Partial Open/Partial Cash Bar?

laura_fett

I thought about asking this on the Reception Ideas board, then I decided to ask the locals since opinion vary so much by region. So...

FI and I are planning on having two kegs and serving wine as well as non-alcoholic beverages as part of the bar. My question is do you think it's better to have a limited bar where everything is paid for, or would you like to have the option to pay for mixed drinks if that's what you prefer.

Personally I think it would be better to have the option of having mixed drinks even if you have to pay for it yourself, there are other options if you want to drink for free.

What do you guys think?

gcourteau

That's what we are doing- open bar for beer and wine and then a cash bar for mixed drinks. I know if I were attending a wedding I would like the option.

cltk12

FI and I don't like wine or beer.  I hate going to events that only have wine/beer.  I'd still pay for my drinks to get a cocktail.

LittleSweetie

We did exactly that at our wedding and had absolutely no problems.

leggwilliams

Our venue doesn't allow us to sell drinks, we can only do an open bar, so we're including a couple of signature cocktails with our wine and beer. I like wine, but get sick of it after a couple of glasses and I know many guests would prefer to have a different option

MesmrEwe

Other than a few instances, that's (beer/wine/soda)  the ONLY way the couples have done it at the weddings that I've attended. 

I think it works the best because you can cap what you're willing to spend without confusion from the site and if people don't like those options, it's GREAT to have the OPTION to purchase something.  We went to a wedding last summer that had the options of limited water, coffee, or mimosos for the entire event...  Which is just great if you can't drink coffee, and you don't drink alcohol (which coveres A LOT of the guest list for my family)...  There wasn't even a pop machine to get something out of.  People across the board said that they all would rather have a full cash bar as an OPTION than to not have any real option on what they drink at all... 

drdifabio

I think that would be a good option - it is not like everything is a cash bar. If people want to drink for free they can and if they are picky then they can pay for it. Makes sense to me.

elizabethandandrew

We are going to host wine (a variety) and beer and the rest will be a cash bar. I bartended in a hotel and worked a ton of weddings and that seemed to be the norm- unless it was open bar.

laura_fett

Thanks everyone! I'm glad we're on the same page.

veijes

I love when weddings have keg and wine for free, then people are waiting in line the whole first hour to get as many drinks as they can get. I think if people want to be cheap and not buy their own mixed drink, they have either just have pop or suck it up and have wine or beer haha. Every wedding I have gone to that had this option was a big hit!

Bimbi284

We are doing a hosted bar for the cocktail hour, and then host only beer, wine, and non-alcoholic drinks for the rest of the evening. Our package also includes a champagne toast...so everyone who can/wants to will get a free glass of champagne for that.

shameless_ad

We are doing beer and wine only, because our reception site (PEC) does not allow any type of cash bar, and we would have to buy all the liquor ourselves.  I have a few friends who do not like wine or beer, but everyone we talk to seems to understand why we are not serving any hard liquor. 

I wouldn't mind having a cash bar for the liquor - I've been to plenty of weddings where they've done that, but since we can't, we're skipping it altogether.

polichik

I wouldn't personally do it, because I wouldn't feel comfortable with it, but I don't think it's wrong. I heard a comparison about how strange it would be to offer your guests a choice of beef or chicken, but to offer an additional upgrade to lobster for $6. It's not a perfect comparison, but it made me think. However, I agree that it's regional, so if it's expected in your circle, people would come prepared. It might be nice to see if there's an ATM nearby so that guests who don't carry cash can still have their choice of a drink.

I do think this is a much better alternative than hosting free drinks for a certain amount of time and then switching to a cash bar for everything. I went to a wedding where drinks were free for an hour, but nobody knew it was switching to cash. I went over to get a drink right around 7, and the guy in front of me got a free drink and I had to pay for mine! Definitely threw me for a loop.

beka0404

As a guest, I would want the option of buying a mixed drink, which is why we're hosting beer, wine non-alcoholic beverages and a signature cocktail, but everything else will be cash. 

I understand that some people might feel it's tacky, but if I'm hosting a dinner party and someone wants to buy their own special cocktail mix instead of having the wine I'm providing, more power to them. So, I consider our reception to be a really big dinner party.

Brianne09

I'm pretty sure this is what we will be doing, we may have a signature cocktail, not sure about that yet.  It makes sense to me. There are free drinks, but at the same time I wouldn't want to completely take away the option for people to have what they really want to drink.  I don't care what they drink I just can't pay for everything. 

KittE7

This is exactly what we were thinking! As a wedding guest, I always preferred to have the option of paying for a tasty mixed drink instead of the hosted beer.

@polichik - thanks for your viewpoint on this!  you said, "drinks were free for an hour, but nobody knew it was switching to cash"
I definitely don't want something like that to happen!
However, if we host beer & wine all night, we will for sure go over budget (even w/cash cocktail option). 

To avoid this uncomfortable "switcharoo" from happening, my event manager suggested that, once guests have moved to the dining room, we have the bartender present until everyone is seated & dinner service begins.  They will serve everyone in line, charging the hosted tab.  Once the line is gone, they will shut down the bar to distribute the champagne.  When the bar reopens after the first toast, it will be cash.  Yes, we may go over our target budget by a few drinks, but this will make for a smoother transition.

I am having my friends & family spread the word that the bar will be hosted until dinner and cash bar thereafter.  In our group, this will be appropriate and manageable. 

LittleSweetie

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_minnesota-minneapolis-st-paul_partial-open-partial-cash-bar?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:81Discussion:990d8e65-2b70-40cf-a5ae-a4d55a32477fPost:81d4b3a8-ddb8-4952-b4f6-c8399d8f0d8a">Re: Partial Open/Partial Cash Bar?</a>:
[QUOTE]This is exactly what we were thinking! As a wedding guest, I always preferred to have the option of paying for a tasty mixed drink instead of the hosted beer. @polichik - thanks for your viewpoint on this!  you said, "drinks were free for an hour, but nobody knew it was switching to cash" I definitely don't want something like that to happen! However, if we host beer & wine all night, we will for sure go over budget (even w/cash cocktail option).  To avoid this uncomfortable "switcharoo" from happening, my event manager suggested that, once guests have moved to the dining room, we have the bartender present until everyone is seated & dinner service begins.  They will serve everyone in line, charging the hosted tab.  Once the line is gone, they will shut down the bar to distribute the champagne.  When the bar reopens after the first toast, it will be cash.  Yes, we may go over our target budget by a few drinks, but this will make for a smoother transition. I am having my friends & family spread the word that the bar will be hosted until dinner and cash bar thereafter.  In our group, this will be appropriate and manageable.  :)
Posted by KittE7[/QUOTE]

<div>I would also recommend you put a sign on the bar that says something to the effect of "Please enjoy complimentary XYZ during cocktail hour."  If I were a guest at your wedding, I'm not sure that your friends and family would get around to telling absolutely everyone about the bar situation - it seems like an awkward conversation for them to have with every single guest.  A sign is fool proof!</div>

KittE7

LittleSweetie - Thank you for the advice!  We'll get a sign.

We will re-estimate the bar expenses & see if our heavy drinkers plan to stick w/beer - or if they'll be "switching to guns." 
I estimate that this group might put away 9 drinks pp from 5-12.  Most of our guests will be moderate- the majority of them are beer drinkers tho!  It's in our budget to provide 3 drinks for everyone - w/interesting N/A options.  Considering what we learned in "alcohol education', 3 drinks is really a decent amount of alcohol to provide - and I don't want people getting sloshed!

If we do free B&W all night & they all stick with the complimentary beverages, we will go over by about $1200.  Compared to some weddings, that may not seem like a lot... so there's the chance that my parents will offer to cover it.
So... we will get a sign & do some recon & see if we can cover the extra expense.