Earn cash as you plan. Get a $20 gift card for every 200 points with The Knot Rewards
Wedding Etiquette Forum
Knottie1456507824
member
Etiquette for a Party Bus
Hey everyone,
I am getting married in Las Vegas in October. It's just a short ceremony downtown with about 25 people and then a party bus is picking everyone up from the ceremony and driving up the strip for 2 hours. My fiance and I are paying for the party bus 100%, but we are thinking about asking our guests to chip in maybe $10 per person for the alcohol. What do you think? Is that tacky? Thanks in advance.
I am getting married in Las Vegas in October. It's just a short ceremony downtown with about 25 people and then a party bus is picking everyone up from the ceremony and driving up the strip for 2 hours. My fiance and I are paying for the party bus 100%, but we are thinking about asking our guests to chip in maybe $10 per person for the alcohol. What do you think? Is that tacky? Thanks in advance.
This discussion has been closed.
Re: Etiquette for a Party Bus
Side note: I hope you are going to be feeding these guests something as well as providing alcohol.
Definitely don't ask for money from them. They're your guests!
"Love is the one thing we're capable of perceiving that transcends time and space."
"Love is the one thing we're capable of perceiving that transcends time and space."
Regardless, that's not your fault. Yes, I think stopping st some point for some pizza is a great idea provided you also pay for that. As long as you are providing enough food and paying for people's drinks then it is proper etiquette.
A party bus reception is a bit odd to me- but I'm intrigued. Would you consider stopping at a couple places? I think that could potentially be fun- food hopping. Maybe some place that does appetizers, another that is your main meal (pizza is fine), and somewhere for dessert (even if it's ice cream).
When you host a party, you (and your groom- or whoever is hosting the party), should be prepared to host everything (meaning your guests should not be opening their wallets) that you offer to your guests (or don't offer it). As the host you are required to host your guests appropriate for the time of day- something to eat and drink. If it's meal time, enough food to make a meal. While what you are planning may be considered non-traditional, as long as you are hosting your guests for the time of day, there is nothing wrong with it.
Honestly? To me? A little, only in the sense that it's a wedding reception and not 21st birthday bar crawl.* The idea of having to quickly stuff down some pizza since the party bus is only rented for two hours and drinking in a moving vehicle sounds...nauseating to me. And are all 25 people into drinking and a party bus atmosphere (parents, grandparents, etc.)
But, as long as you are fully hosting everything (your guests should not have to open their wallets for your wedding ceremony or reception) and you are providing sufficient food and drink appropriate for the time of day (i.e. not just providing enough for one slice of pizza when it is a meal time), then from an etiquette standpoint, you're fine. The reception is a thank you to your guests for attending your ceremony and witnessing your marriage.
Have you considered just renting out a room (or making a reservation) at a restaurant and then those that want to join you on a party bus afterward can join you (you still pay though)? It doesn't even have to be fancy. It can still be pizza if you want. Order some pizza and maybe a tray or two of lasagna or spaghetti, a salad, some wine and soda - host it in their party room if they have one - people can take their time eating and mingling without feeling rushed, and then you can take your party on down the strip in your bus.
*Note: I'm not against getting your party on. I like doing that, too, but not at the expense of making sure everyone is fed and hosted properly. Make sure everyone is appropriately hosted first, then get your party on.
I do not understand what your guests will be doing while riding in the party bus, up and down the strip, for a couple of hours. Please explain this to me.
The party bus must have a significant cost. I think you would be better off hosting a nice reception at one of the many Vegas buffets. Everyone would get plenty of food. Alcohol is always optional. Many people do not, or cannot drink. Then your guests could explore the strip on their own using the convenient shuttles, or you could do the party bus AFTER your reception. Don't be surprised if some guests don't want to go on the party bus.
Definitely do not ask for help paying for alcohol, though. I think you got that from previous posts!
Yeah, sorry, not sorry, I think that's tacky.
That's something you do with the wedding party during cocktail hour.
People are traveling to Vegas to see you get married and your going to drag them up and down the strip taking photos with a stop for pizza?
I hope you're up front about the plans, bc I'd side eye this plan if I flew to Vegas and a 2 hour bus ride with some pizza in between photos was my thank you for attending.
As a guest I'd side-eye the party bus for two hours without food in general, but asking to pay for booze while doing so goes above and beyond the tacky factor. This is your wedding, not 21st B-day or Bach party!
Spend the money you're going to put in to a party bus for two hours on a nice pizza dinner with all the alcohol people can drink (there are plenty of places on the strip to choose from). Party it up! But don't be a poor host! These people are spending at least a grand each to be guests at your wedding, host them properly! (and, you can do so without spending a fortune!) At minimum - "Cake & punch", depending on where your budget is, you can expand the menu from there...
If you want the crazy, Vegas party atmosphere, can you get a suite at a hotel with an entertaining space/lounge and stay there for the night (you can double this up as your hotel room)? With only 25 people you can get some party platters and bring your own beer and wine. A lot of the suites are actually not THAT expensive, and you will save loads by buying the alcohol and food yourself (you can even just order pizzas!). Many of these suites have stereos so you can just plug your phone in for music and also enjoy the awesome views sans a need for Dramamine.
Another option would be to book a private room or table at a nightclub and have a tab behind the bar and order some nibbles.
You can get married at 8/9ish and party afterwards so you don't have to serve a full meal (although you need to serve some food)
Party buses are fun if you are going somewhere, like to a sporting event or a concert with a huge group. They aren't that fun if you are just being driven around in circles for 2 hours.
The only rule with all of this is you have to pay for everyone for all things. If your club has an entry fee, you have to pay. You have to pay for everyone's drinks for the reception. You must serve some sort of food (enough to constitute a full meal if you are having your wedding during a meal time, otherwise snacks should be OK).
I disagree with PP who feel guests need to be treated to a full, sit-down dinner. There are different types of weddings- at the end of the day, if the guests are properly hosted, it's not against etiquette. OP asking us if it's tacky is a tricky question because we all have a different definition of tacky as far as taste. It's not tacky etiquette-wise.
As long as no one opens their wallets you are good. I think you have gotten that so I am not worried there. Personally, I would not enjoy this kind of reception. I don't drink alcohol (at all!) and I get motion sick pretty easily...so if I knew that you were planning this I might decline your wedding. It does not make it wrong, it is simply not an event I would want to spend the time and money to attend.
I really liked the idea a few of the other pp's came up with and want to ask if you would consider renting a room for an hour or two where everyone can sit down, eat their pizza/salad/pasta/etc and relax, then have the party bus pick up whoever wants to party and allow the other guests who wouldn't really enjoy a party bus just go their own way? It may seem a bit odd, but I would think of it as an "after party" to a more traditional wedding and leave it up to your guests comfort and preference to decide.
Good luck and happy planning!
Your plan sounds awesome, through, now that you've added food and drink to the plans. I'd love your wedding. And for point of reference, I'm 46.
I think the party bus sounds fun, especially for Vegas! However, since it is only a 2-hour rental, I think you would get more "bang for your buck" if you all took everyone out to dinner first and set the pick-up party bus time for after that. That way, you don't have to worry about stopping for food during the rental time.
It might not be everyone's cup of tea, but Vegas is AMAZING and exhilarating at night. Even just driving down the Strip is an atmosphere.
Talk to the rental bus company and/or driver about trying to time it so you all are passing by the Mirage during their show with the fountains. I think it runs every hour or two hours. Something like that. But it is large enough to be seen from the bus, especially if there are open areas. And traffic along the Strip on a Fri./Sat. night is usually slow going, so you all should be able to see at least a few minutes of the show (if not more) while you are passing by.
I'd probably do it a bit different - have the ceremony, go for dinner, and then do the party bus if anyone wants to join later. That way everyone will have eaten, if they want to go back to their hotel and chill they can, or if they want to go sight seeing they can join you.
If you want to keep your plan, I don't think it's 'tacky'. It's definitely 'vegas'. I also like a PPs idea of doing stops for different courses, and you can do some sightseeing around that area. IE dessert near the Bellagio fountains, go watch the fountains, then hop back on the bus.