Sticky situation- Cash Bar

Bunnylove18

We have a big problem with the bar. Our venue provides juice, soda, coffee and tea but FI's family drinks a lot of alcohol. We were considering a well bar with the option to buy hard liquor, a cash bar or even a well bar. Just being entirely stuck and one thing worries me as we will be on a yacht and someone runs the risk of falling overboard.  

lyndausvi

I worked on a 55 foot sailboat that held up 49 passengers for 15 years.  I sailed 5-6 days a week.  Sometimes up to 3 different sails a day.  Every trip was an full top shelf open bar.     I never had someone go overboard.

Can it happen?  Sure, but it's unlikely.   The USCG inspects those vessels often to make sure the rails are high enough so people do not fall over.  They check all the crews credentials to make sure they are properly trained.  Bar tenders are still bar tenders who are required not to over-serve people.  The captain and crew should do everything NOT to lose anyone at sea.  Too much to lose if they don't.

doeydo

Bunnylove18 said:

We have a big problem with the bar. Our venue provides juice, soda, coffee and tea but FI's family drinks a lot of alcohol. We were considering a well bar with the option to buy hard liquor, a cash bar or even a well bar. Just being entirely stuck and one thing worries me as we will be on a yacht and someone runs the risk of falling overboard.  

A cash bar at a wedding is never OK.  Just host what you can afford.  You also might want to read this post: http://forums.theknot.com/discussion/1036615/cash-bars-everything-you-need-to-know-in-one-place#latest

oxfordcomma14

A cash bar won't stop people from being drunk.

lyndausvi

oxfordcomma14 said:

A cash bar won't stop people from being drunk.

*****SITB *******

Yep.  Bars around the world prove that everyday. 

 And even a sober person has a risk of going overboard.

esstee33

Host whatever you can afford, but no part of your wedding should require your guests to open their wallets. If that means no alcohol, that's perfectly fine. If you can host just beer and wine, that's also perfectly fine. 

Bunnylove18

I realize it was a bad idea at first I wasn't too keen on the cash bar I decided to work out to host a well bar instead of tabs or any of that I figured how much our venue would cost for all the guests to host it. FI's family will definitely need to keep themselves in check.

esstee33

@scribe95 - I was wondering the same thing. The way she's been referring to it, I figured it was either just beer/wine, or it was well liquor w/ no top shelf brands. But I don't really know. 

lyndausvi

scribe95 said:

What is a well bar? 

Liquors are often broken down into categories by expense of brands.   From cheapest up it goes

Well

Call

Premium

Each venue determines what brands fall into which category.   For the most part all liquors in the same category cost the same amount.    

For example,   a well vodka, would be Gordons,   Call might be Absolute, Premium Grey Goose.

slothiegal

scribe95 said:

What is a well bar? 

Same as rail....I never heard the term "well" until I moved out west  

esstee33

slothiegal said:

scribe95 said:

What is a well bar? 

Same as rail....I never heard the term "well" until I moved out west  

Really? West from where? I'm in Ohio and I've only ever heard "well," never "rail." 

southernbelle0915

The only way to keep your FI's family sober is to have a dry wedding. Even then, some rude person might bring a flask. Host what you can afford. If you can't afford full, open bar then I'd do beer and wine + a signature drink. Do not offer the cash option. Like at all.  

I would worry less about someone falling overboard (VERY unlikely) and more about properly hosting your wedding.

slothiegal

Oh crazy!  I came from the DC area, we always said rail there.  The only time I was old enough to drink while living in Ohio, I was still in college and my drink order was either: Natty Lite, slurring "cheeeeeapest drink pleeeeeaseeee", or whatever I could find a cute boy to buy me.  

lyndausvi

slothiegal said:

scribe95 said:

What is a well bar? 

Same as rail....I never heard the term "well" until I moved out west  

***********STIB ***********

Really?  I've lived in the mid-Atlantic, southeast, mid-west, south central, the  islands, and now the west.  I've traveled all over the north east and some southwest.  I've always heard it called well.   I've heard rail, but it wasn't very often.

Maggie0829

lyndausvi said:

slothiegal said:

scribe95 said:

What is a well bar? 

Same as rail....I never heard the term "well" until I moved out west  

***********STIB ***********

Really?  I've lived in the mid-Atlantic, southeast, mid-west, south central, the  islands, and now the west.  I've traveled all over the north east and some southwest.  I've always heard it called well.   I've heard rail, but it wasn't very often.

I live in Maryland and have heard it both ways.  At one bar they can have a deal on well drinks while another bar just down the street has a deal on rail drinks.  Same difference.

esstee33

I bet it's just a DC/MD/NoVA thing. 

slothiegal

esstee33 said: I bet it's just a DC/MD/NoVA thing. 



---------

Could be....DC always finds a way to be difficult  :P

ETA quote box fail.

huskypuppy14

 I've lived in the Northeast my whole life, and only heard it called well. Never heard rail before.

slothiegal said:

esstee33 said:

I bet it's just a DC/MD/NoVA thing. 

---------

Could be....DC always finds a way to be difficult  :P


ETA quote box fail.

jynxiie

Never heard of either. I figured open bar was open bar LOL.

doeydo

I'm in ON, Canada and I had never heard of any of those terms before.

KatieinBkln

lyndausvi said:

slothiegal said:

scribe95 said:

What is a well bar? 

Same as rail....I never heard the term "well" until I moved out west  

***********STIB ***********

Really?  I've lived in the mid-Atlantic, southeast, mid-west, south central, the  islands, and now the west.  I've traveled all over the north east and some southwest.  I've always heard it called well.   I've heard rail, but it wasn't very often.

It was always, always "rail" in Wisconsin. I heard "well" for the first time when I moved to NYC.

Now I don't drink rail/well drinks anymore because while I am not particularly fancy, evidently my body is--I get the worst hangovers from even 1 well drink whereas I can drink expensive stuff all night.