Weird gap between ceremony and reception

Yes, they are all in their 20’s. Not everyone is like you..
unforuntely. And if my guest love and know me. They won’t mind and will be happy to celebrate my day with me no matter what. I’m not throwing a reception for the gifts, It’s to celebrate my marriage

I care a lot about my guest, my wallet doesn’t. I’m not trying to go into debt for my wedding.

I’m on my 20s and I’ve never went to a wedding poorly dressed and empty handed. And I’ve always expected a full meal at the very least. And I had a 2 year engagement so I could give my guests the same courtesy I would expect as a guest. And I’m not going into debt. You’re planning above your means and pretending you’re not.

I’m sorry, but I disagree with you both. But thank you for your input

View Quoted Comment If you can't afford to provide alcohol, you can't afford favors. Your priorities are out of whack. You host your guests well first and foremost.

View Quoted Comment You can limit your bar to beer and wine and maybe one signature drink or mixed drink. Does your venue allow you to bring in your own alcohol? It's much less expensive to purchase your own and hire a bartender than go with a bar package. Some stores will also allow you to return unopened bottles. I know rules vary from place to place, but my venue doesn't even require a bartender if you aren't serving hard liquor (I'm having one anyway).

I never said anything about my favors coming first...

My venue requires that I have a liquor license to serve any kind of alcohol or else I would have a byob

View Quoted Comment Ok let me make this simple. Cash bars are rude, your guests shouldn't have to pay at your wedding.
Byob is rude AND irresponsible.

Again... to let me help you understand. I totally disagree.

View Quoted Comment A BYOB isn't really any different/better than a cash bar... it's still your guests paying fir their in drinks at the party meant to thank them for coming to witness your marriage (not thank them for their gifts, just to thank them for coming to your marriage ceremony).

I feel like we were headed in the right direction with the idea that since you were hosting a cocktail reception with drinks and apps, you were going to make sure the reception ended by 6 pm so it wouldn't be at dinner time. Now you've added oasta for dinner and you're extending the re onion back to 8pm. Why not consider putting the pasta money towards a beer and wine open bar for your cocktail style reception and keeping the time from 4-6pm? Alcohol for 2 hours won't be nearly as expensive as alcohol for 4 hours. Ask about a consumption bar.

That is a good idea and a good point, but I realized my fiancé really wants to have a fist dance with his mother and a more traditional wedding reception so we can put the expensive towards food so my guest can dance the night away and not faint

No no no, I have to pay for a vendor who has a liquor license. So I can’t just buy alcohol and server it to my guest. A cash bar only cost me $450 as oppose to an open bar will be in the thousands. So for me this works best and my guest have a choice to buy alcohol or not.

I've been to a wedding where there wasn't a cocktail hour and the bridal party disappeared for over an hour while they took pictures. Meanwhile the guest sat around and did nothing. When the bridal party returned the buffet and open bar opened. Too this day, 10 years later I still remember that wedding and long wait. Please do something to entertain your guests.

Got you, thank you m

View Quoted Comment But you we're oreviously asking about a cash vs open bar for a longer event. If you go back to the ideas to cut the reception so it ends before dinner time and ask your bartender vendor about the costs of a full open bar or consumption bar for just 2 hours, you should get an answer that it's less expensive than a full open bar for well over 2 hours.

If it’s not in your budget to properly host your guest then you should cut your guest list.

Wait a minute your guests can't afford a nice outfit to wear or a gift to bring but you expect them to pay for alcohol?

View Quoted Comment In my, albeit limited, experience, you can get a one day permit to serve alcohol for like $30 - 50, then hire a licensed bartender to serve. But I don't know your venue rules of course. If cash bar is your only choice, then there it is but if you can you should find a way not to pass these costs onto your guests.

Could you have games out? Maybe a photo booth? That might be a good distraction, you could even wait to serve alcohol and just have some fun drinks. Or maybe some kind of unique food station.