Open Bar Questions

kengirl16

So, my reception site requires that we provide our own liquor with an open bar. The site will provide unlimited mixers/soda/ice. Saving money is at the top of my mind, but my fiance is all about fun. We have agreed that we should have a keg or 2, a white wine option, and a red wine option. But when it comes to the hard liquor, we disagree. Here are our ideas:
-Offer one or two signature drinks (that either match the colors or reflect our favorite cocktails). If a guest wants a cocktail that can be made from the ingrediants of the signature cocktails and another mixer (which is provided by the site), fantastic.
-Offer said signature cocktails, along with a couple popular liquors such as vodka, rum, and tequila but not a FULL bar. This would keep prices down and guests would have more options.
-Offer a full bar.

I know our families, and having an open bar has the possibility of resulting in mass drunkenness, and I don't want my wedding to be known for its drunkenness. I also don't want to be anyone's babysitter. Does anybody have any opinions on the topic? PS- champagne for the wedding party.

Beachy730

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_reception-ideas_open-bar-questions?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:5Discussion:7bde049a-ad21-473f-a503-2333f7ff915fPost:231727ae-1f8f-4cdb-a69a-2cb20bae2409">Open Bar Questions</a>:
[QUOTE]So, my reception site requires that we provide our own liquor with an open bar. The site will provide unlimited mixers/soda/ice. Saving money is at the top of my mind, but my fiance is all about fun. We have agreed that we should have a keg or 2, a white wine option, and a red wine option. But when it comes to the hard liquor, we disagree. Here are our ideas: -Offer one or two signature drinks (that either match the colors or reflect our favorite cocktails). If a guest wants a cocktail that can be made from the ingrediants of the signature cocktails and another mixer (which is provided by the site), fantastic. -Offer said signature cocktails, along with a couple popular liquors such as vodka, rum, and tequila but not a FULL bar. This would keep prices down and guests would have more options. -Offer a full bar. <strong>I know our families, and having an open bar has the possibility of resulting in mass drunkenness, and I don't want my wedding to be known for its drunkenness. I also don't want to be anyone's babysitter. </strong>Does anybody have any opinions on the topic? PS- champagne for the wedding party.
Posted by kengirl16[/QUOTE]<div>
</div><div>Honestly, those are the 2 most annoying (and most used) arguments for an open bar.  People can get just as drunk when they pay for drinks than when they are free.  We had a full open bar, with a wedding full of people who can get crazy when they drink, and nobody got sick, nobody make a fool of themselves, and nobody needed babysitters.  </div><div>
</div><div>Anyways, your best bet is to go with option 2.  Usually when venues have a full open bar, all it includes are vodka, rum, gin, whiskey, scotch, and maybe some triple sec.  You really don't even need tequila since not too many standard drinks are made with it.  It's very rare that a wedding full bar has flavored vodkas, or a selection of each liquor to choose from.  </div><div>
</div><div>Also, it's pretty rude to have champagne only for select people.  You should either have champagne available for everyone, or no one.  Your WP can toast with their drinks of choice just as easily as the rest of the guests can.  

</div>

arrabelle

agree with pp, ditch the champagne or serve it to everyone.

we're buying our own booze and serving it for free which is such a godsend! we're serving: light beer, hefeweizen, white wine, dry red wine, sweet red wine, vodka, cognac, whiskey, and maybe gin.  if we do the signature drink it will just be passed with the appetizers, i think having them made to order could be a pain if it has a lot of ingredients.

you can't control drunkenness of others.  we have a few loose cannons in our crowd also, but what, am i going to have a dry wedding so uncle bob doesn't embarass himself?  if somebody's going on a bender they're going to do it whether the booze is free or on their tab.  don't worry about it.

kengirl16

Thanks! That's good insight to hear. Honestly, my mother was trying to make me feel responsible for guests drinking too much and maybe driving home. My mother also doesn't drink, so she doesn't have much faith that those who do know how to do it responsibly. I agree with you. My biggest concerns are regarding the price of a full bar.

I have seen the champagne thing a couple times, and never felt it was rude. This is the first time I've heard that it is in poor taste. I am glad to hear this because the last thing I want to do is offend my guests. thank you!

AdeleDazeem

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_reception-ideas_open-bar-questions?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:5Discussion:7bde049a-ad21-473f-a503-2333f7ff915fPost:f782fb3c-a8c3-41cc-bb77-b1ba6949cb2f">Re: Open Bar Questions</a>:
[QUOTE]Thanks! That's good insight to hear. Honestly, my mother was trying to make me feel responsible for guests drinking too much and maybe driving home. My mother also doesn't drink, so she doesn't have much faith that those who do know how to do it responsibly. I agree with you. My biggest concerns are regarding the price of a full bar. I have seen the champagne thing a couple times, and never felt it was rude. This is the first time I've heard that it is in poor taste. I am glad to hear this because the last thing I want to do is offend my guests. thank you!
Posted by kengirl16[/QUOTE]

I like you.  Come back more often :-)

And yeah - the champagne thing would bug me.  At my brother in law's wedding, only the wedding party had champagne.  I was all kinds of upset because champagne is awesome!

Happy Wedding!

katheriner89

We are doing pretty much what your #2 is. We are having: Bud Light, Yeungling, chardonnay, white zin, Jack, Svedka, Captin morgan. then we have the mixers, watermelon pucker, coke, ginger ale, orange juice, cranberry juice, pineapple juice, and maybe green apple pucker if we have some $ left over from me buying the wine & yeungling.

There are tons of drinks that can be made with the mixers & stuff I've listed. I just bought most of it and it was cheaper than I thought it would be. So far. Which is a wonderful thing! ha.

alithebride

i think the beer white, red and a couple of basic liquors to make a ton of mixed drinks is just fine.perhaps a pinot grigio, shiraz, vodka, rum, etc... a light beer and a non-light beer.

jemmini6

Also on a side note, if you are providing your own alcohol, I'd recommend buying from a place like Costco that will let you return unopened bottles.  That way, you can buy plenty of whatever you do decide to serve and not have to worry about getting stuck with 15 bottles of vodka.  LOL.

nekosky7

Firstly, it's a load of crap that it's rude to just serve champagne to your WP and not other guests. You're not going to be able to make everyone happy on a budget which is what you said was uppermost in your mind. Remember, it's your wedding, your day. Everyone there will should be going for you and your fiance, not worrying about why did the WP get this or that and I didn't. That's just wrong and indecent.

That being said, just go with one or two signiture drinks because it reflects both your fiance's and your styles (or if you go with something that matches your color scheme it will look really nice). It just makes your reception that much more personal.

Good luck to you and I hope your special day turns out wonderful and filled with love and happiness!

jemmini6

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_reception-ideas_open-bar-questions?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:5Discussion:7bde049a-ad21-473f-a503-2333f7ff915fPost:d9697f51-df15-4824-a4a9-fb8f9363f6b3">Re: Open Bar Questions</a>:
[QUOTE]Firstly, it's a load of crap that it's rude to just serve champagne to your WP and not other guests. <strong>No, it is rude.  You are singling out certain people to get 'better' service and that's rude.  </strong>You're not going to be able to make everyone happy on a budget which is what you said was uppermost in your mind. Remember, it's your wedding, your day. <strong>It stops being your day when you invite guests.  Getting married doesn't give you license to be a biitch.  </strong>Everyone there will should be going for you and your fiance, not worrying about why did the WP get this or that and I didn't. That's just wrong and indecent. That being said, just go with one or two signiture drinks because it reflects both your fiance's and your styles (or if you go with something that matches your color scheme it will look really nice). It just makes your reception that much more personal. Good luck to you and I hope your special day turns out wonderful and filled with love and happiness!
Posted by nekosky7[/QUOTE]

awes14

my 2 cents about the champange thing-I don't think its rude to serve it just to your WP. As a guest I don't think I would even notice (I'm assuming you're serving wine for the guest to toast with?)

As for the rest of the bar  I think it's a good idea to have your basic bar neccessities available. Most bartenders know when to cut people off.

Good Luck!