Shorter than usual open bar?

shellichris · November 2009

We are having our reception at a hotel that offers a reception package that includes dinner, cake cutting, champagne toast, etc. It includes open bar, but only for 3 hours. The reception will be longer than that... Here is what I am picturing: Open bar for the first hour when guests arrive before dinner; closing the bar during dinner; then open bar for two hours after dinner. Should we then close the bar completely, make it a cash bar after that, or do a host bar and put it on our tab? I don't want to seem tacky by making it a cash bar, but then again, we did have it open for 3 hours... What is the best way to go about this? Thanks in advance!

Leah&Christian09 · November 2009

You're right, switching to cash bar is tacky. I went to a wedding a few weeks ago where they did that. After a certain time, the bar switched to cash. At that time, people started leaving. If it's in the budget, it would be nice to extend it for the whole reception, or at least until about 30 minutes before the end. Closing it during dinner is fine. If you don't have it in the budget, just close it.

lyndausvi · November 2009

How long is your reception? Ideally it's a good idea to have the bar open up until 30 minutes until the end of the wedding.If it's not in the budget try and see if you could work it out to only be closed for 1 hour of the total time of the reception. You can do shut it down for 30 minutes during dinner and 30 minutes at the end of the night.Also ask if you can ditch the champange toast. Most people do not drink it, so it's a waste of money. You might be able to use the champange toast as a credit towards your bar. The guests can just drink what they have in their hand.

jenn.daniel · November 2009

I like the pp's idea of getting rid of the champagne and having it applied to the bar. I don't see a problem with closing the bar a full hour before the reception ends. It takes people more than half an hour to sober up. And like you said, close it during dinner as well.

aerinpegadrak · November 2009

Closing the bar during dinner is totally fine. I think you're also okay to close it for the last hour of the reception, but if you can keep it open until the last half hour, it would probably be better.Lynda has a great idea of cutting the champagne toast and applying that credit to the bar. Since you'd still be spending the money on alcohol, I imagine that most venues would be perfectly amenable to that. Talk to your coordinator and see what your options are.

shellichris · November 2009

Thanks so much for your ideas. I will talk with the coordinator at the hotel.

AKatharine · November 2009

Someone earlier referred to just closing the bar all together. As a guest I would honestly be pissed off if the bar was closed and I couldn't get a drink. Closing the bar to me seems tacky, I would rather buy myself a drink from a cash bar than not having the option of getting a drink. Where I live cash bars are not tacky at all. I would be more upset about the bar being closed and me not being able to get a drink, than having to pay for one. Here it is the norm to offer a cocktail hour and then cash bar, or open bar for an allotted amount of time then cash bar.

hollieheidi · November 2009

We're only having the bar open until 1 hr before the reception is over. I would rather have drinks during dinner. Just close the bar earlier. No big deal.

rsquaredr · November 2009

We're having a 4 hour open bar. It'll be open 530-630 during appetizers, closed 630 to 730 during dinner (except for the bridal party) and then open 730-1030. Our reception is over at 11 so we're just closing a 1/2 hour early.I would not close the bar completely. If you can't pay for a full open bar after the 3 hours is up maybe just pay for beer & wine. Cash bars are acceptable from where I'm from though.

Shorter than usual open bar?

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