Bar Dilemma

loca4pook

Due to weird timing issue, we realized we have a half hour where we don't have the "open bar"

So basically, we  have a 6 hour reception, bar closes during dinner. Originally, we were told to expect dinner to last 1 1/2 hours so bar would be closed. Now we are being told we have should only expect dinner to last an hour which means the bar would open back up a 1/2 hour earlier than expected...which means we would only have the bar open until 11:30 when our reception ends at  midnight..

So our options are this

1) Keep a tally of drinks from 11:30-midnight and we pay seperately at the end for any drinks ordered during that time.

2) we close the bar at 11:30 and no drinks are served for last half hour (every table still has wine at it, though).

3) Keep the bar closed 1/2 hour after dinner, but serve drinks til the end of the reception. My least fave option



What do you think we should do? I  know alot of guests aren't left at the end of the night, so we aren't quite sure what to do....

P.s. We do have wine service at all tables all night long, regardless of the open bar

AJuliaNJ

Option 1 if budget isn't a concern. Any guests that plan on continuing the party are likely to get in their one last free drink in that half hour so I'd be prepared for that.

Option 2 if budget is a concern. You said wine will be available regardless so that should be fine. If you want to give your guess some notice, you can have them either announce last call, or put out a sign when it's getting close.

beachwed10

Just don't serve the last 1/2 hour. No big deal.

AJuliaNJ

Could you try to negotiate with your venue for this extra half hour? I feel like it's worth a try.

GoodLuckBear14

I don't understand why the bar is closing at all.

I will tell you that we were at the wedding of a colleague of mine where the bar was closed during dinner and NOBODY was happy to find this out.  DH still complains that he was drinking water with dinner.  The partners at the firm bribed their waiters to bring them bottles of wine and glasses.

loca4pook

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_bar-dilemma?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:9Discussion:68b76954-b4ba-4cf0-919d-f60984157f50Post:b2d5e589-f761-43ac-bbfd-12895e9ee9ac">Re: Bar Dilemma</a>:
[QUOTE]I don't understand why the bar is closing at all. I will tell you that we were at the wedding of a colleague of mine where the bar was closed during dinner and NOBODY was happy to find this out.  DH still complains that he was drinking water with dinner.  The partners at the firm bribed their waiters to bring them bottles of wine and glasses.
Posted by GoodLuckBear14[/QUOTE]

<div align="left">It must be a location thing. that was pretty standard in every place I looked at in this area. Every place pretty much had 4 hour bar as part of the package

It's also pretty much how all the weddings I have attended prior have also been so not sure my guests will think too much of it either

Each table has white and red wine served during dinner, so they won't be drinkless. :)


</div>

Simply Fated

Unless you don't drink wine, which a lot of people I know don't. I also know people who don't drink water. Will something else be served, like soda or juice? I would opt to just close the bar for the last half hour. People might start to trickle home, but that might be your venue's intention.

Sierra524

There are a lot of venues around my area that do the same thing. The funny thing is, its all the venues that are sit-down dinners & really expensive. A country club that charges like $60 a plate closes the bar for an hour. All the hotels around us do the same. My venue charges $11 a plate, buffet style & keeps it open the whole time. But, the price of the bar is not included in that $11. If I were you, I would go with opetion 1 if you can.

lyndausvi

I would shut it down for the last half-hour.

Can you get non-alcoholic drinks when the bar is closed?

tesskerr

I have never heard of the bar being closed during dinner, Im curious the the reason? Is it a cost thing? Like 1 hour less of drinking? I would imagine that not THAT many people would have more than 1 drink during dinner, as they are busing eating. I know I would normally have 1-3 before dinner and 1-3 after dinner, but prob 0-1 during dinner (cos I couldn't be bothered getting up), but if I was told the bar was closed, I would just find that odd?

Just because it must not be done where I am from. I also vote just close it that last 30 mins, NBD.

Amsdragonfly

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_bar-dilemma?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:68b76954-b4ba-4cf0-919d-f60984157f50Post:e580684c-c80b-42d7-a068-20c06aa3f121">Re: Bar Dilemma</a>:
[QUOTE]Just don't serve the last 1/2 hour. No big deal.
Posted by beachwed10[/QUOTE]

<div>This. As a PP said, I don't think anyone is going to be wanting to start and finish a drink with only 30 minutes left. :)</div>

McRogol

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_bar-dilemma?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:68b76954-b4ba-4cf0-919d-f60984157f50Post:16b2c2cc-d865-404d-9151-79e963b09bb8">Re: Bar Dilemma</a>:
[QUOTE]My venue - and most of those I looked at - required the bar to be closed 30 minutes before the end of the reception so option 2 is the obvious choice for me. It's like not selling beer at a ball game in the 9th inning. It helps sober people up. They can still get water etc.
Posted by scribe95[/QUOTE]

<div>Our venue is the same...We have no choice but to have an open bar and no choice in the matter that it closes 30 minutes prior to the end of the reception.  So leaving the bar closed with wine on tables doesn't seem that odd.  If money is not an option, I would choose whatever you both think is best!  Not a big dilemna I think. :)</div>

loca4pook

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_bar-dilemma?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:9Discussion:68b76954-b4ba-4cf0-919d-f60984157f50Post:a821e281-6156-41b1-83f6-90231fa884bb">Re: Bar Dilemma</a>:
[QUOTE]I have never heard of the bar being closed during dinner, Im curious the the reason? Is it a cost thing? Like 1 hour less of drinking? I would imagine that not THAT many people would have more than 1 drink during dinner, as they are busing eating. I know I would normally have 1-3 before dinner and 1-3 after dinner, but prob 0-1 during dinner (cos I couldn't be bothered getting up), but if I was told the bar was closed, I would just find that odd? Just because it must not be done where I am from. I also vote just close it that last 30 mins, NBD.
Posted by tesskerr[/QUOTE]

It wasn't up to us. It just seemed to be the standard around here. Every place (hotel, country club, banquet hall) all seemed to have a 4 hour bar included for 5 1/2-6 hour receptions..Not sure why, but that is how it works.

(btw, 4 hour open bar is included in venues meal packages around here. You don't pay for a seperate bar price like on the east coast)

sari9912

A last call is really common. Just make sure you have water, soda, etc. as well as some sort of food during that last half hour as people are getting ready to leave.

MsYeck

Close the bar a half hour before the end, probably safer that way anyway.

Anastasia517

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_bar-dilemma?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:68b76954-b4ba-4cf0-919d-f60984157f50Post:a821e281-6156-41b1-83f6-90231fa884bb">Re: Bar Dilemma</a>:
[QUOTE]I have never heard of the bar being closed during dinner, Im curious the the reason? Is it a cost thing? Like 1 hour less of drinking? I would imagine that not THAT many people would have more than 1 drink during dinner, as they are busing eating. I know I would normally have 1-3 before dinner and 1-3 after dinner, but prob 0-1 during dinner (cos I couldn't be bothered getting up), but if I was told the bar was closed, I would just find that odd? Just because it must not be done where I am from. I also vote just close it that last 30 mins, NBD.
Posted by tesskerr[/QUOTE]

<div>My venue said that they close the bar during dinner because they don't want people walking around while the waitstaff are carrying around trays of hot food.  It's a safety hazard.  It's pretty standard here, but there is always wine with dinner even though the bar is closed.</div>

xxstardust

I'm on the east coast and not paying a seperate bar price.  However, if we were, I'd much rather stop drinking 30 mintues early than take a break during dinner. At the end my friends would be sobering up; with a dinner break they'd  be housing drinks just before and making up for lost time later.