Hosted bar then cash bar....

View Quoted Comment Not a carnival 😂😂 you are correct! No to that 😂

You will always find people who think it is rude to have a cash bar, you will find people who find it rude to have an event without alcohol. In life we all have to do what we think is right and that is based upon past experience. In this world some areas only have cash bars, others have full open bars, others only like beer and wine. Only you can decide what is best for you. Personally $7000 for alcohol is crazy. If you decide to use tickets (millions of ways to dress this up), consumption (I saw where you said it wasn't an option), full bar, or cash it truly is up to you. You need to know your audience and what is customary for the area you are at. You also have to take into account your budget also. Furthermore, your alcohol budget should not be affected by overages in other areas as you should have had a set budget for each area. If you made the choice to go over in a specific area then you should have made a plan as to how you were going to cover that overage without taking from other areas that had not been finalized yet.

It sounds like a consumption bar will be best.

I wish i could find a venue in Rhode Island where the price per person covers food + alcohol. Right now my guest list is between 175-205 .. with the plates being 120/pp and the hosted bar being 22pp for the first hour and a half and then 12pp for every hour after it’s tough so I understand why it’s stressing you out

View Quoted Comment Thank you, it's nice to hear someone that can relate! It is super stressful.

I think whether a cash bar is 'tacky' or not really depends on your region. I have not been to a single wedding that had a full open bar and only to one that offerred some beverages as an open bar. I will not be doing an open bar because it is simply not an option financially. This is the beginning of your new life, do what is best for you and your fh

I think the idea to do a consumption bar by opening a tab at the beginning of the night and telling the bartender you're covering everything sounds good.

If you're curious about a guests' perspective on an open bar during cocktail hour and cash bar the rest of the night, I've been to a couple weddings that did something like this. Having experienced it, it's confusing. One wedding I went to had a signature drink provided by the couple (margaritas), and other drinks were cash bar. The margaritas were pre-mixed, and once the margarita supply was gone, there were no more free drinks. It was nerve-wracking going up to the bar not knowing if there would be margaritas left. Another wedding I attended offered three signature drinks for free, but again, it was a limited supply of each drink and then anything else at the bar was cash bar. The free drinks went really quickly. By the end of cocktail hour, there were only a few drinks left, of only one of the three free mixed drinks. My DH was a GM for that wedding and he never even had a chance to get just one free drink. It was so annoying that free drinks were only available for such a limited amount of time. As a guest, it's embarrassing to walk up to the bar and ask for a drink and be told they're out, and then be asked for payment when the last time you asked for a drink, you weren't charged. I like to refer to this kind of scenario (where some drinks are free and others aren't or a bar starts out as open bar and then changes to cash bar only are a set time) as a bait and switch bar. It establishes a pattern for your guests were they think it's great and they're being hosted. For ladies, this might mean they think they don't need to bother bringing their purse up to the bar. Then, it's a shock to any guest that suddenly, they're being told it's now $10 for a drink.

Is it too late to cut out other things? We cut out fancy photography and went with a basic photographer off of thumbtack for 3 hours only so we could afford open bar. (photography around here runs about $4000. We saved $3200.) We would have cut out photography all together if we had to. We also cut favors and programs and bought our invites on a Groupon. We pretty much cheaped out on the things that didn't affect guest experience to be able to afford the things that guests really care about. (good food and booze) We did a consumption bar, which is the best option when you don't think you'll have a lot of big drinkers and the set price for open bar is too high.

Am doing only 1 hour hosted then cash bar all night do it don't listen to whay others say. There is nothing wrong with it I been to plenty of weddings here in the Boston area where I am from and no one complains

I think the idea of one hour of a hosted bar followed by a cash bar is confusing... as a guest, I would almost prefer to just have a cash bar all the way (with proper advance notice) just to not be confused.
I certainly understand that open bars (especially full open bars) are outrageously expensive... at my venue, a full open bar for the reception is more money per person than the meals themselves... And I know that less than 25% of my guests would have more than a single glass of wine even if I did offer a full open bar.
The consumption bar idea that others have discussed is genius. Perhaps you could ask your venue for their pricing, so you can estimate how much it could cost and what the break even point-in numbers of drinks- would be between this option and the $7000 open beer and wine bar.

We are having a cash bar because we are having to pay for the majority of the wedding, if people have a problem with it then they can help pay for the open bar (: that’s just my opinion. I dont see anything wrong with a cash bar, if they want to drink they will pay for it. Soda and water is a different story but guests can pay for their own alcohol if they want it.

My two cents worth: I'm stunned by the number of comments that are more of an attack on this poor girl. Haleigh, do what YOU feel most comfortable with. Every single wedding that I have EVER attended, was a cash bar. I don't find it tacky or rude. Despite what some think, times have changed greatly. A cash bar helps guests moderate their own consumption. In my opinion, an open bar is just a disaster going to someplace to happen. Hope you have a WONDERFUL and memorable wedding!

View Quoted Comment Thank you! You are too sweet!

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You are so welcome, sweetie. We had an absolutely beautiful wedding for my daughter and my son-in-law's parents did a hosted cocktail hour while we did photographs. Once the reception got underway, a cash bar was available and NO ONE had an issue with it. Go with what your heart says. At the end of it all, the goal is to be married and have amazing memories.

For our wedding in September we are likely hosting beer and wine either until a predetermined amount has been reached, or through a certain time (IE dinner). Hard liquor and beer/wine beyond the hosted amount will be available for purchase, and I don't care if people think it's tacky. A. liquor costs can add up really quickly B. my mom is an alcoholic (she won't be attending), so booze is a touchy subject for my family and a few of my relatives don't drink. I don't expect any guests to drink too much, but I don't like the expectation of free unlimited alcohol at a wedding. If you need free booze to have a good time, that's on you.

We had the same concern! Our venue has a full bar and they are allowing us to put $1,000 towards beer and wine for the night. Once that has been hit it turns to a cash bar and if our guests want a mixed drink they purchase it. We have a tight budget and I feel this gives us the best of both worlds. The $1,000 should last all night for beer and wine since a lot of our guests will not drink.

I don’t think it is an issue as long as your guests are made aware.

I love it. My fiance and I are doing the same thing we're getting married August of 2025. And started planning our wedding last year.