No Alcohol??

klmhek · September 2009

My fiance and I, and our families, are all Christians who don't drink. I live in a small area where that is pretty much all people do.. Go to parties and drink. And around here, a wedding is just an excuse to get wasted. We don't want any alcohol at our reception. We thought about toasting with champange but we're not even sure about that yet. I've been to a few no-alcohol weddings (with alot of guests who DO drink) and it seemed like no one wanted to dance, they just wanted to sit around.I DON'T WANT OUR WEDDING TO BE BORING! What can we do to make our wedding fun and interesting without alcohol? And is anyone else going alcohol free??Thanks!Kate

handfast4me · September 2009

Maybe you need to change the type of reception you're having? No dancing, sort of a restaurant-type reception? Or maybe just have your families at your wedding and reception, because if they're "Christians who don't drink" then you won't have to worry about it. You still have plenty of time to change everything since you're wedding is still well over a year away, and seeing as how you're not even old enough to drink legally at this point, maybe your friends, who may be about the same age, will learn moderation in the meantime. Just a thought.

ffmaid · September 2009

Yes people are much much less likely to dance and party without alcohol. It just is a fact of life. Accept that. Now if you get on the dance floor and stay dancing all night and offere a variety of intersting drinks that are non alcoholic it may be more fun and have more folks dance. Maybe a fancy capochino bar ?? But yes the big party folks usually will want a few drinks first it loosens nerves about being the first folks on teh dance floor

brandinblake · September 2009

we are doing a byob... we are offering champagne just to the ones who are doing the toast and then whatever you want you have to bring yourself (we have a mixed group of drinkers and non-drinkers) Generally people are less apt to get wasted when they are paying for the alcohol themselves.

Leah&Christian09 · September 2009

You don't have to offer alcohol, and if most of your guests don't drink, it isn't necessary. But yes, people who do drink aren't very likely to dance if there is no alcohol. A lot of people have more luck doing dry weddings in the afternoon. Either way, don't get rude and ask guests to bring their own or offer a cash bar. As the host, you provide what people get.

Lovie 129 · September 2009

Have virgin signature drinks, they go over very well, especially if they are good and the presentation is cool.

redheadfsu · September 2009

Plan a morning wedding or afternoon wedding. Cheaper & fewer people would even think about alcohol. Do something unconventional... Horseshoes or other garden party games. Just don't make it mandatory or anything crazy like that.

jaf071984 · September 2009

We are not having alcohol at our evening wedding b/c of religious reasons as we don't drink. I don't think you need to provide alcohol to make sure people dance, though it does make it easier. I've been to countless weddings without alcohol, the key is to make people comfortable by doing something to get people on the dance floor. Once you get a crowd, others will follow. Fiance and I are thinking about doing a wedding skit!

ngiguere · September 2009

I do not drink very much myself. However, since part of having a wedding reception is thanking everyone for being there for you at your ceremony, and the reception is your way of being a good hostess, I do think that it's nice to have something to drink. you could keep it simple and classy with 2 or 3 selections of wine. People don't usually drink wine to get drunk, however, it may loosen the crowd up just enough. No beer, no hard alcohol. For our wedding, for instance, we do like to drink a little. But since we don't want people getting out of control and wasted, we're skipping out on a hard alcohol bar. Since our wedding is the Pacific Northwest, which is famous for local wines and beers, we're having all local wines and beers. We don't like hard alcohol, and most of our friends and family like beer and wine enough anyway that we don't expect anyone to make a fuss over not having any hard booze. Another option is to have a late morning ceremony with a brunch reception. My friend did that and it was FABULOUS! No alcohol or champagne. It was still a really fun and lovely reception. If you do insist on having an evening reception, those are viewed as more of a party over all. If you don't want to have a huge party, I'd reconsider the time of day you want to have your wedding, so as to not disappoint your guests if they truly are all a big party crowd. If it's not your guests that are big partiers/drinkers, but just other people in the area, don't fret it. Do what you feel comfortable with!

love_jael · September 2009

I've been to weddings where there has been no alchohol or have had to pay for our own drinks. It has never bothered me. Either way I have fun and so do the rest of the guest. Everyone is on the dance floor and partying it up. I guess it really depends on the guest that you will be inviting. But either way it is up to you. Just make sure that the food is amazing and the music is something that eveyone is going to what to dance to and have fun. Can you afford to add uplighting-maybe to give your venue a little added special feel. Idk.

Deidra123 · September 2009

We're having an evening wedding but not really having alcohol b/c it is terribly expensive. We are having a champagne toast. That's it. We are spending $60 a head on each guest in the room to have a dual meat, plated, sit down dinner with a number of courses so if that's not enough, well, oh well. I'm pretty outgoing and most of my friends aren't big drinkers. We like to dance, though. It's hard for me to believe that if the DJ is on point, and their favorite songs are playing, people aren't going to get up and dance. Maybe it's just me. Sometimes, we don't drink when we go to the club, and we still dance all night long. Maybe invite some fun and outgoing people who don't have to drink to get out there and partay with you!!!

TurtlesAllTheWayDown · September 2009

I do drink and in my family/circle of friends it would be best to have a full open bar, but I totally respect those who have a dry wedding for religious reasons. (I'm a vegetarian and I'm not serving meat at my wedding because it goes against my morals.) That said, have a non-alcoholic punch or other "fun" drinks. Maybe sparking apple juice or grape juice. Rather than dancing, I'm probably doing karaoke, which I've mentioned elsewhere, because most of my friends and family would like that better. And I really don't dance. Though some may argue that karaoke also needs alcohol to get really exciting...If you have a wedding coordinator or are thinking about hiring a DJ, see if there are some interactive alternatives they can suggest.

vet_tech_beauty · September 2009

We're planning on a dry wedding. One idea is to have a specific kind of dancing. We have a couple that we're thinking about. My sister is a swing dance instructor so we may do a 20s/30s themed reception. Or, we do civil war reenactments, so we may do old style ballroom dancing. Its more encouraging for people to dance if they are given more instruction and its a "uniqe" opportunity.

baylee2006 · October 2009

we also are not having alcohol at our wedding (possibly champagne for toasting but thats about it). it is alot cheaper to not have alcohol and i dont think that it is boring to not have it there. if that is something that you dont do normally, why change it for the most important day of your lives? my friends didnt have alcohol at their weddings and everyone danced and had a great time!

my fiance and i arent big dancers so we're having our first dance and i am having my father/daughter dance and then just playing music so if people want to dance they can and if not, thats fine too!

dont worry about what other people think... this is YOUR day

No Alcohol??

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