- Travis Engelhart
Should You Have an Open or Cash Bar at Your Wedding?
Your wedding day is a once in a lifetime day to have a celebration with loved ones. When you are having a big reception, you have choices when it comes to the food you will serve, the music that will be played, and whether to have an open or cash bar throughout the reception. While the budget will have a big impact on this decision, it’s not the only thing to think about. If you have the ability to have an open bar at your wedding, the venue will still need to serve alcohol responsibly to your guests to keep everyone safe.
Open the Bar or Make it a Cash Bar?
When you open the bar, your guests are going to take advantage of the free drinks. This means that guests may be drinking heavily, and you'll want to make sure the bartender is paying close attention. An open bar can make your wedding more enjoyable, especially for guests who can't really afford to spend their money on alcohol. If you can't afford an open bar or you don't want everyone drinking heavily, a cash bar is a better option.
Open the Bar for Part of the Wedding
When it comes to your wedding day, you have choices. In order to serve alcohol responsibly to your guests, you can provide an open bar for part of the wedding and then have a cash bar later on. This allows you to provide drinks for guests who may not be able to partake otherwise, but keeps a limit on how much people can drink once the cash bar is back in place.
When Someone Pays for an Open Bar For You
There may be times at your wedding that someone comes forward and opens the bar for you. A generous guest may decide to open up a tab and provide alcohol to the entire wedding reception. While this isn't going to cost you any money personally, you can talk to the bartender if you have concerns about specific guests consuming too much alcohol.
Weddings are a great opportunity to gather together with loved ones. Alcohol is often a big part of a wedding, as people like to drink in order to feel more relaxed. When drinking gets out of hand, the party can go from fun to out of control. Ask your bartender to pay attention to certain guests if you are worried, and don't be afraid to shut down an open bar if you don't want your guests drinking too much. While an open bar is fun, be mindful of heavy alcohol use.
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