No bar for reception?

TerriHugg

So we are on a tight budget and trying to do what we can to stay with it. 

We can't afford to have a full bar for the reception. So instead we are thinking of having full bar for the cocktail hour froom 5 to 6. Then the reception will just have red and white wine. Is that a bad idea?

We are trying to stay in budget but I don't want to rob my guests of something they should have. Do you think the full bar for cocktail and than the choice of red or white whine is enough? 

loca4pook

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_no-bar-for-reception?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:9Discussion:9da44eb8-1322-4cd9-8e4f-cf65f5121c16Post:4eaaf019-afd5-43f9-84e1-d952353ac0ed">Re: No bar for reception?</a>:
[QUOTE]I would stick to offering the same thing all night. It's confusing as a guest to have your options disappear midway through a reception.  Beer and wine only is a pretty common option at many weddings.
Posted by KindaSparkly[/QUOTE]

I agree with this.

Beer and wine all night is fine

TerriHugg

So are you suggesting that I just serve wine and beer the entire night as opposed to just having full bar for an hour and then just switching it to red and white wine?

TerriHugg

Oh and it's not disappering mid way through reception. Right now we have it set up as full bar for cocktail hour which is in a completely different room. And then the reception in the ballroom with just the red and white whine. There is no bar set up in the ballroom at all. So that's too confusing?

lyndausvi

I would just serve wine and beer all night that give 1 hour of a full bar.

vsgal

Yes, stick with beer/wine all night only.  Skip the open bar if  you can't keep it open all night.

It will be very confusing to guests when they get a jack/coke when they get to the cocktail hour and then are denied a second one because the open  bar is gone after an hour.

TerriHugg

Ok. thanks everyone. I'll talk to FI about changing it to just beer and wine.

MuppetOverlord

Is it the bar attendant that is costing you? Or you are saying you dont want to pay for open bar?

You can do open bar for a cocktail hour only and then it go to cash bar.  Or just have wine and beer the whole time.  Or drink tickets

TerriHugg

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_no-bar-for-reception?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:9da44eb8-1322-4cd9-8e4f-cf65f5121c16Post:138aeceb-e245-4979-a394-ca1cea760db1">Re: No bar for reception?</a>:
[QUOTE]Is it the bar attendant that is costing you? Or you are saying you dont want to pay for open bar? You can do open bar for a cocktail hour only and then it go to cash bar.  Or just have wine and beer the whole time.  Or drink tickets
Posted by BritniLeigh[/QUOTE]

<div>Bar attendant, setting up the bar, plus the alcohol will cost us. Since there is no bar in the ballroom, we would have to pay extra for a bar attendant and bar set up. However, the bar is already set up in the cocktail hour room so it didn't cost extra. </div>

McRogol

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_no-bar-for-reception?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:9da44eb8-1322-4cd9-8e4f-cf65f5121c16Post:138aeceb-e245-4979-a394-ca1cea760db1">Re: No bar for reception?</a>:
[QUOTE]Is it the bar attendant that is costing you? Or you are saying you dont want to pay for open bar? You can do open bar for a cocktail hour only and then it go to cash bar.  Or just have wine and beer the whole time.  Or drink tickets
Posted by BritniLeigh[/QUOTE]

<div>
</div><div>I think sticking to "one kind of bar" is best...OPen bar all night, wine and beer the whole time, etc,</div>

AddieCake

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_no-bar-for-reception?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:9Discussion:9da44eb8-1322-4cd9-8e4f-cf65f5121c16Post:138aeceb-e245-4979-a394-ca1cea760db1">Re: No bar for reception?</a>:
[QUOTE]Is it the bar attendant that is costing you? Or you are saying you dont want to pay for open bar? You can do open bar for a cocktail hour only and then it go to cash bar.  Or just have wine and beer the whole time.  Or drink tickets
Posted by BritniLeigh[/QUOTE]



Cash bars and drink tickets are rude. You don't ask guests to open their wallets at a party you are hosting to thank them for coming to your wedding.

[Deleted User]

I agree that sticking to one kind of drink is good. As someone who needs to stick to one kind of alcohol to avoid massive headaches, if there were an open bar and I got something with vodka, say, but then couldn't get it again, I'd be a little upset. Perhaps I'm weird, but I'd prefer just knowing what my options were for the whole night.

MuppetOverlord

Most weddings I've been to are cash bars (I live in NH). People bring money in anticipation. I've never been offended by that and I've never heard a complaint.

When I lived in CA, that would've been different.

MuppetOverlord

I come appreciative of what I'm given for alcohol, but I don't expect it.

We are doing open wine, beer, mimosas, bloody mary's and soft drinks (we're doing a brunch).

Simply Fated

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_no-bar-for-reception?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:9da44eb8-1322-4cd9-8e4f-cf65f5121c16Post:751233c1-46e8-48d0-b910-708051648f8b">Re:No bar for reception?</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re:No bar for reception?: I bring money to tip the bartender. That's it. Cash bars are rude.
Posted by TXKristan[/QUOTE]
Same. I bring enough to tip the bartender. Depending on the situation, I might also bring some cash to tip valet, although I prefer to park myself if it's possible.

Sierra524

What is a drink ticket? another "first" here on TK for me!

Anyway, I am going to agree with PPs...stick with the same kind of bar all night. Wine & Beer are fine. Maybe add some sort of signature cocktail drink if you're budget allows.

MuppetOverlord

a drink ticket is a way to limit the amount you're spending on alcohol. The guest brings their ticket as payment to the bar tender.  People on this board believe it's rude.  Maybe it is in some areas. I've always just been appreciative of what people are offering for alcohol.

aurianna

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_no-bar-for-reception?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:9da44eb8-1322-4cd9-8e4f-cf65f5121c16Post:c5d8378d-a349-4660-87f9-01e1bef8fde6">Re: No bar for reception?</a>:
[QUOTE]a drink ticket is a way to limit the amount you're spending on alcohol. The guest brings their ticket as payment to the bar tender.  People on this board believe it's rude.  Maybe it is in some areas. I've always just been appreciative of what people are offering for alcohol.
Posted by BritniLeigh[/QUOTE]

You might want to lurk more.

The reception is a thank you to your guest for coming to your wedding. You don't thank them by taunting them with alcohol they have to pay for or pretty much tell them their friendship is only worth two drink tickets (unless they want to harass other guests for their unused tickets. You do get ticket begging. I went to a wedding with tickets once... tacky).

And I went to a wedding once that was open for cocktail hour (where there was no food, btw, after a two hour gap...) and then turned into cash for everyone except the bridal party after dinner. So there of course was this huge stampede prior to the change-over... and then the bridal party was walking around with their free cocktails all night. So not cool. And heaven forbid someone doesn't realize the bar switched over and they order drinks that they're suddenly charged for.
Bad idea.

While what you are doing for your own wedding is totally proper (and if your drink list isn't finalized and/or if it's no extra cost, bellinis are also fab for brunch), the suggestions you're giving the OP are not.

OwningAHome1981

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_no-bar-for-reception?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:9Discussion:9da44eb8-1322-4cd9-8e4f-cf65f5121c16Post:138aeceb-e245-4979-a394-ca1cea760db1">Re: No bar for reception?</a>:
[QUOTE]Is it the bar attendant that is costing you? Or you are saying you dont want to pay for open bar? You can do open bar for a cocktail hour only and then it go to cash bar.  Or just have wine and beer the whole time.  Or drink tickets
Posted by BritniLeigh[/QUOTE]

Defintely DO NOT do drink tickets.

OwningAHome1981

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_no-bar-for-reception?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:9Discussion:9da44eb8-1322-4cd9-8e4f-cf65f5121c16Post:c5d8378d-a349-4660-87f9-01e1bef8fde6">Re: No bar for reception?</a>:
[QUOTE]a drink ticket is a way to limit the amount you're spending on alcohol. The guest brings their ticket as payment to the bar tender.  People on this board believe it's rude.  Maybe it is in some areas. I've always just been appreciative of what people are offering for alcohol.
Posted by BritniLeigh[/QUOTE]

Yes being appreciative is good but the people are coming to the party for YOU, bringing presents or money for YOU... then you expect them to pay for alcohol? The reception is a thank you for guests for coming to your ceremony- to then charge them for alcohol is incredibly rude.