Ok I just was stalking the boards and learned that cash bars are incredibly tacky (news to me). My wedding budget is $4000 and cannot afford a bar, but the venue has an awesome full service bar that we would like our guests to have the opportunity to use if they so choose. It is in a different room than the banquet hall. We are not allowed to bring in alcohol, and the woman I spoke to estimated that if I were to pay for an open bar, it would cost about $10,000-30,000 or possibly more, so I have to put that down as a deposit. The only reason I am even having the reception here in the first place is I fell in love with it but it did not fit in our budget, so my in laws offered to pay if we open up the cash bar (but they were only paying for the venue, not the bar). Invitations have gone out already, and I thought cash bars were normal. My solution is to give out one glass of wine or champagne to each guest while we are taking our pictures, and then open up the cash bar afterwards. Is this acceptable or am I doomed to be the most rude bride ever? For the record we are paying by plate for dinner, and I am sure that every guest knows we are not wealthy.