickets exchanging hands pretty easily so I wondered if anyone seeing this had first hand experience as a guest.

    2. They would be attached to, or part of, their name card. Imagine something like this that stands up, and on the "inside" is the message and the tickets. (The tickets we are thinking of are actually gambling chips). https://www.vistaprint.sg/name-cards/folded?GP=03%2f27%2f2018+17%3a39%3a54&GPS=4939058687&GNF=0

    3. Good call I hadn't thought of that. Might be better to definitely go with the gambling chips then to add some weight so its noticeable.

    Fiance chose the venue and we did cut the guest list a bit. The venue's "beer and wine" package is $20/person per hour for the first hour (and then about $15/hour per person per hour after that). So for our amount of guests and how much they will be drinking, it really didn't make sense. They agreed it is mostly used for corporate events for ease of billing and estimates. We plan on offering signature drinks to steer guests towards since they are cheaper but everything is still "charged" per drink. Signature drinks range from $8-10 meanwhile call brand or premium brand cocktails are $10-12/ea. Our "family" (cousins, aunts, etc) have had several dry weddings so I guess having limited drinks doesn't seem too odd to me because I would never show up to a wedding expecting anything except water and at least an option to buy something if I wanted. After reading these boards, I know that is not the norm. Based on what everyone said we will likely be including soda for sure now since $4/ea won't make a huge dent.

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  • Baconater
    Dedicated April 2017
    Baconater ·
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    Why can't you do a consumption bar? That's where you run a tab and pay only for the drinks your guests actually consume. If you only have 60 drinking guests, that would be an affordable option.

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  • E
    Savvy June 2018
    Elyse ·
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    Wow... people are so harsh! I live in Canada and this would be completely acceptable. Typically here the bride and groom might subsidize the cost of drinks so guests pay $2/3 per drink and the couple covers the remainder. Maybe this is something you'd be able to do?

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  • Karilyn
    Dedicated September 2018
    Karilyn ·
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    At the prices, 65 guests with two glasses of wine would be about $1000. That's not offering any alcohol which many of our guests prefer whiskey (myself and fiance included). That would be closer to $1300. The venue we preferred, which you buy your own alcohol and they just serve it, was booked out for the four months we wanted.

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  • P
    Master April 2018
    Powers2 ·
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    OP

    I mean we couldn't afford to host the amount of people we wanted to invite. Our original guest list was 175. When we started pricing out venues, it was more than we could afford. So we wound up with a guest list of 135, and I believe we are going to wind up with about 110-112 guests.

    I am not sure why having a wedding out of your means seems to be an acceptable thought. Do you drive a car you can not afford? Do you live in a home in which you can not afford the monthly payment on? And these things-- a car, a home are needs. A wedding reception is only a party.


    Please rethink the drink tickets. If you can't afford an open bar now, push your wedding out one year or change you vision to match your budget.


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  • IGotTheD
    Dedicated April 2019
    IGotTheD ·
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    You could also limit it to beer, wine, and signature drinks. Don't offer other liquor options. Perfectly acceptable.

    I'm in NE Ohio, OP... I know dry weddings and tickets aren't the norm in our area 🙄.
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  • No
    Devoted September 2018
    No ·
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    I'm not super rich and when I host something especially a wedding, my guest never have to pay for anything. You're the host, don't host a party or event if you can't pay for it all. Potlucks are something entirely different, but a wedding? No.

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  • Baconater
    Dedicated April 2017
    Baconater ·
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    According to your venue's website, one glass of wine is $6 (house wine), so $12 for two glasses of wine x 65 guests is $780, not sure how you came up with your number.


    Your venue's catering menu also says, "bar sponsorship available" which means that you most likely could have a. consumption bar. So you could serve beer and wine for $5 or $6 for your guests all night.

    Let's say your reception is 4 hours plus a one hour cocktail hour. So let's say 2 drinks during cocktail hour, and then one drink every hour after that. That would be 6 drinks per guest. So $6 x 6drinks=$36 per guest. Therefore, a hosted bar of beer and wine would be $2340 at your venue for roughly 65 guests.

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  • Kiersten
    Expert February 2018
    Kiersten ·
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    Why not do an open bar with a cap on it? After xxxx dollar amount is spent, it turns into a cash bar? I've seen those done successfully.

    Also, where is it that 150 guest list is considered small?
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  • JNav
    Devoted September 2017
    JNav ·
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    Her ticket idea. i was agreeing with you


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  • Mrsbdg
    Champion August 2017
    Mrsbdg ·
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    Geez why pick a venue that forces you to act some type of way to your guests? I toured multiple venues that didn't allow alcohol. I didn't book them. Are there only like two venues in your state?

    I mean your goose is cooked if you are already signed with a venue that is so far out of your budget. Can you still cut your guest list down to a size you can actually afford?
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  • Karilyn
    Dedicated September 2018
    Karilyn ·
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    Yes, I realized this when I was reading through that I read what you said correctly but my mind went backwards when replying. When we asked for advice from the venue they said typically the costs don't vary much because if guests know they have a small window, they do try to "get it in" instead of just spreading it out over the night.

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  • Sarah
    Master June 2016
    Sarah ·
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    I’m a little confused. You’ve mentioned in multiple areas of this post that you don’t trust the venue. Why on earth did you sign a contract with a place you don’t trust?
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  • Mrsbdg
    Champion August 2017
    Mrsbdg ·
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    Not agreeing with OP at all but sometimes bars require a 20% service charge and sometimes state force an alcohol "vice" tax
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  • Baconater
    Dedicated April 2017
    Baconater ·
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    I understand that, but just trying show that it's not anywhere near 10K that OP had mentioned.

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  • Karilyn
    Dedicated September 2018
    Karilyn ·
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    I love you.Smiley heart Good call on the DJ too, they're very lively.

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