Timing of beer/wine bar and host bar....not sure what to do.

Maybe just do wine and beer all night, then late night add a liquor and coffee bar.

I would honestly figure out if you can afford to host all night. Typically they charge x amount for well drinks x amount for premium liquor and so forth. Ask them how much they charge per beverage, then estimate that each person can have two drinks for the first hour and one drink an hour after that. So if they charge $4 per drink and you're having 200 guests, a consumption bar will run you about 4k for 4 hours.

Whatever you do, don't have any cash bar. It's seen as very rude. At the very least you need to have wine and beer available all night. Better that than having a full bar but cutting it off.

Dont make your guests pay for drinks after having free drinks at first. I'd be irritated especially if I didn't have any cash on ne

Have the bar for cocktail hour and then close it during dinner. People can double fist. Once dancing starts, open the bar back up.

I agree with pp, just keep it wine & beer and keep it open. People who are driving might not drink until the end, but I could see quite a few of my guests taking a drink to their room (venue is a hotel).

Celia's right. Host the bar for the entirety of the event. Front load the higher quality liquor to get your money's worth (people do tend to drink more earlier in the event and taper off after dinner). It's absolutely true -- changing the bar when you've reached you cap (whenever that might be) is confusing and memorable to your guests. The topic of conversation, at whatever point, will be, "It's a cash bar, now." To that, someone will reply, "What? Are you sure? What's going on?" Your bar, something you intended to host, will be a subject of conversation. What your guests will remember is that it changed, midstream. What you want them to remember is that you hosted the bar. Seriously, people do significantly slow down after dinner. I'd suggest you host the bar all night. If necessary, talk to your venue about pulling out well liquor for the last hour. For those who have been drinking, they won't notice the lower quality (cheaper) liquor. For those who haven't been drinking, it's unlikely that they'll be visiting the bar in the last two hours.

No to cash bar. Yes to you hosting beer and wine for the whole wedding.