Wine/Beer/Champagne v. Full Open Bar

travelerkris · November 2012

Our per-person price at our venue includes open bar for wine (6 different kinds), beer (2 choices), champagne, and tea/coffee/soda. The default choice is a cash-bar for hard liquor. We're struggling to decide whether to leave it like this or to put money behind the bar for liquor choices. The wedding starts at 4:00 and goes until 10:00. We have about 110 guests.

Has anyone seen a difference in receptions with wine/beer/champagne v. hard liquor included? Does it matter a lot? I'm a big wine drinker, as are most of my friends, but I'm sure some people would prefer a cocktail. However, we're really pushed up against our budget, and I'm not sure if we should put the remainder of it into cocktails. Looking for advice. Thanks!

Maggie0829 · November 2012

If you can only afford beer/wine/champagne then that is perfectly fine. I know you aren't doing this seeing as you were thinking about putting some money towards liquor, but do not have a cash bar.

Why don't you see when you are about a week out how much money you have left and make the decision if you would like to provide a specialty drink ot two then. If you don't have the extra funds then stick with what you have, if you do have the extra funds great!

ETA: I am also a huge wine drinker as are most of my other girl friends. All the guys I know are perfetly content to drink beer. The only reason most of my friends drink cocktails at weddings is becasue they are free and the choice is there. If the choice wasn't there or they cost anything they would stick with beer or wine.

I also don't think what kind of bar you have is really going to affect your overall wedding. There will still be alcohol so people can still get buzzed if they would like. One of the last weddings I went to had an open bar but was boring as hell while another wedding I went to had a limited bar (like what you are thinking) and I had a blast. The bar does not make the wedding.

KatWAG · November 2012

As long as it doesnt involve guests having to pay for their own drinks, you are fine with either option.

I think personally would be fine with beer and wine. I had a full bar but most of want people chose was beer and wine anyway.

cwaggoner07 · November 2012

I think beer and wine satisfies 99% of alcohol drinkers, and is perfectly acceptable. When I go to a wedding (that isn't dry) I expect bare minimum of beer and wine, and anything else is a pleasant surprise. Never expected, and I'm never disappointed.

QueerFemme · November 2012

We had 2 different beers, 4 wine choices and two signature drinks (both of which, were made with wine, because our venue didn't allow hard liquor). We had a traditional red sangria and a white wine, pink lemonade spritzer with fresh raspberries. No one missed the hard liquor.

If you are worried about limiting it to beer and wine only, maybe see if your venue will allow a signature cocktail. But, if not, I wouldn't worry about stretching the budget to include hard liquor.

achiduck · November 2012

I usually drink wine or champagne at wedding and then stick to soda once I've reached my limit. i would be perfectly happy with this.

MrsGandthebeag · November 2012

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_chit-chat_winebeerchampagne-v-full-open-bar?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:14Discussion:cc487c24-155a-49ba-b449-461a6b3b641cPost:19c6555a-c9ba-4dee-8e86-32f3ba07980b">Re: Wine/Beer/Champagne v. Full Open Bar</a>:
[QUOTE]You're going to need to plan an average of 6-7 drinks per guest with that long of a reception. If your budget is already tight, I'd leave it as beer and wine because that much liquor is goin to be really really pricey.
Posted by StageManager14[/QUOTE]

<div>Holy crap! Who drinks that much? If I drank 6-7 alcoholic beverages someone would need to call an ambulance. I had 4 glasses of wine at the last wedding I went to and had a pretty good buzz going. </div>

ChristineNB · November 2012

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_chit-chat_winebeerchampagne-v-full-open-bar?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:14Discussion:cc487c24-155a-49ba-b449-461a6b3b641cPost:d7535942-d1f1-4534-b000-e95c63dac29d">Re: Wine/Beer/Champagne v. Full Open Bar</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: Wine/Beer/Champagne v. Full Open Bar : Holy crap! Who drinks that much? If I drank 6-7 alcoholic beverages someone would need to call an ambulance. I had 4 glasses of wine at the last wedding I went to and had a pretty good buzz going.
Posted by MrsGandthebeag[/QUOTE]
I can attest that several of the younger male guests as well as the groom drank this much or more at my wedding. I think I only had 4 beers, and wasn't really buzzed. You know your friends best and if there are some in the group that can really put it away

QueerFemme · November 2012

People at our wedding easily drank 5-6 glasses or either beer or wine or the sig drinks. MANY drank more than that. Our ceremony ended at 3:30ish, cocktail hour started then and lasted until 4:30, and the reception ended around 9pm. There were some people who were a little tipsy, but no one was throw-up drunk.

MyNameIsNot · November 2012

6-7 drinks per person is a pretty good estimate when you are budgetting for a consumption bar. It seems like a lot, but over 4-5 hours, it's really just a little more than a drink per hour. You also have to remember that plenty of people will order a drink and sit it down or lose it or not finish it for whatever reason. Weddings just result in a lot of unfinished drinks, and there's nothing you can do about that. It's also best to overestimate when you're thinking about a consumption bar, because the last thing you want is to get hit with a bill for more than you expected. It sounds like you're looking at a flat rate, though, so this is irrelevant.

I would work with the beer and wine option with your budget. (Don't offer the liquor at cash bar, that's rude. Just only offer the items you can afford.) If it comes down to it and you have more declines than expected or surplus for some other reason, then think about offering the liquor.

Don't worry about not having liquor if it doesn't fit in the budget. 98% of people who drink will drink either beer and wine. If you happen to have someone that doesn't like either, they can just have soda. Being a good hostess doesn't mean you offer every single thing in the world or the first choice for every guest. It means you offer a variety of what fits your budget that is most likely to fit with the majority of your guests.

erinlin25 · November 2012

I am a fan of cocktails over wine, but have no issue at all when wedding bars are just beer and wine/champagne. Totally acceptable and definitely more common really. People will appreciate whatever you have to offer.

travelerkris · November 2012

THANKS SO MUCH! Appreciate the feedback, and we'll stick to beer/wine and champagne.

Wine/Beer/Champagne v. Full Open Bar

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