Learn What Your Options Are for Serving Alcohol at Your Wedding and Ways to Cut the Cost

Alcohol is not a necessity for weddings. You can have a beautiful ceremony and fun reception without alcohol. And if you are trying to trim your wedding costs then eliminating alcohol from the event will definitely save you a nice chunk of change. That being said, many people expect alcohol at weddings and think that it is tacky to not have alcohol at your wedding. I can totally understand the need for some to cut out the alcohol tab from their wedding budget. You could just as easily use sparkling grape juice or cider for your wedding toasts.

Cash Bar

Some people choose to do a cash bar if they are unable to afford an open bar. There are two major benefits for having a cash bar. One is that you can have alcohol at your event and not have to pay for it and the other is that some venues will give you a discount on your room for having a cash bar because they will be receiving profit from the bar sales. Then again, many people think it is tacky to have a cash bar. If you choose to have a cash bar, it is important to state this on the invitation under the reception information. You do not want to have a bunch of guests that are not prepared to purchase their own drinks. Having a cash bar is considered breaking wedding etiquette and is considered bad form because your guests should not pay for anything. If you were to invite your friends over for dinner you would not charge them for their meal or drinks because they are your guests. So you really shouldn't ask your guests to pay for their drinks at your wedding/reception.

Open Bar: Limited Open Bar

Open bars can be very expensive. However, there are many ways to have an open bar and still skim down the overall bar tab. A limited open bar that is very popular these days and is perfectly acceptable is to limit the number of free drinks per guest to two drinks. You include two free drink tickets with the invitation for each adult. Adults will be expected to pay for their own drinks after their two free drinks. This two free drink maximum promotes responsible drinking and also gives peace of mind to the wedding couple and those that help pay for the bash that guests will most likely drink responsibly. You can also consider closing the bar down an hour before the event is over to give guests a little time to sober up before going home. This will also help with guests hanging out at the venue well past the time they even is over.

Limiting the available times of the open bar is something you could also do to help cut costs of an open bar. You could close the bar down during dinner. Although, I am not a fan of this approach at weddings.

Open Bar: Signature Drink With Limited Selection

Having a signature drink or two and a limited selection at an open bar is probably the best approach for you and your guests. Choose a signature drink of the new couple or a signature drink for the bride and one for the groom. Pick drinks that have a minimal amount of ingredients to save on money. Some couples choose drinks that go with their wedding colors. Some also select drinks that mirror their personalities. And others will choose a sweet, fruity drink and one that is not.

You could just have the signature drinks served during cocktail hour and the reception. This will save a lot of money. Or you could serve the signature drinks with a limited selection of beer and wine. Finding your signature drink can be a fun adventure for the wedding couple. There are some really great online sources for signature drinks and you can even search by color. You can also ask your friendly local bartender or mixologist to help you find something that will be perfect for your special day.

Open Bar: Cocktail Reception

Instead of having a cocktail hour and then a reception, couples may opt to have just a cocktail reception. This will eliminate a huge cost in having a catered wedding dinner. Your wedding dinner is a huge portion of your overall budget. Most wedding dinners come with a selection of 3 to 6 entrees to choose from not to mention if there are horderves served before dinner and desserts after...oh yeah and the wedding cake. The food bill can get quite costly and if you throw on an open bar on top of that you are talking some big bucks. A cocktail reception can still have all the fun of a regular reception. There will still be foods although it will be hors d'oeuvres and finger foods and the alcohol will still be served. If you go this route you will want to make sure that there are plenty of hors d'oeuvres being served by wait staff or have some hors d'oeuvres tables set up for guests to help themselves. Also pick some finger foods that are filling.

BYOB Venue

If you are lucky enough to find a venue that is perfect for your wedding that allows you to "bring your own booze" then definitely consider booking it. You can save considerably if you can bring in your own alcohol to serve. You can set up your own bar and bring in your own liquor and bartender/mixologist. Chances are someone you know has tended bar sometime during their life or know someone who has. They can help you plan the set up and the drinks for your bar and maybe they will even offer to tend the bar for you as a wedding gift! If you have friends in the bar or restaurant business that have access to liquor they may be able to help you find discounts on your liquor purchase. You may also be able to get a discount with your local liquor or spirits store if you are buying large amounts and make a deal that you can return unopened bottles.