Is a cash bar at a wedding reception tacky?

[IndySportsCards]

We had a Monopoly Money Bar at our reception.

CLASSY!

[TwinGnats]

My family aren't alcohol people. I had a Sunday wedding in the morning with a huge brunch. Had mimosas, wine and beer available. Almost none was consumed. I say cash bar, if you're going to whine and cry that you can't get wasted and get into fights at my wedding, maybe just stay home, don't need you there. Of course that's academic, my wife and I aren't friends with scumbags.

I never really understood this issue. Why do you have to drink at a wedding?

[Athey49]

Originally Posted by TwinGnats

I never really understood this issue. Why do you have to drink at a wedding?

How else am I going to enjoy atrending a wedding?

[TwinGnats]

I hate weddings in general, but if I like the person(s) getting married I enjoy myself. If you don't like the people, don't go.

Originally Posted by Athey49

How else am I going to enjoy atrending a wedding?

[carlo16]

Originally Posted by TwinGnats

My family aren't alcohol people. I had a Sunday wedding in the morning with a huge brunch. Had mimosas, wine and beer available. Almost none was consumed. I say cash bar, if you're going to whine and cry that you can't get wasted and get into fights at my wedding, maybe just stay home, don't need you there. Of course that's academic, my wife and I aren't friends with scumbags.

I never really understood this issue. Why do you have to drink at a wedding?

I agree. If you're raising sociopaths that need to drink at weddings then you're doing something wrong as a parent. People should be happy to drink water.

[TwinGnats]

I find the comments about the petty structuring of the type of gift you give hilarious. People like to give gifts, that's fine but I didn't make any value judgement on the gift someone gave. The people we invited were people we loved, them showing up was gift enough. If you are being tacky because you think its tacky to have a cash bar, check the no box and don't send any gift, you don't have to go and they don't have to have you there, everyone is a winner!

[TrueNE_09]

I voted no, but explanation is necessary.

It's not cheap so long as it's focused on liquor, while beer/wine are served complimentary. That's an acceptable format IMO.

[kinar]

Curious for those of you who mentioned "quality of the gifts going down".

Do you guys seriously ASK if there is an open bar BEFORE buying the gift? I don't go to a lot of weddings but I can't honestly say that I've EVER been to a reception where I knew if there was an open bar before stepping up and ordering.

If you guys are asking if there will be an open bar before arriving, then I'd say you are the ones being tacky.

Me, personally, I couldn't care less if the bar is open or closed. Of course I hope for open bars but I've never had a ill thought towards the bride/groom if its cash. In fact, when clicking on this thread I expected to see a bunch of NO...and reading the responses, I thought "damn, what a bunch of aholes"

[preakness]

Originally Posted by TwinGnats

My family aren't alcohol people. I had a Sunday wedding in the morning with a huge brunch. Had mimosas, wine and beer available. Almost none was consumed. I say cash bar, if you're going to whine and cry that you can't get wasted and get into fights at my wedding, maybe just stay home, don't need you there. Of course that's academic, my wife and I aren't friends with scumbags.

I never really understood this issue. Why do you have to drink at a wedding?

why do I care about another person's wedding?

I want liquor to enjoy the wedding

and I need liquor to dance to brickhouse

[JohnRyno]

pack of kools, melon ball shooters, bbq chips

[lindeman79]

Originally Posted by JohnRyno

pack of kools, melon ball shooters, bbq chips

[speedyjg13]

I went with an open bar for my wedding. I think it's tacky to have your guests pay for anything besides the gift. The way I did it was I had the venue serve my guests whatever they wanted all night long (married on a Saturday night) and bill me the alcohol later. Ended up costing me a little over $5,000 just in alcohol. It can get quite pricey if you do it this way but I wouldn't have done it any other way. Everyone was happy, including my wife and I (even after the alcohol bill).

[Burks]

Originally Posted by fullmetal

The bride/groom should just go to the liquor store and buy $1000 or so worth of booze and then have a family member tend. I simply can't justify paying $12-15 for what is equal to a shot of bourbon. Either the drinker pays for it or the bride/groom are charged the same amount for it.

We had a small parents-only wedding/reception dinner, so didn't deal with it.

That's what we did. We had family members who didn't drink do the bartending. We gave them some nice gifts for doing so.

It's sort of tacky. Yeah weddings are expensive but that's the price you pay. Put a tip jar out with a funny saying, really helps bring in the tips.

[freethrowtommy]

Originally Posted by Burks

That's what we did. We had family members who didn't drink do the bartending. We gave them some nice gifts for doing so.

It's sort of tacky. Yeah weddings are expensive but that's the price you pay. Put a tip jar out with a funny saying, really helps bring in the tips.

I am not sure why people seem to think that weddings need to be expensive.

If you can't afford something, don't do it.

The last thing you want to do is start your life together paying off debt from a single night of fun (also see: having children).

[corndog]

Originally Posted by freethrowtommy

I am not sure why people seem to think that weddings need to be expensive.

If you can't afford something, don't do it.

The last thing you want to do is start your life together paying off debt from a single night of fun (also see: having children).

This^^^^

My wife and I were married in our church with around 40 people in attendance.
All were very close friends, immediate family, and friends of our parents who had known us since we were children. I bought the flower arrangements from an outdoor flower shop near my job. My sister in law took pictures - nothing fancy. My wife's brother sang one song accompanied by a good friend on guitar. Both of our parents set up finger foods, etc. at the reception. Inexpensive and beautiful dress and inexpensive gold band rings.

Our wedding was a throwback to simplicity with the focus being on two people who loved each other being united as one, before God.

Total cost: around $450.