Open bar is far too expensive for my fiance and I to afford so we decided we'd pay for drinks, on consumption, up to $XXXX amount of dollars.
If we happen to reach said amount, do we tell guests that they're on their own for drinks? Do we leave it a surprise? We want to provide people with alcohol, but we just can't afford to let the liquor flow all night.
Has anyone done this and how did it go?
Any other suggestions?
Re: Setting a Bar Limit Etiquette
[QUOTE]Open bar is far too expensive for my fiance and I to afford so we decided we'd pay for drinks, on consumption, up to $XXXX amount of dollars. If we happen to reach said amount, do we tell guests that they're on their own for drinks? Do we leave it a surprise? We want to provide people with alcohol, but we just can't afford to let the liquor flow all night. Has anyone done this and how did it go? Any other suggestions?
<p>Posted by btrflykate1230[/QUOTE]</p><p> </p><p>I'm not sure that, 'surprise! you have to find your wallets now!' is the sort of surprise your guests will appreciate or anticipate. </p><p>We had a $2000 bar tab, based on the venue's suggestion given the number of guests (in our case, 70). It worked out fine and covered the whole night. I would suggest asking the venue to give you a ballpark of how much they think will cover it.</p><p> </p><p>If you don't have funds to cover a completely open bar, a better idea is to do beer, wine and softdrinks for the whole evening, rather than completely open for a couple of hours and then SURPRISE! lack of beverages from there on out. </p>
Glenna Harding Photography
Like TheSun said, check with your venue to see how much they estimate to cover the night or just do a limited bar,
On one hand, I think any sort of cash bar is the height of crass behavior. But on the other, if I've been drinking already, I think I would rather have the option to pay for the next drink (while totally judging your @ss) than to have the bar shut down completely. I just can't decide which one I think it worse.
I would use the many, many avalible drink calculators to figure out a realistic number of what you can expect your guests to drink thoughout the night and what it will cost. Than make it a priority to have that number be what you plan to pay for. Good hosts take care of their guests the whole night. Cut in other areas that don't effect your guests (centerpieces, decor). Pinch pennys in everyday life to save more for the wedding. Consider having only beer and wine. It CAN be done if you make the commitment to be a proper host and take care of your friends and family who came to celebrate wih you.
"Whatever East. You're just mad I RSVP'd "lame" to your pre-wedding sleepover."
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I don't like the idea of doing a partial open bar and suddenly springing a cash bar on your guests. I'd be annoyed to get up there, with an order for the table, and suddenly have to go back and find some $20's.
I would look further into the beer/wine option, or ask the venue what a general tab is and then go above that a bit. If you don't have many big drinkers you should be okay.
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Domestic Draft Beer
Sutter Home Wine
Sangria
Soda
Lemonade, Tea, and Water
available, compliments of the Bride and Groom
Or, whatever drinks you're offering.
Dresses may be easier to take in than let out, but guest lists are not. -- kate51485
We are having a toast, beer, wine and 2 signature drinks. There will NOT be a full bar for 80 people on our bank account . whoops.
FWIW, it's SUCH a pain as a guest to find out that WHAMO the bar is now cash.
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Please enjoy a few drinks on us!
Non-Alcoholic:
-Tea
-Soda
-Sparkling Water
Beers
-Bud Light,Miller, Michelob
Wines
-Yellow Tail Chardonnay, Sutter Home Merlot, Beringer White Zinfendel
Sparkling Wines, Champagne
-Martini & Rossi Asti Spumante
-Korbel Brut
Other drink options:
Well Liquor - $4.25/glass
Premium Liquor - $7.25/glass
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I am, of course, making those prices up as well as the options. I have no idea what it would actually be. I think it's okay to have other options if the guest is just dying for liquor. I know as a person that doesn't really do beer, I wouldn't mind paying for the liquor option if that's what I really wanted.
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Just offer beer, wine and maybe a sig cocktail if you are worried about money. This is perfectly acceptable, no one will ever have to open their wallet, and you don't look like an ungrateful hostess.
RAWR!
Bar Menu
Domestic Beers
Hosted
White Zinfandel, Merlot, Chardonet,
Hosted
Well Liquor
$6.00
Or something like that, now I can't remember.
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Please don't do this.
If you offer beer/wine only on consumption, the bar tab would go further. But $3500 isn't that bad. Find a way to cover drinks the whole night or just go dry.
presumptuous to assume that $3500 is nothing when you don't know what her budget is.
Can you negotiate with the venue to see if they'll do a per person, per hour cost? That way, you'll know exactly what the cost will be. Even if you can only provide 2 or 3 hours of open bar (or beer/wine bar), guests will be aware and stock up on drinks before you have to close the bar. It might be worth looking into. One of our friends could only afford an hour, so people just got a bunch of drinks during that hour and nursed them throughout the night. Not the classiest, but we had a good time.
Planning!.....Married!
At $3500, the bar tab will cost about 1/3 of what my food is (and yes, we're doing stationary and passed hors d'oeuvres, salad, dinner, and cake) which I think is a bit ridiculous. My biggest expense besides food is my dress which is a measly $700. We've cut back EVERYWHERE just to have that much alcohol.
Thanks for the suggestions on the sign! That's proably what we'll do!
dang.
Glenna Harding Photography
Are open bars even still done at weddings? I can't remember the last time I went to a wedding with one. Just stick to beer, wine, and a signature cocktail. That seems to be the norm now anyway. Can you bring in your own alcohol? That will help with cost A LOT (unless they charge you a stupid corking fee).
For my wedding we're getting two kegs of beer and we're getting a frozen drinks machine to serve margaritas and daquiris. We're even skipping the wine to save costs and because we're having a casual affair anyway. Doing kegs and the machines is saving us a ton of money.
But please don't switch over to a cash bar. I know for one I never have cash on me and it would be quite annoying to walk up to the bar and then be told to find some money somewhere. It's much better to just have a limited alcohol menu (or no alcohol at all if it comes down to it).