Would you expect to pay for pre-wedding drinks as a wedding guest?

hopefulfooluk

Hi all,

We are getting married in February and trying to decide what to do with regards to pre-wedding drinks.

We'd like to give guests a certain number of free drinks however we don't have a limitless budget (otherwise we wouldn't be on this site!!) so how do we do it?

I don't think people would expect to get pre-wedding drinks for free but DP does - as a wedding guest, if you were invited to a wedding where "pre-wedding drinks" featured on the invite, would you expect them to be free?

We don't want to be tight but we don't want to give people free stuff when they wouldn't be expecting it anyway!

Guests are getting a pimms after the ceremony, a glass of bubbly and half a bottle of wine each for the meal for free if that makes any odds!

Cheers in advance for replies

maggie111

I wouldn't write "pre wedding drinks" on the invite really, not that I know your wedding. The last wedding I went to that had a bar open before hand - people naturally congregated there when waiting to get into the ceremony room but it wasn't like the groom was mingling - he was waiting on the door step greeting arriving guests.

And no, I wouldn't expect these drinks to be paid for.

youluckypanda

I'd expect to there to be 1 free drink, because it sounds like some sort of formal pre-wedding toast? But agree with Maggie that if it wasn't on the invite I'd be buying my drinks happily in a more causal way? So depends on what you are wanting I guess.

Lavendyr

If it was on the invite, I would expect them to be free, yes. If not, but a bar was made available, then I wouldn't.

mountainofdebt

We went to a wedding a few weeks ago and got there early enough to have a drink in the hotel but it wouln't have even crossed my mind to consider that they should have been paid for by who was ever paying for the wedding.

As it was there was drinks after the ceremony, champagne for the toast and sufficient wine on the table and I thought this was pretty generous personally.

Trouble with free drinks is that you will always get a guest (or group of guests!) that will go overboard either in quantity or quality (ie have a short when normally they would have a beer iyswim)

missknixon

If you want them to have a free drink before the ceremony write it on the invited, if you want them to have a drink and arrive early to gather maybe put that there will be a chance to spend time with the groom before the service! Lots of people are coming to our wedding early because they want to be there in plenty of time. I am not offering free drinks other than a drink for the toasts (being quite tight I feel )

leoren

Lavendyr wrote: »

If it was on the invite, I would expect them to be free, yes. If not, but a bar was made available, then I wouldn't.

that would be my expectation too

hopefulfooluk

Thanks all. The invites have already gone to print with pre-wedding drinks listed so it looks like that's answered that question really! With that in mind do you think it'd be reasonable to say to the venue, one free drink per person before the ceremony?

Actually, maybe I will just go with people to the bar and say to the venue it can go on the tab - so people know that we are buying them a drink but if they decide to go back for more they have to pay....

Decisions decisions!!!

Kazz81

hopefulfooluk wrote: »

Actually, maybe I will just go with people to the bar and say to the venue it can go on the tab - so people know that we are buying them a drink but if they decide to go back for more they have to pay....

Decisions decisions!!!

Do you honestly think that you will be accompanying people to the bar on your wedding day for their 1 free drink?! Rather you than me!

Why not just create some sort of voucher and task the best man with ensuring each guest gets one, and pay for the vouchers at the bar?

sunshine_shell

I was about to suggest the voucher idea!

Birdie85

I'd go with either vouchers or specify which drink will be free such as a glass of wine or lager rather than a double JD and Coke! You don't want to be bankrupted before the ceremony has even begun!

I've never been to a wedding with included pre-wedding drinks or ever expected them, I think you're being very generous!