I am having a wedding shower for friends (co-ed) at their favorite local pub and was wondering if it would be too tacky to have a cash bar? I of course would do everything else: food, cake, non-alcoholic drinks etc., but I really can't afford to pay the bar bill.
2007-08-10 17:22:17 · 23 answers · asked by lily p 2 in Family & Relationships ➔ Weddings
Yes, it is tacky to have a cash bar at a party that you are hosting. It would be like asking people to pay for their food at a party that you are hosting. If you can't afford a bar bill maybe you should just opt to have your party at a restaurant or some place where there is not alcohol served.
2007-08-10 17:32:52 · answer #1 · answered by Wedding Planner 3 · 4⤊ 3⤋
Indeed, I must agree with the majority and admit that cash bars do tend to be relatively tacky. However, weddings are expensive events, and you cannot bear the cost of an alcoholic's problem. So, I would highly suggest that you cut it down the middle: have an open bar for 2-3 hours during the reception and leading right up to the formal dinner. After that, close it down to a cash only bar. This is the most common thing at weddings these days. I went to nearly a dozen weddings over the course of last year, and they were almost all set-up in this manner. Whatever you decide, congratulations and best of luck on your future together!
2016-05-19 04:57:33 · answer #2 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I really don't think this is tacky at all.
A free bar could end up costing £1000, as people do take advantage of the fact they aren't paying.
I have never been to a function where all the drinks are free, only ones where perhaps the first drink is free, and it is nearly always only wine and beer.
Paying the food bill is enough - don't make yourself bankrupt so that everyone else can have a great time, and you are worrying about what the bill is going to be! Surely it is stress enough organising it, without the fear of not knowing how much it is all going to cost in the end.
2007-08-13 05:12:52 · answer #3 · answered by fire_woman_1978 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Here in the UK we dont have his n hers wedding showers we have 'stag n hen' nights where both parties get dressed up in 'usually' themed outfits go out and have a great time, usually apart from the first drink everyone buys their own alcohol or may pay into a kitty. Apart from the outrageous prices that some bars charge for drinks etc, ive never heard anyone complain about buying their own after all you are all out to enjoy yourselves,and lets face it unless you earn mega money or have rich parents then most of your hard earned cash will have gone on the actual weding itself..so my answer is no its not tacky at all.
2007-08-11 00:00:02 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
No, it is not tacky at all. The alcohol bill could be thousands... happened at a friends birthday party. Since it is a shower, not a wedding, it is perfectly fine. If you were not providing food, cake, and non-alcoholic drinks it would be tacky, but since you are, it is fine. You may want to alert the guests before the event so they can be prepared to pay for their alcoholic drinks.
2007-08-11 02:12:14 · answer #5 · answered by Crystal 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It really must depend on what area you are in. I am in the US and have coordinated many weddings and none of them have ever been open bar. Out of town guests expect to pay for their hotels and guests also expect to pay for their alchohol.
I have also been to many showers, none open bar. So I'm not really sure where these people are that it is so tacky, but I would go with the norm in your area.
Although for a shower I can't see people expecting you to pay for an open bar. If you think it will be a problem, maybe you can pay for non alchoholic drinks and if people want alchohol they can buy it themselves.
Good luck!
2007-08-11 16:22:34 · answer #6 · answered by Reba 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No its not, we recently had a wedding reception in my mum and dads back garden for 70 people but couldn't afford to supply the drinks or the selection people might want, so we hired a bar and just emphasised to people that there was a paying bar, we made sure there was plenty of food and music in the background and tried to get everybody their first drink, but with everybody arriving at separate times it was hard to catch people. The end result was we had the most fantastic party and everybody commented on what a good time they had had and the last people didn't leave till 3 o clock in the morning, a couple even phoned my parents the following day to say thank you. As everybody was prepared nobody was in the least bit bothered about paying for their own drinks even though it was in a private garden. At the end of the day when you are having a wedding you have so many other things to pay out for people understand that you can't pay for everything.
2007-08-10 21:12:23 · answer #7 · answered by Charli Girl x 2 · 2⤊ 2⤋
People are realistic and understand that an open bar can cost a fortune. Could you offer something like an hour of open bar (still costly, but not as much) or talk to the bar about having one type of beer and wine available. Let them pay for mixed drinks. Otherwise, I think you should say on the invitations that there will be food etc. and a cash bar.
2007-08-10 19:32:56 · answer #8 · answered by lifeisgood 5 · 3⤊ 1⤋
If you can't afford to pay the bar bill, don't have it at the bar. It makes it sound like you are picking up the bar tab. Guests might be surprised when they arrive and it's cash bar. Some people don't carry cash on them, so what are they going to do when they get there.
If you are not going to pay the bar bill, have the shower in a different location. Don't emphasize the bar, if you aren't going to pay for it.
2007-08-10 17:38:57 · answer #9 · answered by Answer Girl 2007 5 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Since it's a shower and you are paying for food and non-alocholic I think in this case you're ok. If it was the wedding that would be tacky as long as people know you aren't paying for liqour.
The best thing though would be to move the location to someone home or a regular resturant where the "bar" isn't so emphasized.
2007-08-10 17:53:26 · answer #10 · answered by pspoptart 6 · 1⤊ 2⤋