Open bar cost

smilecrazy8 · August 2010

We're thinking about doing an open bar for just the cocktail hour. Any experience with this? Does anyone know the range of what I should expect the cost to be if I do it this way? What are you all doing?

smilecrazy8 · August 2010

Oh- and if it helps: There are a few family members who are big drinkers but most of our friends are not.

soxgal12 · August 2010

Ours was $17pp for the first hour but it was included in our package price. We are switching to consumption open bar after that.

LyssaBella · August 2010

Ours is "Complimentary" for the cocktail hour and we are doing by consumption afterward. We also have continuous Wine Service with dinner so I'm not to worried about the bar tab.

jesibel14 · August 2010

It depends really if you venue has a consumption based bar or per head amount.

If it's consumption based, budget for 2 drinks per person for the first hour. That is when people typically drink the most. Find out what it costs per type of drink (wine vs beer vs hard booze).

The bar was one of the biggest areas that we struggled with. At first we were going to do just cash bar for budgetary reasons and because it's common/accepted in our social circles. However I really wanted to try to have something hosted, so we tried saving for the ability to host beer and wine all night. We came up a bit shy, so In the end, we are going with open cocktail hour and wine with dinner, cash bar the rest of the night. We're budgeting 2K for the cocktail hour.

You will get various opinions regarding open bar on here, so just keep that in mind. Etiquette wise cash bar is unacceptable, but IMO, it's really knowing your social circle that is what's most important.

Good luck!

MacFreitas7 · August 2010

does your venue allow you to supply all the alcohol and you can just hire a couple of their bartenders to serve??? I'm not doing this but I think it's been done before..

our cocktail hour is complimentary and "open-bar" it's definitely not in the budget (my parents are paying for my wedding) to supply open bar....

Jes- why is it considered "unacceptable" to NOT have an open bar??

jesibel14 · August 2010

Etiquette wise it's considered not acceptable, since per etiquette your guests shouldn't have to pay for anything. It's just one of those etiquette facts. I'm definitely not say I personally think it's wrong though, as I don't.

I wish we could have afforded open bar, but it's just not in my budget. I have no problem with cash bars at all as it's whats the norm in my family/friends circle, but I know a lot of other people on here feel differently, so just wanted to give the OP the heads up.

smilecrazy8 · August 2010

Yeah, I've heard these arguments go round and round. Etiquette-wise they shouldn't have to pay for anything... but it just adds up too darn fast! I have the choice to do per-head or per-drink and I'm choosing per-drink because I think it will be more economical. That two drink average is a good number to go off of. I just had no idea where to start!

I actually think its a MA law that facilities must supply their own alcohol and (obviously) they must have their license. The only way around this is having a backyard or private reception. Otherwise, I wish we could do that!

jesibel14 · August 2010

You're right, it adds up very quickly! I was nervous with consumption based open all night, as I know FI and I would be sitting there nervous that the bar bill was adding up and up and up....but for cocktail hour, I do think it's more economical.

FYI there are dry towns in MA where you have to bring in your own alcohol (Topsfield for example) and there are sigificant savings in doing so. There are also other venues that do the same (the comandmants house in Watertown is like that). So it's not an MA thing, though most venues do provide their own alcohol.

GinaBabe3 · August 2010

If your wedding guest list is around 150 people I would budget about $1500. This is based soley on past experiences of other friends getting married and filling me in on their expenses. What might be better is to put a cash limit on your cocktail hour. Then you will have the piece of mind that you are not busting your budget. If your wedding is in the City I would add another $500 bucks to that total.

Good Luck!

G-

Hellokatie0517 · August 2010

Our venue charges $15/pp for the first hour and then $5/pp for each additional hour.

iwalktheline · August 2010

our cocktail hour was included with our package. we opted to have open bar for the rest of the evening and i believe that cost an extra $36 per head.

jacquikev · August 2010

I dont think that its MA law because my venue at a hotel has us supply our own alcohol because they do not have a liquor license. It is my job to supply the liquor and certified bartenders. I could be wrong tho?

kelmarfar · August 2010

We had an open bar because the majority of our guest list came from out of town, so we didn't want them to have to pay for drinks at the wedding on top of all of their travel expenses. We were able to afford it and it was in our budget to do so, though. Our venue's open bar price was very reasonable ($26/pp for the entire night) and we didn't have to pay for anyone who was under 21. If we couldn't have afforded it, we wouldn't have done it.

I know some people get very bent out of shape about the etiquette thing, but honestly, I feel you should do what you can afford and what you're comfortable with.

livandrich · August 2010

our venue (searles castle) charged approx $28 pp for open bar all night, so at least 4K for our 150 guests.

Shazzie116 · August 2010

We had about 150 guests, open bar for cocktail hour, a wine pour during dinner and then open bar for another 2.5 hours, and I think we came in around $5K.

w8tilucme · August 2010

we had less than 150 and our bar cost was about 5700.
I really wanted an open bar and we cut costs on flowers and some other areas to account for it......the option that someone above wrote about is having open bar for X amount of dollars...have a price in your head you are willing to spend (and can afford) and go until that is done....just (IMHP) have someone else be the manager....you don't want to be in the middle of a good time only to hear your guests have spent all your "bar allowance!!"

it is stressful,

dparisi · August 2010

Our venue was 20 per person for 1.5 cocktail hour. It was $38 per person for 4 hours. We went with consumption the entire night and it cost $5K plus tax & gratuity.

Blueyed228 · August 2010

My venue is about $40 pp. We are hosting it all night with 250 people.

If you cannot afford a full open bar have you considered hosting beer and wine? It may be a better option for you financially. That way your guests will not have to pay out of pocket for anything.

snoangel79 · August 2010

We are having about 115 guests that are of drinking age and it's $29 pp for 5 hours open bar (premium brands). Even if they go over in consumption that's not an issue, so about $3,300 extra.

RoyalOrient · August 2010

We are having open bar all night but we get to supply the alcohol. It is saving us tons of money. See if your venue will allow you to bring in the alcohol even if it is just for cocktails.

Open bar cost

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