Buying alcohol in Delaware?

sarahheartsjimmy

I'm getting married in 11 days, and we had planned on getting our alcohol in Delaware (I thought this is what everyone did!), but now my fiance's mom has him all paranoid and convinced that he's going to get busted. So does anyone know what the deal is, really? I know it's technically illegal (a pretty antiquated law, from what i understand), but is this something that's really enforced? Of course I really want to save the (boatloads!) of money that we would save by getting our alcohol in DE, but not if there's a real risk of getting arrested!

bluebfalo

I've bought tons of alcohol from total wine and shipped it back.... I pretty much do a liquor run when I'm in DE... so far I have yet to be arrested.

If you're worried you could always stop at a mall or a store before returning to PA. As long as the alcohol is in the trunk, any cop who pulled you over cannot definitively say you bought it from DE (for all they know you carried it into DE and back out)...

BrideLaurenH

I live on the border and yes, it is illegal to buy in Delaware and drive into PA with it.

If you stop at a friends house or the mall afterwards then they will probably not catch you.

gmcr78

I have never heard of this actually being enforced or police staking out liquor stores near the state line to catch people.  I've only heard of this happening with fireworks.  If you're worried,  I'd make the run, put it in the trunk, make another stop somewhere in DE (a convenience store, mall, anywhere) and then head home to PA.

emmyblup

Thanks for the great advice, everyone. We're planning to do the same thing. Our caterer/venue (Jeffery A Miller/Aldie Mansion) allow us to bring our own liquor, so we're definitely planning to take advantage of the cost saving by buying our own.

Temperance12

Honestly, she's wrong. While it is technically not legal because of PA's antiquated liquor laws, seriously .... I would have been arrested like 40 times by now with the amount of Total Wine runs I have done! It's just so much cheaper!

Look at it this way. We're supposed to calcuate and pay PA every time we go to Delaware and don't pay sales tax. That never happens for me, and I know I'm not alone.