Open Bar Alternatives: Signature Drink or Drink Tickets?

Wine and beer and a sig drink. I'm so not into cash bars.

Almost everyone can find a wine or beer that they like. Most of your guests are not going to drink more than three drinks anyway many less.

How about MAN-hattans? Ha ha......Cape Codders?

Okay, I'm a cornflake, I know it.....Guys,,,,,Tea

I agree with Celia. Host wine, beer and signature drink. Dont forget some non-alcoholic drinks too. I think that will please everyone.

Not a lot of people come to weddings with cash. You could just do a sig drink and only have a 1/2 keg or key of beer depending on the amount of guest. And a limited amount of wine. Nothing wrong with limiting how much alcohol you serve. In fact you are making sure no one gets trashed and drives.

We are able to supply our own alcohol at our venue so we are buying a moderate amount of each liquor, some mixers and probably 1/2 a keg for 50 people - no wine because like you said, really expensive.

As I mentioned, beer and wine is not cheaper at our venue than liquor.

Per the vendor: "Soda is $2.00 Juice is $2.50 Beer ranges from $3.75-$4.75. Although we do have Guinness Beer at $6.00. Absolute $5.50 Captain Morgan $5.50 Goose is $6.00 Wine is $6.50-7.50 "

And while I agree that people don't bring cash to a wedding, and do NOT love the idea of a cash bar, remember that "cash bar" does not imply that guests cannot pay with a credit card.

I don't mind cash bars and always have money on me but out of those three... One or three (to do with what I drink I don't like mixed drinks or wine)

Yeah I think tickets can get tricky with people losing them and figuring out who gets tickets (i.e. not kids, or have the kids give theirs to their parents) and figuring out the best way to hand them out... if you can do some sort of limited open bar like the others said I think it will be easier

I attended a wedding where each guests tickets were on their table with their menu. We will not have more than 2 children at the wedding.

We found out from several of our vendors that not only do they accept CC but also most still come with cash... So I talked to a few friends and the same rang true. Our venue is a winery that allows us to bring in Beer and Liquor to cut costs and we can put a tab on the wine. But once our limit is reached we have to either make the wine a cash bar (they accept cc) and our guests can still get the beer and liquor free but if we shut off the wine apparently we have to shut off ALL alcohol. So we have just warned our guests that the wine is limited but the rest is good until gone pretty much.

Maybe i'm a bit slow here, it's still early for me, but the tickets will basically be the only option where they will be able to get drinks w/o having to pay for them right?

I think that's the best way to go. Having them at their table setting is a good way to pass them out and then have your DJ just make an announcement about it. The good thing about the tickets is you can limit your cost out of pocket, still proivde alcohol, and if they want more then they wouldn't have to really shell out that much more. But do the drink tickets really count for soda too? That's the thing that sucks.

I am struggling with this also...

Our venue will do a keg ($185) and we have the option to buy wine however they only have the small single person bottles ($3.50 a bottle at our cost). We will probably do the keg but wish there was a different wine option.

@M2H, although the venue charges for soda, we wont make guests use drink tickets for an soft drinks. That will be "open bar" either way. Otherwise, you have everything else correct!

We have a $$ amount limit for alcoholic drinks. Once reached, it will turn into a cash bar.

Since your wedding is in MA it is not unusual to have a cash bar.

Kyle, I chuckled when you reminded me that cash bar does not mean they can not use credit. lol Don't know why it made me laugh. But you are right, of course.

I like the idea of putting the tickets at the place settings; esp if you do not have a lot of kids to worry about. A cute note with them that explains what they are in a clever way would be cool. I think you have the right idea:

2-3 drink tix and then cash/cc bar.

Oh ok cool no charge for soda. Then definitely, for sure drink tickets would be the way i'd go.

Agreed! i think tickets are probably easiest. if shows your generous and hosting a lot of options...and those who REALLY want to party, they can do so

i like Lori's idea of providing them in a cute way, that'll help any critical guests. enjoy the cape cod wedding!!!!

How was that? I'm looking into providing tickets for signature drinks to try and prolong how long our venue lets us serve them since I don't want just beer and wine

Drink tickets just look like a carnival. It's going to look like a school fundraiser type deal. You'd have to be really cute as per the delivery of this.