For many people, providing alcoholic beverages at their wedding is a non-negotiable, while to others it's a question of being able to afford it. I didn't necessarily fall in either one of these categories. Although I liked the option of offering drinks at my wedding, we didn't have 'the budget' for it, but it wasn't going to make our day any less special if it wasn't going to happen.
What options are there?
Open Bar
You pay for the bartending service offered by your catering company/venue or hire an outside service. You can either pay ahead of time, for example $3000 towards alcoholic beverages and after that the bar is closed, or designate an open time frame for guests and you pay for as many drinks are ordered. The obvious pro is that guests enjoy this option since the drinks are complimentary, however the downside is a hefty tab and the possibility of having to deal with the behavior of guests who drink beyond their limits. Ask yourself, is that something you want to deal with?
Cash Bar
The bar is available, however the bride and groom are free of all alcohol charges and guests pay out of their own pocket.
Pre-Bought
Bride and Groom go to their local winery, BevMo or liquor retailer of their choice and select a limited amount of alcoholic beverages they choose to serve. This is a great option for controlling costs. Ex: 2 bottles of wine; one red & one white per table. I HIGHLY recommend San Antonio's Cardinale and Barefoot Pinot Grigio- both under $10/bottle, giving you the most bang for your buck. I'm just sayin'!
Signature Drinks
Mr & Mrs. Newlywed provide one or two fun drink options to match their theme, like sangria or a Mango Martini. In our case combining me and my husband's name, Vinnie & Eileen, our signature drink would be aka Vileen-a-tini.
No Alcohol
Who says you have to drink to enjoy yourself at a wedding? It's your wedding, you can have it any way you want to. We toasted to our marriage with sparkling apple cider and to this day, one of the biggest compliments I love hearing is "I had so much fun at your wedding even though no one was drinking." :)
Photo Credit: Jessi Ringer / Dex Knows Weddings
