Providing free drink at your wedding?

mickym

Hi,

we are getting married on a budget.

Getting married late in afternoon at a church (around 4) and then for the guests (approx 150 adults, 30 children) to follow on to the reception venue for a party afterwards. (around 6pm, where there will be an hour for speeches etc, before music is on and party properly starts).

So no sit down meal.

Looking to open the buffet at around 7.30-8pm.

Just wondering what to do regards offering drinks on arrival/for toast, or a free first drink for guests.

Is it an expected thing?

Unfortunately we cannot provide our own booze for our venue. The reception venue has quoted us around £300 for a bucks fizz on arrival for guest, and if we wanted an open bar for the guest's first drink that could be anywhere between £280-£550 dependant on drinks ordered (that would include a restriction on doubles and big bottles of wine).

I could see if they are open to the idea of only providing one kind of beer and one red, one white wine for the first drink... that may bring cost down of open bar... but cant imagine it brining it down too much though.

This would take a fair whack out of our budget, so wondered if guests would expect it or not?

Personally im not the kind of person who expects anything when going to a party other than a bit of grub at a buffet... but wouldnt want our guests disappointed.

Thanks

McKneff

If I was invited to a wedding I would only expect a drink for the toast and then pay for any other drinks myself.


As far as I know, that's the norm

Piggywiggy

It's your wedding do whatever you feel comfortable with, in a years time no one is going to remember whether they paid for their first drink or not.

Floss

We went to a wedding where the wine was all free, from bucks fizz after the ceremony, through the meal, Veuve for the toast and any undrunk bottles of wine ended up on our table (all friends of the B&G so was pre-arranged )

We on the other hand had bucks fizz on arrival at the venue, wine with the meal and champagne for the toast.

We did however buy a barrel of local real ale (which was rebranded "Nuptiale" for us) and ask for donations to Cancer Research in memory of those who had suffered from the illness - I lost my my parents & a close friend of DH's also died of cancer, and 2 more of our close friends continue to fight. We raised enough to cover the cost of the beer twice, and it was drunk dry.

At the end of the day, people won't expect a free bar - just provide what you can afford to enjoy your day without worrying about the bill

nearlyrich

My DD has a drinks package as part of the meal which includes toasting bubbles and wine per adult. As you are not having a meal people will probably not expect the drinks to be provided.

ceh209

A drink on arrival is plenty, especially if there's no sit down meal

fabforty

If drinks are not provided (especially soft drinks), make sure that you let guests know beforehand, especially if the venue only takes cash. I think nowadays most people go prepared to pay, but I do remember going to a wedding miles from anywhere - with very little cash (my fault, I know), credit/debit cards which they didn't take, and not realising that all drinks including soft drinks, had to be bought!

heartbreak_star

I'd never expect a free bar or even a toast drink

HBS x

Torry_Quine

fabforty wrote: »

If drinks are not provided (especially soft drinks), make sure that you let guests know beforehand, especially if the venue only takes cash. I think nowadays most people go prepared to pay, but I do remember going to a wedding miles from anywhere - with very little cash (my fault, I know), credit/debit cards which they didn't take, and not realising that all drinks including soft drinks, had to be bought!

Why would you need to be told that something isn't provided? Personally I've never been to a wedding or any other occasion where all the drinks were provided free!!

mickym

Thanks all.

Our budget may allow for a drink on arrival, we will see after we get all our numbers back from the RSVPs.

As we aren't having a sit down meal (just an evening buffet), I just thought a drink may be a nice way to say thank you to people for coming, after all the price of going to a wedding isn't cheap and Im guessing many may be generous enough to give us a present. (We have asked for cash if presents are given).

Gloomendoom

We provided all drinks free, except spirits.

We were determined nobody was going to have to pay for drinks at our wedding after being right royally ripped off at a couple of wedding that we had attended.

Piggywiggy wrote: »

It's your wedding do whatever you feel comfortable with, in a years time no one is going to remember whether they paid for their first drink or not.

I would. I remember having to pay over £6 a pint at wedding in 1992. I should have smelt a rat when I heard the man in front of me shout "Yes, you will have to charge it to my room because I haven't got a million pounds in cash on me."