Wedding party - bar dilemma!

regularsaver1

It was my sisters wedding on Friday. They had bucks fizz as you arrived and then champagne to toast. All others drinks were bought by guests, but they did get a full 3 course dinner and then buffet in evening. It was cheap for guests as a social club.
I'd never frown on this, as the buffet and meal , dj, bar staff, catering staff, waitresses, hall, cake ect ect ect all costs enough

Dan_Thunder

I have to agree with what a lot of people are saying, it's tradition to have a drink of fizz for your guests on arrival at the reception venue as you'll often be trundling around have photos done.

If you want to buy people a drink then I'd recommend just printing out your own drinks vouchers and have the ushers hand one out to everyone as they arrive. Or, as is common these days (we did it) just supply a few bottles of red & white during the meal.

If you have an open bar you'll regret it. Not necessarily because everyone will be steaming by the end of the night, though there might be a higher percentage than usual! What happens is that people order drinks in that they never have, honestly I've seen £100's if not £1000's go to waste on drinks that no-one ends up drinking by the end of the night. some people just get sickeningly greedy when there's a free lunch - so to speak.

If they were paying for drinks they'd happily drink lager or bitter all night, offer them free booze and suddenly they're knocking back spirits at £6 a double! It never ceases to amaze me how inconsiderate and selfish people can be when someone else is footing the bill.

outrageous_monkey

I agree with everyone else, a bucksfizz on arrival, just noticed your not having a sit down meal, so a couple of glasses of bucksfizz will certainly be more than enough.

On to the free drinks bar, dont do it!! I've just attented a wedding where the bride and groom handed out drinks passes to family members only, however, their close family members 'meant' friends of the bride and groom and some very close family members were told they couldnt have a drinks pass because it was their day and they decided who got a pass and who didnt.

RadoJo

If I couldn't trust my friends and family not to abuse a free bar, they wouldn't be invited to my wedding.

dianadors

Ive never been to a wedding where there was a free bar. In olden days you used to be greeted by a glass of Sherry - this seems to have been replaced nowadays by champagne or bucks fizz. I wouldnt expect a free bar, but would be highly delighted if there was one (as being a money saver I cannot afford to drink in hotels and bars where I am expected to pay as much for a glass of wine as I usually pay for a bottle.)

Sarahjovi

Hi,

We had a glass of Bucks FIzz style drink on arrival, provided wine with the meal, soft drinks for children, and a good sparkling wine for the toast. The bar was pay for. But the reception was in a Sports Club so bar prices were cheap!

Cheers

Sarah:D

i_wanna_save_money!

About ten years ago I worked in a hotel bar for a couple of years, and not once was there a free bar.

The norm was day guests who were having the sit down meal were greeted with a bucks fizz, then there was red/white wine on the tables, then champagne to toast the couple. Any other drinks were paid for by the guest. Evening guests normally did not get a free drink.

Sus1e

At my wedding we paid for the drinks with the meal (3 bottles of wine and a jug of fruit punch per table of 8 and sparkling wine for the toast) - we DID NOT provide a free bar or drinks for the evening do and no one has ever commented on it. What was commented on was that the other wedding at the hotel had a free bar and everyone there was getting too drunk and fighting (in fact, I think the police had to get involved).

If you are having a winter wedding and want to do something different, why not go for a glass of mulled wine or hot chocolate on arrival?

People don't expect to have a free bar these days. Relax - on the day, the small details really are so small that you can't remember why you fussed over them.

Hope you have a special day.

ooo000ooo

A few years ago i worked as a waiter in a hotel, i can only remember one occasion when the brides father bought everyone a drink. When we went round taking the order the conversation went like this -

Me "would you like a drink sir?"
customer "a pint of lager"
Me " the brides fathers paying"
Customer "change that to a double glenfeddich"

Anyone who tried to rip the ar5e out of it got the cheapest stuff we could pass off in place of it and a lot of ice and water. The brides father had a great laugh when we told him what we'd done and slipped us a few quid for saving him a fortune.

across

no i dont think you should pay for all the drinks,weddings are so expensive and you really do not want to be still paying for it all in the early days of marriage it is a new life together please dont make it a nightmare together even if you can afford the drinks all round i'd say youve still spent enough save the rest for some lovely days out together and enjoy your married life with it!:beer: good luck!(how about a little drink on arrival just as a gesture eg wine? if you really feel it necessary)