I just wanted to express to all the newbies, lurkers, etc. that the ladies on these boards know what they are doing, and all the "special snowflakes" who have the illusion of "IT'S MY DAY, I CAN DO WHAT I WANT!!!" there are very real consequences to poor choices.
I went to a wedding this past weekend, which for the most part was very lovely. Brides gown was lovely, beautiful centerpieces, hand tailored tuxes, etc. Anyway, to EVERYONES shock, there was a cash bar for everything! Guests were entering cocktail hour, of course they put cards on the table, signed the guest book, started mingling, etc. As the guests were making the rounds over to the bar, I saw so many people literally irate and embarrassed to be turned away at the bar because of the cash bar, and not many people carry cash anymore. As the cocktail hour progressed, I would have to say about 75% of the guests had gone back to the card table, and literrally took the cash out of the couples cards to pay for their drinks!
After about a hour, word got back to the bride's parents that the guests were taking the cash out of the cards and all of a sudden I saw the MOB go up to the table and started frantically trying to gather up the cards to take them elsewhere. The bride and groom arrived by this point, and next thing we heard instead of the "grand entrance" was the bride yelling at the top of her lungs. Things went WAY downhill from there.....A lot of people left right after dinner (which was VERY good!).
Don't have a cash bar people. It is rude, and people DO in fact care. Listen to these ladies. They know what they are talking about. I did hear that the couple ended up with almost all empty cards, and a few boxed presents. They were counting on a large amount of wedding money, so they charged a LOT of the wedding to credit cards. They weren't able to go on a honeymoon, and now have insane debt. The bride had the nerve to say the guests were rude for taking back their gifts. I actually heard many tell her that she was the rude one for expecting people to pay for their own drinks.
Just say no to cash bars ladies. Just say no.