<p>OK, folks…put your political hats aside. I want the best opinions and all are welcome.</p>
<p>D1 is getting married and the costs are already high. Do we really need anything more than a cash bar? The liquor is the highest cost item in our budget, where do we draw the line?</p>
<p>Thank you in advance for your thoughts!</p>
<p>The P2N family. :)</p>
<p>What kind of food are you serving? Morning, Afternoon or evening wedding? I vote for just champagne, buy it at Sam’s and hire your own bartender - if the catering company balks, tell them it is that or wedding cake and pastel mints.</p>
<p>It is an early evening wedding.</p>
<p>A champagne toast is already included. We will have music and dancing, hors d’œuvres, and a sit down dinner.</p>
<p>I have always considered cash bars at weddings to be tacky, and it sounds as if you want to serve alcohol, so have you considered just serving beer and wine? Also, where I grew up (Midwest) it was actually the custom for the grooms family to pay for the alcohol.</p>
<p>Of course liquor is the highest cost item in the budget.</p>
<p>Assuming this is an evening wedding, I can’t imagine going with a cash bar. I’ve never been to a wedding that had that; it’s always been an open bar. </p>
<p>Not saying you should go into debt for it, but that’s what the custom is here is the NY/CT area.</p>
<p>A big “No” here for asking your guests to pay for any part of their refreshments. If you can’t afford or just don’t want to pay for an open bar, or worry about guests being overserved with the hard stuff, serve beer and wine. I’ve seen that done very nicely - some microbrews and different wines on the menu at the bar along with non-alcoholic drinks.</p>
<p>D was just married last August. We also had a champagne toast and served red/white wine and a local microbrewed beer on tap. All other alcohol was removed from the bar at the country club where the reception was held. Even though the reception is the most expensive part of the wedding, I have to say I was pleasantly surprised when we got the bill - not as bad as I thought it was going to be!</p>
<p>If you can’t swing for an open bar, I recommend serving beer and wine (one red, one white). Keep it simple.</p>
<p>Wine and beer with a champagne toast. I just can’t get behind the idea of a cash bar.</p>
<p>I concur that the bar is the item traditionally paid for by the groom’s family. We did when my son got married. I also agree that it is better to serve only beer and wine, or nothing than a cash bar.</p>
<p>I have been to several affairs where they have beer and wine plus 1 or 2 signature drink. This drink can be somehow related to the type of food serves. Such as Margarita’s with mexican food. Or another it was 2 types of Martini’s.</p>
<p>Do you really need any alcohol at it at all? Sometimes a bunch of liquor can turn an otherwise good wedding bad. Maybe you can draw the line at the champagne toast.</p>
<p>I strongly feel that liquor is expected and desired at a festive occasion.</p>
<p>Make it a kegger.</p>
<p>I’ve been to several weddings in the past 2 years and only 1 had liquor besides the champagne toast. 2 were on the beach at a ritzy resort and 2 were at finer wedding spaces.</p>
<p>I bet you’d find it cheaper to tell the bar to serve only “well” drinks and keep a running tab. And don’t let them double bill you on the gratuity. This way you’ll probably spend only half as much vs. a per person flat charge.</p>
<p>In the east, cash bar is generally not done. I understand that in the midwest this is more common. I would not think that you need to do a cash bar. Wine/Beer/Champagne sounds good.</p>
<p>Ok, we’re convinced. At a minimum we’ll have beer and wine. </p>
<p>Of course, for me as father of the bride it’ll be a pipeline of top shelf all evening. ;)</p>
<p>Thank you all for your responses!</p>
<p>Congratulations to your future son-in-law, P2N. If it’s in a place where there ordinarily is a bar already (such as a Country Club) you may be able to have your beer and wine served for your guests in one location and allow the facility to keep “it’s” bar (you know - the one over there) open for anyone who cares to sneak over and pay for something a little more substantial while you just sort of look the other way. I think that’s okay. If there’s not a bar there already, I’d stick with free beer and wine. I rarely see hard liquor at weddings out here in the Wine State.</p>
<p>Thanks, kluge! It will indeed be at a Country Club.</p>