Open Bar vs Cash Bar: What Works Best for Weddings?

Open Bar vs Cash Bar: What Works Best for Weddings?

 

Open Bar vs Cash Bar: What Works Best for Weddings?

We get it, weddings can be expensive. However, with over 20 years of experience as wedding venue owners, we highly suggest you at least treat your guests to one or two complimentary drinks if you can. Let me explain why. Most couples want a 10 out of a 10 guest experience, but imagine after experiencing your beautiful ceremony, your guests are required to pull out their wallets to buy their own drinks? This just isn’t the best way to achieve that 10 out of 10. This doesn’t mean you have to provide complimentary top-shelf or hard liquor complimentary if you don’t want to. One option to to offer your guests complimentary beer and wine only if you choose. Then offer hard liquor as a cash/credit bar option only. You can also just provide complimentary alcohol via a signature drink, and then have any other alcohol offered as a cash/credit option only. You can also just limit the complimentary alcohol to the cocktail hour or cocktail hour and dinner. There are lots of options, if your venue allows for them.Check with your venue or offsite liquor provider to find out what their options are.

Many couples do opt for a compromise like offering wine and beer for free while having a cash bar for premium liquors. This also cuts back on any concerns parents may have of guests getting drunk from hard liquor. 

 

At Bella Sera Event Center we offer many options for our couples when it comes to bar service such as:

•  2-hour complimentary alcohol (beer, wine and well); we then change to a cash/credit bar after 2 hours
•  2-hour complimentary alcohol (beer, wine and top-shelf/premium liquor); we then change to a cash/credit bar after 2 hours
•  5-hour complimentary alcohol (beer, wine and well)
•  5-hour complimentary alcohol (beer, wine and top-shelf/premium liquor)
• Smoking cocktails – served from a station with many popular drink recipes
• Signature drinks
• Cash/credit bar

Ask your venue if they have options like these. Download our brochure  to see our catering and liquor packages. 

 

 

How much is a cash bar at a wedding?

A cash bar should only cost you the bartender fee, unless the venue you choose uses an outside liquor service who may have bar set up costs they pass on. Those set up fees typically range from $150 – $500. For a cash bar at a wedding, the costs work differently than an open bar since guests pay for their own drinks. 

 

Reddit Forum about Cash Bars

A few of the main turnoffs of a cash bar at a wedding are that it can be perceived as unwelcoming or cheap, leading to disappointment or discomfort for guests who expect a host to provide drinks. Many guests expect at least a “limited” complimentary bar. This is what we mean by taking a level 10 experience from your ceremony, to a 2 when they find out they have to pay for their own drinks. A cash bar can go against the fundamental principle of hospitality at a wedding, where hosts are expected to provide for their guests.

It can also slow down service, increase the lines at the bar, and create awkwardness for guests who may not have cash or be prepared to pay. 

Again, from our experience the past 22 years, we know that not every couple can afford to host a complimentary bar. It’s not the end of the world, and your guests who love you will understand. Secondly, sometimes there are substance abuse issues within a family that have prevented couples from giving free alcohol. In summary, we have experienced that the funnest weddings are when there is an open bar for at least a few hours. It’s unfortunate that alcohol plays a role in fun, but this has been proven from what we’ve seen over two decades.

Many couples will view attending your wedding as a special “adult only” night out. Having said that, if they have children, they will be forced to pay for a babysitter. A wedding guest’s cost for a sitter can range from $100 – $500, depending on the number of children, what city they live in, the sitter’s experience, and the length of the event. A standard hourly rate for a qualified wedding sitter is often between $20 and $40 per hour; professional agencies can cost much more.

If they want to enjoy themselves with several complimentary drinks at your wedding, they will also probably incur the cost of an Uber or LYFT home.

Do you really want to make them pay for their own drinks on top of all of these expenses?

 

Considerations regarding a Cash Bar:

• Cash bars significantly reduce your wedding costs but may be seen as less hospitable by some guests
• Beer and wine only options average $1325 compared to full bar offerings at $2800 on average Is a cash bar tacky at a wedding? – Big Daddy Walker
• The main advantage is shifting alcohol costs from your budget to your guests, but you’ll want to communicate this clearly on your invitations or wedding website so guests come prepared.

 

 

The Bar Showdown! Open Bar vs. Cash Bar, who wins?

Think of the wedding bar as your party’s personality test. A “open bar” is like treating your guests to an all-inclusive vacation — they order, you cover the bill, and everyone toasts without hesitation. A “cash bar”, on the other hand, is more like a chic rooftop happy hour — guests still enjoy themselves, but they’ll need to pull out their wallets for that second round of margaritas.

Bottom line? An open bar feels extra generous and seamless, while a cash bar can save serious dollars for the couple (and still keep the dance floor buzzing). The right choice depends on your budget, your guest experience,  and just how many drinks you think Uncle Joe or your groomsmen might order. 🙂

 

 

 

 

 

For more wedding planning advice and wedding planning tips, stay tuned to our blog for updates and insights to help make your special day as magical as you’ve always dreamed.

 

 

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             720-937-6337

                Event center in Brighton, CO

       Written by  owner  – Elisabeth Montoya

 

 

 

Locally owned wedding venues

We have been a locally owned Colorado wedding venue since 2004, offering the most caring and creative service for all of our couples over the past 21 years. Special thanks to some of the most amazing locally owned and operated venue owners in the country who continue to inspire and support us daily! Check out our locally owned venue partners…

 

 

• Lizton Lodge
• Homestead 32
• The Postmark
• Hightower Falls
• The Venue At Springfield Estates
• Heart D Farm,