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full open bar vs. pay per drink

tellabelletellabelle member
First Comment
in New York-New York City
Has anyone had a reception where they ended up paying per drink rather than doing an open bar for the entire evening? Does this actually bring down the cost because you aren't paying for EVERYONE to drink for 5 hours. I have some pretty big drinkers coming to my reception and I'm nervous about not knowing what the bill will be at the end of the evening.  Thanks!!
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Re: full open bar vs. pay per drink

  • lisalou402lisalou402 member
    Tenth Anniversary 100 Comments Combo Breaker
    edited December 2011
    I think it depends on how big the party is.  If it's only 30-50 people, it may work better.  The other piece is that you really have to worry about how they are tracking the drink purchases.  I have a friend who did this and they averaged something like 3 drinks per person before they did it, and it netted out much higher, and there was nothing they could do about it because they paid at the end of the reception.  She had many many guests though.
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  • sjnsjnsjnsjnsjnsjn
    100 Comments
    edited December 2011
    I'd only do pay-per if you have a lot of non-drinkers... At weddings, people tend to double fist, set a drink down, forget it, then order another... They don't think about it, because they assume it's open. 
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  • Goldlie11Goldlie11
    2500 Comments
    edited December 2011
    For an evening wedding, I would do a flat fee.  For a morning or afternoon one, I would do a pay per drink.  Most people won't be drinking hard liquor early on in the day.  
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  • slbriz34slbriz34
    500 Comments
    edited December 2011
    You'd be surprised that when it comes to events like weddings, though that you wouldn't think would drink too much decide to let loose.  I thought we'd have a lot of left over alcohol and we pretty much used everything, except for a few bottles of wine and lots of champagne.

    See if you have bring in your own alcohol - it's by far the cheapest route.  If not, then work out some flat fee, otherwise, over estimate just to be safe as you can definitely spend a lot more paying per drink.  GL.
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  • MrsKocalMrsKocal member
    100 Comments
    edited December 2011
    Don't do the pay per drink - it will get out of hand quickly.  I went to a wedding where they did this, and midway through they told hte bride and groom what their bar tab was so far, and the b & g flipped and closed the bar.  Apparently they were not expecitng it to be that expensive, but closing the bar mid-wedding is unacceptable!
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  • Jane_BirkinJane_Birkin
    500 Comments
    edited December 2011
    i agree with the PPs. also, will guests have access to the bar or will the waiters be serving the drinks? because people drink more if they are able to just go and get it themselves, as opposed to drinking from the wine glass the waiter keeps refilling. i definitely would not have doen a pay-per-drink bar with my family--a bunch of irishmen who drink scotch.  
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  • AdamLAdamL member
    10 Comments
    edited December 2011
    Going to have to agree with every1 else on this one, not only could ppdrink get a little crazy, I dont think you want you or any1 else on your big day having thoughts of the bar tab crossing their mind. Open bar is a flat free you can plan for and forget about later...
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  • yaayetyaayet
    10 Comments
    edited December 2011
    Open bar... Usually people don't even think that they need to have cash on them ( they do not take cards in most cases) and women have tiny little clutches so no $$ at all.. It's awkward to have to pay for the drinks at the wedding. It comes of as cheap, it would be different if you have partly open bar ( well drinks and beer plus wine) and if they want to splurge they can..
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