"How to Tell Guests About a Cash Bar" WB Thread

mrs4everhart

I'm just curious - I think it's well accepted that cash bars are icky - but y'all seriously wouldn't want to know ahead of time? We always have actual cash on us (versus credit cards, etc.) so these types of things never sneak up on us. But wouldn't it be more annoying to assume you're going to a function that has an open bar only to find out it's not then not have any cash on you?

larrygaga

STBMrsEverhart said:

I'm just curious - I think it's well accepted that cash bars are icky - but y'all seriously wouldn't want to know ahead of time? We always have actual cash on us (versus credit cards, etc.) so these types of things never sneak up on us. But wouldn't it be more annoying to assume you're going to a function that has an open bar only to find out it's not then not have any cash on you?

No I agree with you. If they are going to be that rude they might as well warn us on their tacky invites.

LDay2014

larrygaga said:

STBMrsEverhart said:

I'm just curious - I think it's well accepted that cash bars are icky - but y'all seriously wouldn't want to know ahead of time? We always have actual cash on us (versus credit cards, etc.) so these types of things never sneak up on us. But wouldn't it be more annoying to assume you're going to a function that has an open bar only to find out it's not then not have any cash on you?

No I agree with you. If they are going to be that rude they might as well warn us on their tacky invites.

oh my god...kinda like a PPD! 

I wonder if you could have a cash bar but convince your guests that it wasn't actually rude because that was your truth.

mrs4everhart

LDay2014 said:

larrygaga said:

STBMrsEverhart said:

I'm just curious - I think it's well accepted that cash bars are icky - but y'all seriously wouldn't want to know ahead of time? We always have actual cash on us (versus credit cards, etc.) so these types of things never sneak up on us. But wouldn't it be more annoying to assume you're going to a function that has an open bar only to find out it's not then not have any cash on you?

No I agree with you. If they are going to be that rude they might as well warn us on their tacky invites.

oh my god...kinda like a PPD! 

I wonder if you could have a cash bar but convince your guests that it wasn't actually rude because that was your truth.

What a great, money saving idea! I wish I had thought of it first! I'm going to sit down and figure out how to make that happen!

Simply Fated

STBMrsEverhart said:

I'm just curious - I think it's well accepted that cash bars are icky - but y'all seriously wouldn't want to know ahead of time? We always have actual cash on us (versus credit cards, etc.) so these types of things never sneak up on us. But wouldn't it be more annoying to assume you're going to a function that has an open bar only to find out it's not then not have any cash on you?

Yes, I do think guests should be well informed beforehand.

JCbride2015

STBMrsEverhart said:

I'm just curious - I think it's well accepted that cash bars are icky - but y'all seriously wouldn't want to know ahead of time? We always have actual cash on us (versus credit cards, etc.) so these types of things never sneak up on us. But wouldn't it be more annoying to assume you're going to a function that has an open bar only to find out it's not then not have any cash on you?

Yeah, if there was already going to be a cash bar, I guess I'd want to know.

But the whole point is that if this wedding hasn't happened yet, this bride should be told what she's doing is icky.  There's always the off chance she would reconsider.

MobKaz

JCbride2015 said:

STBMrsEverhart said:

I'm just curious - I think it's well accepted that cash bars are icky - but y'all seriously wouldn't want to know ahead of time? We always have actual cash on us (versus credit cards, etc.) so these types of things never sneak up on us. But wouldn't it be more annoying to assume you're going to a function that has an open bar only to find out it's not then not have any cash on you?

Yeah, if there was already going to be a cash bar, I guess I'd want to know.

But the whole point is that if this wedding hasn't happened yet, this bride should be told what she's doing is icky.  There's always the off chance she would reconsider.

A decent person would do that.

OnceUponAVine

I have to admit if the bride & groom/who ever is hosting is dead set on having a cash bar "available" instead of either hosting a wine & beer wedding or a dry wedding then yes, I want to know before hand so that I can either A) decline the invite if they're not family or a close friend or plan to bring cash with me.

AlexisA01

larrygaga said:

STBMrsEverhart said:

I'm just curious - I think it's well accepted that cash bars are icky - but y'all seriously wouldn't want to know ahead of time? We always have actual cash on us (versus credit cards, etc.) so these types of things never sneak up on us. But wouldn't it be more annoying to assume you're going to a function that has an open bar only to find out it's not then not have any cash on you?

No I agree with you. If they are going to be that rude they might as well warn us on their tacky invites..

SINTB

I attended a wedding once where it was cash bar. I rolled my eyes and attended with my FI who was boyfriend at the time. We were more annoyed by the fact they got this idea off of pininterest to make the bar a change bar. Beer and wine were 5 cents and mixed drinks were 25 cent. The bride and groom thought it was very trendy and hipster like. He was more annoyed because he keeps twenties and fives instead change. I am just very happy that stupid trend is not popular.

flyingfoxes

I'm glad I know in advance that my sister is having a cash bar. Better to be prepared and bring cash, I suppose.

BlackLace2015

Don't kill me but I'm confused... so a cash bar is just the opposite of an open bar? Like, the guests pay for their drinks at the bar? I don't feel like that's so uncommon but I could be wrong.

lyndausvi

BlackLace2015 said:

Don't kill me but I'm confused... so a cash bar is just the opposite of an open bar? Like, the guests pay for their drinks at the bar? I don't feel like that's so uncommon but I could be wrong.

BlackLace2015 said:

Don't kill me but I'm confused... so a cash bar is just the opposite of an open bar? Like, the guests pay for their drinks at the bar? I don't feel like that's so uncommon but I could be wrong.

Simky906

@AlexisA01 What on this EARTH is the point of a CHANGE bar? You could buy 20 beers for a dollar so it's not like the guests could possible be covering the cost of the bar with that. WHY IS THIS A THING?

pinkshorts27

In case people couldn't see what @lyndausvi wrote, I found it hidden in fucking quote boxes.: 

Yes, a cash bar is where the guest pay for their drinks. Uncommon or not depends on your social group. They are so uncommon in mine that I have never been invited to one. I can't even imagine the shitt people would get if they even suggested a cash bar in my circle. It would not go over well at all.

sarahufl

Simky906 said:

@AlexisA01 What on this EARTH is the point of a CHANGE bar? You could buy 20 beers for a dollar so it's not like the guests could possible be covering the cost of the bar with that. WHY IS THIS A THING?

I agree! I would rather pay full price. At least then, I would feel like they chose cash because they couldn't afford it (FTR, I absolutely hate cash bars and would never, ever have one). But paying 5 cents for a beer would just piss me off. Why pay at all?!

doeydo

@BlackLace2015 it might be common, but it is very rude.  My area has them all the time, ugh.

JCbride2015

@BlackLace2015 They are extremely rude, because the couple is asking guests to partially host themselves at the wedding.  They're more or less common in different circles.  I have never been invited to one and would be absolutely aghast.  It's unheard of in my circle, similar to Lynda.  Except for charity fundraisers.  But I've never been to a wedding with a cash bar.

AlexisA01

sarahufl said:

Simky906 said:

@AlexisA01 What on this EARTH is the point of a CHANGE bar? You could buy 20 beers for a dollar so it's not like the guests could possible be covering the cost of the bar with that. WHY IS THIS A THING?

I agree! I would rather pay full price. At least then, I would feel like they chose cash because they couldn't afford it (FTR, I absolutely hate cash bars and would never, ever have one). But paying 5 cents for a beer would just piss me off. Why pay at all?!

They were apart of the hipster trend and they felt that it was wrong to make people pay full price for a drink but "it is sooooo much cheaper to pay for a drink in change. It's totally hip and cool. Someone's gotta use their change for something." Speshul Hipster Snowflake quotes from telling guest during the reception.

ohannabelle

LondonLisa said:

Who are all these chavy UK brides saying cash bars and honeymoon registries are the norm?! Definitely not the case!! Please don't think we are that rude this side of the pond

Thank you, LondonLisa! I have UK relatives who would never tell a guest to open their wallets, and then there are some...hmmm.....let's just call them the Chavtastic Manchester crowd,who insist that it's perfectly fine, and we're just "pretentious bastards" for caring about etiquette. You should head over to WW and set them straight. 

(Also, no slight intended against Manchester. Just my in laws.)

sarahonlife

tcnoble said:

It's scary thinking how different my wedding planning may be going if I had ended up on WB instead of Tk.... Really scary.

You'd still be you!  I found WB first and thought they were all crazy.  Then I found WW and I thought WB were the sane ones!  Thankfully someone made a post one day mentioning the evil snarky bitches over at The Knot and I thought "AHA! A place for me!"