Is a cash bar at a wedding reception tacky? - Page 3

JMarchand1981 · 05-25-2015, 06:19 AM

We had about 70 people at our wedding. There was an open bar. I typically do not "do" the wedding scene but when I do I see an open bar as a bonus. I do not see it as a necessity and I certainly don't see a cash bar as a means of cheaping out. Weddings are expensive enough without booze.

nanners13 · 05-25-2015, 07:05 AM

didnt have alcohol at my wedding, But ive been to weddings that have had cash bars, though i will say that it seemed like at that wedding it was free drinks to a certain point (guess either an designated time limit or perhaps money limit) and once that limit was up then it turned to a cash bar, that would have been later on in the night. Weddings are expensive and i promise the people getting married could care less about it.

Thinking · 05-25-2015, 07:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by preakness

Wife and I both from
Blue collar families

We paid for wedding ourselves

Open bar a must

Like I mentioned earlier, never been to wedding that wasn't

Same here. Better off having an open bar at a lower tier location verses cash bar at a fancy hotel.

I'm guessing some folks who don't care if people think its tacky are the first ones complaining about how small the gift was they received from the wedding attendees.

Dacubs · 05-25-2015, 07:45 AM

Depends on your friends and family...we're not big drinkers

I'll have one drink at a wedding and thats about it, I don't drink much, just never have, my wife doesn't either, she'll have her one stone sour and thats it...

So we didn't have a bar at all...although each table came with a bottle of whiskey, a 2 liter of coke and 2 liter of 7-up

Addison · 05-25-2015, 07:54 AM

Mortgage payment > Extravagant wedding

freethrowtommy · 05-25-2015, 08:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Addison

Mortgage payment > Extravagant wedding

If you can convince your significant other of this, you are doing well.

Luckily, my wife and I agreed on how much we wanted to spend on our wedding and we didn't exceed it. It was fun, but not expensive (relatively speaking). She did a lot of the decorating herself from stuff on the internet.

There is zero point in starting your life together in debt. Even more debt if you just got out of school.

shadymccoy25 · 05-25-2015, 08:15 AM

Cash bar never even crossed our mind. We even paid to extend the open bar 1 additional hour right before it ended. I will say that a cash bar is better than no booze at all. A friend of mine had a wedding and he didn't have any booze what so ever and it was an absolute miserable affair.

preakness · 05-25-2015, 08:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Addison

Mortgage payment > Extravagant wedding

agree
we waited until we knew we could pay for our wedding AND purchase our home

pingbling23 · 05-25-2015, 09:28 AM

I had approximately 100 guests at my wedding. My venue had a flat rate for the bartender and mixers. We bought 2 kegs and around $500 worth of liquor and it was plenty after 4 hours of partying (I've still got 2 bottles of vodka, 2 bottles of rum, and half a handle of whiskey). If you're not going to do an open bar, don't have alcohol there. I went to a wedding that had a cigar and scotch bar on top of an open bar, very nice touch. I'd like to know how many bottles of Johnny walker black was consumed. That wedding was at montaluce winery in Georgia, very nice to be a part of that.

Athey49 · 05-25-2015, 10:11 AM

We bought the first 2 kegs and some good wine. When the kegs ran out, you paid the rest of the night. Around here not many people can afford open bars. With nothing to do in these small towns but drink, it would be ridiculously expensive to pay for an open bar. Only the very rich farmers pay for open bars.

death2redemptions · 05-25-2015, 12:30 PM

My family plays hard but we drink even harder...

BostonNut · 05-25-2015, 12:31 PM

Open bar all the way...

How else do you think I got all the bridesmaids at the last wedding I went to?

JohnRyno · 05-25-2015, 12:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BostonNut

Open bar all the way...

How else do you think I got all the bridesmaids at the last wedding I went to?

You bought a bunch of rohypnol from bobby lowballs.

death2redemptions · 05-25-2015, 01:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BostonNut

Open bar all the way...

How else do you think I got all the bridesmaids at the last wedding I went to?

Roofies?

EDIT: The Ryno beat me to it...that pesky Ryno is always stealing my material.

Ian · 05-25-2015, 07:04 PM

At least buy a few kegs. Have a cash bar of hard liquor. Kegs of domestic beer are pretty cheap, and they can go a long way.

ssbledsoe · 05-25-2015, 07:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by death2redemptions

My family plays hard but we drink even harder...

Rumor around BO is that you're "hard" all the time

:eatit:

JohnRyno · 05-25-2015, 07:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ssbledsoe

Rumor around BO is that you're "hard" all the time

:eatit:

ilovethelakings · 05-25-2015, 07:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BostonNut

Open bar all the way...

How else do you think I got all the bridesmaids at the last wedding I went to?

tacoma34 · 05-25-2015, 07:42 PM

Weddings without free booze is like busta without the rhymes. Liquid courage makes for a great time.

death2redemptions · 05-25-2015, 08:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ssbledsoe

Rumor around BO is that you're "hard" all the time

:eatit:

Well if I wasn't before you certainly just made me hard right now.

ssbledsoe · 05-25-2015, 08:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by death2redemptions

Well if I wasn't before you certainly just made me hard right now.

I love how you talk to me

Y2Hood · 05-25-2015, 08:12 PM

Our wedding was open bar, provided by the reception hall. They also provided food and clean up. Our cost was $3000 to reserve the hall plus $32 per person for mid tier alcohol & food. Worked out really nice.

Still had to provide our own cake, DJ, etc..

I went to a cash bar wedding at a hotel before. They were charging $1 more in the ballroom than the downstairs bar was charging, so people just kept walking the 50 yards to get the cheaper drinks. It was a 2nd wedding for a girl that thinks she's the bees knees. (One of those if you mention a restaurant is expensive b/c you paid $200 for your meal so be careful, will cut you off, "Well *ACTUALLY* that's very affordable for there.") She had regrets or shame about it, said she wasn't paying for other people to drink. It was also her second wedding, not sure if that played into her decision or not.

Last wedding I served in they were planning on not having alcohol at all. 12 hours before kickoff they went to the store about bought 20 cases of Bud Light and 20 cases of Coors light (?) and some boxes of wine. At the reception I saw the mother & father of the bride hitting a bottle of bourbon and then hiding it in M.O.B's purse.

I myself view it as tacky, but I'm a big enough person to say my views do not have to apply to other people. I was fortunate in that we had a lot of available credit to cover what we couldn't do out of pocket or get help from family.....and then we had to file bankruptcy 2 years later anyway so WHAT DO I KNOW!?!? Court can confiscate your assets, they can't confiscate your memories. That's what we told ourselves anyway. If we could do it over, we would have probably listened to my initial idea of not booking that hall.

MasterPattie · 12-17-2015, 10:28 AM

Anyone been to any wedding receptions lately? Was it a cash or an open bar?

lobo_hacker · 12-17-2015, 10:54 AM

-Tacky only if you are privileged or spend too much money on your weddings.

When people overspend on this ceremony to the point that not providing free booze is considered a faux pas, something is wrong.

And no, i can tell you from experience that an open bar is not always a set price regardless of the amount of alcohol consumed. Last two i paid for were scaled by consumption. One at a casino, the other a private catered event. Though the caterer offered two price points, one scaled for consumption and the other a set price per person. Scaled to consumption turned out to be the cheaper option.

lobo_hacker

Boo · 12-17-2015, 11:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lobo_hacker

-Tacky only if you are privileged or spend too much money on your weddings.

When people overspend on this ceremony to the point that not providing free booze is considered a faux pas, something is wrong.

And no, i can tell you from experience that an open bar is not always a set price regardless of the amount of alcohol consumed. Last two i paid for were scaled by consumption. One at a casino, the other a private catered event. Though the caterer offered two price points, one scaled for consumption and the other a set price per person. Scaled to consumption turned out to be the cheaper option.

lobo_hacker

I would have thought you would have learned after the first one?!

As for the question, tacky as hell to not at least pay for a keg or two and some wine.

View Poll Results: Is a cash bar at a wedding reception tacky?
Yes	114	60.96%
No	73	39.04%
Voters: 187. You may not vote on this poll

05-25-2015, 07:54 AM	#55
Addison Member Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: ...on the beach Posts: 7,276 Addisond	Mortgage payment > Extravagant wedding __________________ \m/(>.<)\m/

05-25-2015, 08:15 AM	#57
shadymccoy25 Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Delaware Posts: 2,583 shadymccoy90	Cash bar never even crossed our mind. We even paid to extend the open bar 1 additional hour right before it ended. I will say that a cash bar is better than no booze at all. A friend of mine had a wedding and he didn't have any booze what so ever and it was an absolute miserable affair. __________________ Collecting Go Eagles Go Phils

05-25-2015, 10:11 AM	#60
Athey49 Member Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Minnesota Posts: 8,791 bradathey Athey49	We bought the first 2 kegs and some good wine. When the kegs ran out, you paid the rest of the night. Around here not many people can afford open bars. With nothing to do in these small towns but drink, it would be ridiculously expensive to pay for an open bar. Only the very rich farmers pay for open bars. __________________ San Fran Football Fan Bring me your Royce Lewis! LISTEN TO DYLAN

05-25-2015, 12:31 PM	#62
BostonNut Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 62,343	Open bar all the way... How else do you think I got all the bridesmaids at the last wedding I went to? __________________ "It's true that whenever rectal issues come to mind thoughts of you aren't far behind" - HairySas September 4, 2025 "GD it. I am a doofus." - majestik101 October 16, 2025 “This is the baseball section, NN ” - Bosoxfan5990 November 25, 2025

05-25-2015, 06:19 AM	#51
JMarchand1981 Member Join Date: Jul 2013 Posts: 34,438	We had about 70 people at our wedding. There was an open bar. I typically do not "do" the wedding scene but when I do I see an open bar as a bonus. I do not see it as a necessity and I certainly don't see a cash bar as a means of cheaping out. Weddings are expensive enough without booze.

05-25-2015, 07:05 AM	#52
nanners13 Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Virginia Posts: 3,086 Slicksilver66	didnt have alcohol at my wedding, But ive been to weddings that have had cash bars, though i will say that it seemed like at that wedding it was free drinks to a certain point (guess either an designated time limit or perhaps money limit) and once that limit was up then it turned to a cash bar, that would have been later on in the night. Weddings are expensive and i promise the people getting married could care less about it.

05-25-2015, 07:45 AM	#54
Dacubs Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Chicago Posts: 11,836 pharmkid97 pharmkid97	Depends on your friends and family...we're not big drinkers I'll have one drink at a wedding and thats about it, I don't drink much, just never have, my wife doesn't either, she'll have her one stone sour and thats it... So we didn't have a bar at all...although each table came with a bottle of whiskey, a 2 liter of coke and 2 liter of 7-up

05-25-2015, 09:28 AM	#59
pingbling23 Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Posts: 15,972 pingbling23	I had approximately 100 guests at my wedding. My venue had a flat rate for the bartender and mixers. We bought 2 kegs and around $500 worth of liquor and it was plenty after 4 hours of partying (I've still got 2 bottles of vodka, 2 bottles of rum, and half a handle of whiskey). If you're not going to do an open bar, don't have alcohol there. I went to a wedding that had a cigar and scotch bar on top of an open bar, very nice touch. I'd like to know how many bottles of Johnny walker black was consumed. That wedding was at montaluce winery in Georgia, very nice to be a part of that.

05-25-2015, 12:30 PM	#61
death2redemptions Banned Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Creeping in mama's cellar Posts: 59,303 ddavisaz	My family plays hard but we drink even harder...

05-25-2015, 07:04 PM	#65
Ian Member Join Date: Jan 2014 Posts: 1,221 i8a8n	At least buy a few kegs. Have a cash bar of hard liquor. Kegs of domestic beer are pretty cheap, and they can go a long way. __________________ Collecting Meyers Leonard rookie cards http://s324.photobucket.com/user/IansCards/library/

05-25-2015, 07:42 PM	#69
tacoma34 Member Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Washington State Posts: 5,630	Weddings without free booze is like busta without the rhymes. Liquid courage makes for a great time. __________________ ISO: Earl Thomas 2014 Topps Chrome Black Printing Plate (last card needed for complete rainbow)

05-25-2015, 08:12 PM	#72
Y2Hood Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Louisiana Posts: 1,102 corieandgreg2012 Y2Hood	Our wedding was open bar, provided by the reception hall. They also provided food and clean up. Our cost was $3000 to reserve the hall plus $32 per person for mid tier alcohol & food. Worked out really nice. Still had to provide our own cake, DJ, etc.. I went to a cash bar wedding at a hotel before. They were charging $1 more in the ballroom than the downstairs bar was charging, so people just kept walking the 50 yards to get the cheaper drinks. It was a 2nd wedding for a girl that thinks she's the bees knees. (One of those if you mention a restaurant is expensive b/c you paid $200 for your meal so be careful, will cut you off, "Well ACTUALLY that's very affordable for there.") She had regrets or shame about it, said she wasn't paying for other people to drink. It was also her second wedding, not sure if that played into her decision or not. Last wedding I served in they were planning on not having alcohol at all. 12 hours before kickoff they went to the store about bought 20 cases of Bud Light and 20 cases of Coors light (?) and some boxes of wine. At the reception I saw the mother & father of the bride hitting a bottle of bourbon and then hiding it in M.O.B's purse. I myself view it as tacky, but I'm a big enough person to say my views do not have to apply to other people. I was fortunate in that we had a lot of available credit to cover what we couldn't do out of pocket or get help from family.....and then we had to file bankruptcy 2 years later anyway so WHAT DO I KNOW!?!? Court can confiscate your assets, they can't confiscate your memories. That's what we told ourselves anyway. If we could do it over, we would have probably listened to my initial idea of not booking that hall. __________________ I collect Drew Brees & Frank Thomas (white sox). Specifically seeking 2007 National Treasures Laundry Tag of Brees myslabs.to/Y2Hood

12-17-2015, 10:28 AM	#73
MasterPattie Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 8,750	Anyone been to any wedding receptions lately? Was it a cash or an open bar?

12-17-2015, 10:54 AM	#74
lobo_hacker Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Oklahoma Posts: 3,581	-Tacky only if you are privileged or spend too much money on your weddings. When people overspend on this ceremony to the point that not providing free booze is considered a faux pas, something is wrong. And no, i can tell you from experience that an open bar is not always a set price regardless of the amount of alcohol consumed. Last two i paid for were scaled by consumption. One at a casino, the other a private catered event. Though the caterer offered two price points, one scaled for consumption and the other a set price per person. Scaled to consumption turned out to be the cheaper option. lobo_hacker