Welcome party

I do not think you need to buy liquor for a welcome party.

Personally, I'd cover whatever beverages you offer. So, if you can afford beer, wine & soft drinks, I'd choose that over options that might result in the guests needing to pay for their own beverages at an event you invited them to. I'm nearly certain you'll get some responses that say, "it's fine for guests to pay for themselves," but if you've decided to invite people to an event I think you should host that event. It can be on the more casual side -- a pizza, salad, wine & beer party -- that's a completely reasonable option. If it's too great an expense, I'd skip it.

View Quoted Comment We’re doing a destination wedding so the welcome party will be at a casual restaurant in the town, so our options are limited to what they offer unfortunately, so that’s my dilemma It’s a cute little fusion drink place. We’re mainly doing it so my family in Europe can meet my fiancé’s family and our friends and to just break the ice and get people mingling before the wedding.

If you want to limit the amount I would keep it to beer and maybe a red and white wine choice only.

View Quoted Comment Thank you!

I don’t think all drinks need to be covered

Depends on what’s normal for your friend group and family. For a lot of people, if you’re hosting you need to cover drinks too. Personally, I don’t don’t think you need to cover drinks. But if you choose to, I would pick the only offer limited menu of drinks. That way if people want to order something outside it, it’s clear they need to purchase themselves. Only welcome drink seems stingy, better not cover drinks at all. Only up to X amount can be confusing for guests. What if they arrive late and the limit is reached? How do they know when the limit is reached? They think their order is included but server gives them a bill? What if some hard drinkers deplete the amount too quickly? Is that fair for other guests? Having set and limited drink menu is easiest for guests to understand.

I dont think drinks need to be covered at all. You are being amazing enough to host a welcome party and giving them food and have a wedding the next day!
We are having a rehersal dinner, supplying the food but will not be paying for any alchohol. If anyone wants a drink they can pay for it themselves for a day

Our friends in a similar situation are covering everyone’s first drink - from there it’s the responsibility of the guests which I find to be fair.

View Quoted Comment Ok awesome, we’re covering all the food for the welcome event of course so when we got the suggestion from the planner on the limit for drinks that people usually set it for pricey very quickly. Thank you!

View Quoted Comment Thank you! Yea the wedding the next day is open bar so covering alcohol for two is really pricey but we didn’t want to look stingy.

View Quoted Comment Definitely does not make you look stingy at all! You are being more then generous

Hi there! We are doing a destination wedding too, so we are having a Welcome Party as well! I did not realize the expense of some of these pre wedding events when I initially put our budget together, so I totally understand where you're coming from.

We decided to host a Welcome Party and offer beer, wine, and a couple of passed appetizers for guests complimentary for the entire event. If you're on a budget, I'd keep it simple and would suggest offering one service complimentary and not the other. For example, just have beer and wine and make them complimentary, no food. Or just serve complimentary food, and offer a cash bar. As long as you state on the invitation "cash bar", most guests won't give it a second thought, and plan to pay without feeling like it's a burden. We decided to actually eliminate our rehearsal dinner entirely and just have little bit nicer Welcome Party for everyone due to the unanticipated expense, which is why we're having appetizers too.