Is it okay to not have an open bar?

If the weddings you have been to had a cash bar, then likely it is more acceptable in your region or among your friends and family. You already mentioned that you are making wine for the tables, so you would still be offering some type of adult drink. Where I come from everyone brings cash to a wedding - for drinks and/or tips to the bartender, dollar dance, etc.

I have never been to a wedding with a cash bar (Toronto area). Weddings around here are usually full open bar or beer/wine only. If I had to pay for drinks, I would be leaving pretty shortly after dinner. If we're giving you $100/PP, we expect a couple glasses of wine!

In Dallas tx I've never seen a cash bar, but most are beer / wine / signature drinks ... I think it's a regional thing because my bar package is a per person cost for unlimited drinks so it must be based on demand in the area. If it's acceptable where you are from no biggie down here I would have a bunch of very unhappy guests so wasn't an option for us

Is a limited bar an option (free beer, wine, soda)? That's what FH and I are doing. The bar at our venue is a fully stocked bar, and guests can pay for mixed drinks, but they can have all the beer, wine, and soda they want.

If it's regional than I live in BFE.. cash bar, open bar, I haven't been to many weddings, but all I have seen in my area are no bars! They are more of a serve yourself keg with bottles of champagne and wine on the tables. Of course I live in one of the poorest states in the country. I do agree that a cash bar is tacky. It may be tacky to have a serve-yourself bar, but I would prefer it to a cash bar.

Honestly, I would be so mortified and embarrassed if a guest I was hosting at my wedding had to get out their wallet to pay for a drink.

Just because something is regionally ok, doesn't make it less tacky.

I am disappointed when I get to a wedding and find a cash bar. I love me some alcohol. Just sayin'!

We decided from day one that we would be having a cash bar. There are too many heavy drinkers that would double fist the drinks just because and then drink only half of one before deciding they wanted to try something else. We know our family well and told them this from the beginning to which they replied that they understood and had no problem.

We will be providing both red and white wine but mixed drinks are up to them.

Of they only stay for the ceremony and then leave as soon as possible they shouldn't have been invited in the first place.

My wedding is not a place to go three sheets to the wind and make an ass of yourself, which most of the heavy drinkers we are inviting do. And if they want to it's not on my dime.

(edited for a spelling mistake)

I don't think there is anything wrong with not having an open bar, but quietly tell your guests before hand so that they don't think its an open bar. Of the options you listed above the one I have seen work the best is giving people drink tickets. Because some people wont drink at all, and if you get drink tickets then people can shuffle them around so that the people who don't drink or only want one drink will give theirs to the people who want to drink more than 2, and then people aren't as upset if they have to shell out for that last drink they want. Again though, I would just make sure that you quietly tell the guests who will care. (I.e. college friends, or that one uncle)

I'm having an open bar, but only for a limited time. I do think it's important to allow guests to have 1-2 glasses of wine/drinks with their meal, but I also don't want people getting drunk so the rest of the night will be cash bar. I'm with you Future Mrs. Johnson, this day is about celebrating our marriage not about making it easy for people to overindulge. If people are paying, they usually are more careful about consumption. I also don't think you should go into debt to get people drinks. Not every dinner party I attend has wine, and I would never dream of thinking my hosts ungracious because they didn't offer it. If they didn't offer food, now that's another story. Do what is in your budget. I also do agree with NotAllWhoWanderAreLost, letting people know in advance is a good idea so they can be prepared.

Some people find it tacky, others do not. I have been to plenty of cash bar weddings and it didn't bother me. Actually I disliked the open bar weddings more because people got wasted since they weren't paying for their alcohol. To me that is tacky to get completely drunk at a wedding.

We are not doing open bar. We have talked about offering wine at dinner, but other than that it will be cash bar. Nobody in either of our families will mind, that's what they are used to.

I don't understand the logic of having an open bar for just part of the night or 1-2 drink tickets. That is just going to make the people who want to get drunk slam drinks during that 1-2 hours, barter for tickets from people who don't drink, or somehow get creative.

A cash bar won't keep someone from getting drunk, has any one ever been to a bar? People pay to get hammered there. I won't mind at all when people get drunk at my wedding, hell, I'll probably get drunk at my wedding.

I agree with EMMY, I don't understand the ticket thing. I already see people BEGGING others for their tickets! And having it open for a limited time, they are just going to drink faster (causing them to get MORE wasted)!

Just curious... how many people think it's tacky to have a "serve-yourself" bar? Without any liquor, just beer, wine, and champagne?

No.

Unless you're having a rustic backyard wedding, then okay fine- no open bar. But even then, you should buy big huge tubs, fill them with ice and put beer in them.

I think it greatly depends on your guests. You know your guests.

I'm doing an open beer/wine/signature drink bar. We provide everything so we know what we are spending and won't go over that. We're doing this because our friends and family like alcohol with their events, as do we, and most are beer and wine lovers who can handle their alcohol. We're also making our signature drink (apple pie moonshine) and fbil is brewing most of the beer (he makes great craft beers!).

If you have to worry about drinkers getting plastered, your end of the night tab, ridiculous drunken drama, I say do what you gotta do. They may be adults in age, but if they can't handle drinking responsibly, too bad for them. I wouldn't want them drinking on my dime and ruining my night!

I've been to open weddings and dry. I've been to cash bar events. I just don't care. Open is great, cash is okay, and dry kinda sucks but it really wasn't a big deal to me

They now have inflatable buffets where you can fill them with ice and drinks. This one is in my theme, but they have all kinds on www.orientaltrading.com and they are only $10 each.

If you can't afford an open bar, you could always just have wine out on the tables and that will probably be enough. Maybe 3 bottles of wine for an 8-person table? That'd be plenty. Don't have a cash bar though - people won't like paying for their own drinks.

Angie, my beer is going to be serve yourself. im doing a kind of a beer garden type thing where the kegs are set up as draft beers just like you see at restaurants, only much prettier lol. so youll just go up and pour your own draft beer. the wine/champagne/liquor will be behind the bar and served by a bartender.

yes, everythings open bar. yes, people are going to get drunk. and yes, i want them to get drunk bc i want them to stay and have a good time. i dont want people leaving at 10:00 to go pregame for the bar.