Partial Open Bar?

AnnaWhite_Capo

I have been having trouble trying to budget an open bar, my planner at my venue explained to me to put down a set amount of money and when that runs out it would turn to cash bar...has any one ever heard of this? And what are your opinions on this?

ring_pop

It's kind of a ticket system, minus the tickets.

As a guest, I'd be pretty annoyed if my friend got a free cocktail at 7pm but I went to the bar at 9pm and was asked to pay. The sucky thing about this system is that you don't know exactly when the bar will close.

I think it would be better to have a limited bar (offer only beer & wine for free) OR reduced open bar hours.

Brie2010

Honestly, it is just too confusing for me, especially when I'm drinking.

I would do a full night of hosted beer and wine only, or a full open bar all night. 

I went to a wedding once where beer and wine were free, but cocktails were cash only.  There was no signage, so I got a beer, drank it, went back empty-handed and ordered a cocktail and they wanted $6 or something for it...that I didn't have.  It was embarrassing and awkward.  I would never have ordered a drink I knew I had to pay for.

kmm2150

I think having it switch to cash is kind of a dirty trick to play on your guests, personally.  We were able to purchase our own alcohol and then the bar staff just served it, so when it was gone, it was gone....we ran out of a few things close to the end of the event, but not too bad, and I'd rather run out than have tons left over.  You can look at party-planning sites like "evite" to estimate how much you'll need for your guests.  If they won't let you buy alcohol yourself, I would just set a limit and say that's it, and if it's crazy early in the event, tell them to check with you first before upping your budget/opening more bottles.  Maybe you could set a time limit on cocktails, and after say an hour switch to just beer and wine, and maybe one other (affordable) mixed drink?

banana468

I just went to a wedding like this a few months ago and it was a rude awakening when DH and I suddenly needed to pay out of pocket with no warning.

Why not just offer what you can afford?  Can you bring in your own alcohol or limit it?

Mrs.B6302007

Ditto others. 

AnnaWhite_Capo

I was also surprised when she informed me this was a popular option as I thought it was as you say a "dirty trick" I had never heard of it either. My venue does not let us bring our own alcohol but I was thinking open beer/wine and cash cocktails. However, my next dilemma would be how to inform people of this?

banana468

PLEASE don't do beer/wine and cash cocktails.

Where in CT are you getting married?

AnnaWhite_Capo

Im actually getting married in Mass, thats where I am from. Would you suggest a signature cocktail or just try to budget harder for open? I have a few months and am really trying to budget full open, but I've had to have 2 emergency surgeries in the past year and these dang medical bills are getting in the way of my dream wedding (

MeaghanandMichael

Oh I am from MA but living in CT too! HI!

yeah, but in Mass (as well as CT) people pretty much expect an open bar. At least I have only been to one wedding there that had cash and people were shocked.

Beer, wine and signature cocktail is perfect.

Mrs.B6302007

beer wine sig cocktail is fine

so is just beer and wine if you can't swing the cocktail

MyNameIsNot

We went to a wedding like this a couple of weeks ago.  When it switched over, everyone was confused.  No one had cash, and people took it as a que to leave.

I would just beer/wine all night instead.

AnnaWhite_Capo

thanks ladies!! I knew I could count on you all for good advice. I feel a lot of weight off my shoulders already )

TurtlesAllTheWayDown

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_partial-open-bar?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:3dc4be5b-eb97-47ff-8ecd-30884f6e4b58Post:4e772136-3f01-4f06-9dd0-d01745f1e546">Re: Partial Open Bar?</a>:
[QUOTE] There was no signage, so I got a beer, drank it, went back empty-handed and ordered a cocktail and they wanted $6 or something for it...that I didn't have.  It was embarrassing and awkward.  I would never have ordered a drink I knew I had to pay for.
Posted by Brie2010[/QUOTE]

Last wedding I went to they did have a sign about what was hosted. What sucks is that they have ALL this premium stuff sitting behind the bar, which looked way more tempting than Sutter Home white zin and Bud Light.

thesuninherhead

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_partial-open-bar?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:9Discussion:3dc4be5b-eb97-47ff-8ecd-30884f6e4b58Post:eb1f943a-ebb8-4a65-8aa6-741d025bbdac">Re: Partial Open Bar?</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: Partial Open Bar? : Last wedding I went to they did have a sign about what was hosted. What sucks is that they have ALL this premium stuff sitting behind the bar, which looked way more tempting than Sutter Home white zin and Bud Light.
Posted by msmerymac[/QUOTE]
<p>Totally unrelated, but we went to Sutter Home when we were in San Fran (well, napa) and the wine was VERY over-rated. The guy kept raving about how amazingly fantastic their winery was- rather overkill.</p><p> </p><p>AND I'm excited that I finally know a wine that you guys know!</p>

squirrly

Oh, sun. . . that's not a good one to know.  Of course - is Yellow Tail anything there?  It's a well-known, cheap-but-still-nice choice here.  Better than Sutter Home, for sure.

AnnaWhite_Capo

yeah Sutter Home is the Walmart of Wines...good for a quick fix but definitely not Nordstroms ) (not that I could afford to shop at Nordstroms, and I LOVE Walmart, lol)

Im not a wine snob by any means but I really love Vampire wines and Yellow Tail Shiraz, Cycles Gladiator and Rex Goliath are also some faves of mine )