# Cash bar Vs Open Bar(account bar)



## MissCherry15

Okay, So i was planning on either having a small drinks package on an account bar, where they can have a certain amount of certain drinks and then anything extra they pay for. 
or have a cash bar where the guests pay for the drinks at the evening reception.

Now, i've read up alot of reviews about this, and alot of people say its rude, cheeky and tacky to have a cash bar. And there comments have rather upset me. 
Every wedding i've been to has been a cash bar, there was only one time it was a problem and that was cause it was £2.50 for a coke, and then like £5 for a pint of cider. People found that too expensive. 

I don't know what to think now... So what are you having?
What are your opinions ? xxxxx


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## Mynx

We're having a bit of both.
We'll be having a drinks reception after the ceremony where guests will have a choice of Pimms, wine, sherry or soft drinks. There will also be 2 glasses of wine per guest during the meal and a champagne toast for the speeches. 
Then there'll be a cash bar where guests buy their own drinks. Tbh, we just couldnt afford to get all our alcoholic friends and family drunk :rofl: We did think about putting a certain amount of cash behind the bar for a free bar for the first hour but it would've cost a bomb so we decided against it! Every wedding I've ever been to has been the same so I dont think our guests will even think twice about it!


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## CottlestonPie

We are paying for 1 arrival drink
Per person before the ceremony and a glass of wine and a glass of bubbly each during the meal. At the reception we will have a cash bar. We originally wanted to put a drinks token in each invitation but we are on a fairly tight budget and can't afford it really.
Every reception Ive been to had had a cash bar so I don't think it'll be an issue.


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## tmr1234

we are not paying for any drinks people want a drink they can get it them self we are giving a lot of food and if people dont like it tuff i dont give a stuff iam not paying for outher people to get drunk and make a fool of them selfs (hope fully this wont happen)


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## NuKe

im in the same boat as tmr^

I dont even drink myself. We have spent what we consider to be a LOT of money on this wedding, bought people their dinner, provided entertainment, if they choose to drink alcohol they can dam well buy it themselves! And for the record, I've never been to a wedding where there WASN'T a cash bar! I reckon those reviews wer written by yuppies. (NOT saying a non-cash bar is for yuppies, but ppl who say they are cheap and tacky probably are!)


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## honeybee2

I agree ^^^

I do not think its rude and tacky to have a cash bar- we're not all millionaires! 
I've provided a welcome drink (pimms or beer) and then 3 glasses of wine each at the dinner (3 bottles of wine on each table of 7- but there are children on some of the tables so it will be less, so about half a bottle of wine per person) and 2 bottles of champagne per table (so about 2-3 glasses each) and thats enough I'd say for anyone! That should get them all pretty pissed and if they want to intoxicate themselves, they can buy their own poison!


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## marley2580

We're doing it all ourselves, so we're buying the wine for the meal, my brother is buying 3 kegs for the reception and guests are being asked to bring their own.


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## superbecks

We're providing pimms on arrival, champagne to toast with. Then we were going to have wine on the tables but a lot of people don't like wine so we are putting some money behind the bar for a couple of drinks for each person x


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## MissCherry15

Im glad everyone thinks a cash bar is fine, im going to get a drinks package and some bottles of wine for the wedding breakfast but cash bar for the evening x


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## honeybee2

I know also some people wont drink wine- but thats all that is there so if they dont like it they can buy their own drink!


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## leash27

I don't think a cash bar is tacky at all! There is no way we could afford for our guests to drink all day and night at our expense - the bill would probably cost more than our wedding lol.

We are having a choice of cocktails and canapes during our photos etc and then wine with the meal and champagne for the toasts. We have also added on a childrens drinks package for the children so they have fruit shoots etc. OH and I have agreed that if we can afford it nearer the time then we MAY have an open bar in the afternoon for like an hour but thats only if we have paid for everything else and we have some cash left. I highly doubt it though lol!

I have never been to a wedding that had a full on open bar! My friends dad did the open bar for an hour (hence the idea) but it was at a members golf club and the drinks were really really cheap there. Hotel prices can be astronomical!

x


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## MissCherry15

Good point! i only know a few who will drink wine, and then again all that do only like one kind and it sucks cause there is no compromise as some dont like white some dont like red and some dont like Rosé wine. 
I might ruin the fun and supply one small bottle of cherry wine to each adult for the meal. pics below are what im on about.
And then a glass of coke for the kids :)
 



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## mama2b

I must say I would love to go to a wedding that included all drinks, sadly I never have ! 

All of the weddings I have been to have included a welcome drink, wine with the meal and champagne or sparkling wine for the toast. Then any extra drinks have to be paid for at the bar. If its just an evening reception say a buffet then I would expect nothing except the food, a drink on arrival would be nice but not expected.

I know people that have been to weddings where all the drinks are included but I must stress that the bride and groom are usually very wealthy or the parents have insisted on a free bar for guests and paid for it themselves. One of my friends hired out an entire hotel and everyone attending had a free room, food, drinks and breakfast !! Unfortunately for me she got married before I met her !! :dohh:


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## leash27

mama2b said:


> I must say I would love to go to a wedding that included all drinks, sadly I never have !
> 
> All of the weddings I have been to have included a welcome drink, wine with the meal and champagne or sparkling wine for the toast. Then any extra drinks have to be paid for at the bar. If its just an evening reception say a buffet then I would expect nothing except the food, a drink on arrival would be nice but not expected.
> 
> I know people that have been to weddings where all the drinks are included but I must stress that the bride and groom are usually very wealthy or the parents have insisted on a free bar for guests and paid for it themselves. One of my friends hired out an entire hotel and everyone attending had a free room, food, drinks and breakfast !! *Unfortunately for me she got married before I met her !! *

Bummer lol!!

x


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## MissCherry15

I agree!! BUMMER! x


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## michyk84

our package includes bucks fizz welcome drinks & champange for toast other than that we are having the cash bar we have some guests who would drink the bar dry & then others would miss out so we said no way doing that


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## honeybee2

dont get me wrong, we would if we could afford it!


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## booflebump

We provided a welcome drink, a half bottle of wine, and a toast drink. A lot of the literature about cash and paid bars is American, it's custom there to provide free drink for the duration of the wedding. Over here, a welcome drink and wine with the meal is more customary, but there's no hard and fast rules

x


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## smelly07

We are without a doubt having a CASH BAR......there is no way we can afford to pay for everyones drinks....no way....and i think people would take the piss and drink even more if it was a free bar!!! 
we are paying for everything ourselves and its tight enough as it is...so yeah the guests can buy their own drinks and spend as much or as little as they want.

i really dont think its tacky at all. xxxx


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## Mynx

smelly07 said:


> We are without a doubt having a CASH BAR......there is no way we can afford to pay for everyones drinks....no way....*and i think people would take the piss and drink even more if it was a free bar!!! *
> we are paying for everything ourselves and its tight enough as it is...so yeah the guests can buy their own drinks and spend as much or as little as they want.
> 
> i really dont think its tacky at all. xxxx

Agreed! Admitted, in an ideal world then we could all provide free bars at our weddings but as has been said already, we're not rolling in cash so it's a definate no-no!
Guests are getting a free meal, and a few drinks with their dinner, and also nibbles later in the evening, so I think we've done our bit for providing for them!


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## Timid

We are having a 'combination' whereby we are paying up to a certain amount on Wine and Beer and Softdrinks only - this will only be for a short period - after which people will have to buy their own drinks - and they'll be buying their own drinks if they want something other than wine beer or soft drinks!

I'm fortunate that my OH's parents can afford to help with this part of the reception but we've compromised in other areas to make this the case - we wanted to make sure that there was adequate beverages ;)

Tx


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## superbecks

honeybee2 said:


> I know also some people wont drink wine- but thats all that is there so if they dont like it they can buy their own drink!

Well normally I would do this but im only having 70 people to the wedding breakfast and the majority of them, the old biddies, and the men, and the kids won't be having wine so rather than waste £200 i thought it would be nice to go behind the bar for everyone to pick their own......plus im not a great wine fan either!


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## honeybee2

sounds like a plan!!


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## Tiff

I guess we're tacky then! :haha:

Although we're providing up to 3 bottles of wine per table at our cost (costing us nearly $1000!!! :wacko:) and I'm of the same opinion as HB... if they don't like wine, buy their own drink!


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## Mynx

^^ Agreed! ^^


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## MissCherry15

Well we have chosen to have an drinks package of non alcoholic for the breakfast and a corkage cost for a glass of cherry wine per adult with the meal. and then an open bar for the evening buffet. 
:)
We were thinking of having the 15th June (the friday) instead of the 16th ... but turns out the 16th is what we are having :) xx


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## NuKe

edited: i obviously cant read :dohh:


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