Is a cash bar tacky for a wedding in the UK?

Question

I'm getting married in July next year and have no intention of having a free bar. There is no way on this earth we can afford a free bar, and to be totally honest i don't see why i should pay for people in get smashed!! We are providing a 3 course meal for the all day guests and a buffet in the evening, as well as an arrival drink. drink with the meal and a toast drink. Is it the done thing to have a cash bar in the UK for a wedding? The last wedding i went to had a cash bar too.

I only want opinions from people in the UK. Weddings in the US are totally different to weddings here, thanks.

Answer 1

Moast weddings I've been to in the UK have cash bars. I would never expect to go to one where I didn't have to pay.

Answer 2

I went to a wedding a few weeks ago and it was the hardest decision i think the bride and groom made. They decided to do arrival drink and wine with the meal and nearly everyone in the room was more than surprised.  There isn't any reason to give people a completely free day it only ends up in loads of waste

Answer 3

its absolutely normal to have a cash bar

Answer 4

Not tacky at all. Free bars (unless you can afford it) are never a good idea - people forget where where they put their drinks & just take another one! You don't want to start married life in debt & I'm sure your guests wouldn't want you to either. Have fun!

Answer 5

absolutely! your guests shouldn't expect you to pay for all their drinks. i don't think i've ever been to a wedding where the drinks have been paid for. you're supplying all the drinks with the meal and for the toast, that's fine! have a good wedding day

Answer 6

A cash bar is fine i think.  If i hold a wedding reception it will have a cash bar.....unless i win the lottery in the mean time!

(I plan to tie the knot in Vegas so i dont have to worry about this sort of thing)

Answer 7

Of course it's not tacky, not many people (except scroungers) expect a free bar anyway.

Don't worry about it.

Answer 8

No I don't think it is tacky at all, weddings cost enough as it is without having to stump up for that as well.  I don't think anybody will think any less of you for it, it is happening a lot more nowadays, especially in this economic climate.

Congratulations, hope you have a good day.

Answer 9

Cash bar- do you mean people paying for their own drinks?

If so, its perfectly common- i have been to a few weddings and have paid for my drinks at them all.  Only one did i go to where wine was provided at the table with the meal, but it wasnt unlimited- it ran out!  People wouldnt expect a free drinks wedding.

And in answer to your question, no it isnt tacky, it leaves people in more control of themselves so the temptation to get wasted on somebody else is less likely!

Have fun!

Answer 10

A cash bar is perfectly fine and has been the case at all of the weddings that i have been to, including my own.  One thing that i was able to do was have the first drink free for all of the guests in the evening, however people these days appreciate how expensive weddings are and they don't usually expect it to be free.  I certainly wouldn't say that it is tacky,  Good luck with your wedding plans and the big day.

Answer 11

we had a cash bar ar our wedding and no one minded.  

Answer 12

We are doing the same thing ( getting married in Herts 6.6.09) we are having a sit down meal in the hotel and there is an open bar there.

We are providing a welcome drink, half bottle of wine per person with the meal (200 guest at £45 per head aarrgghh..) and we have to supply the champagne toast but apart from that they are on their own.

Its not tacky at all and you know that most functions in UK that you go to have an open bar as there is no way you can afford to stand the drinks all night.

Good luck with your wedding !

Answer 13

I recently got married in a UK hotel.  We did everything you are doing, but put £200 behind the bar for the night so everyone could have at least one drink on us but not enough to get sozzled.  The £200 lasted about 2 hours and then everyone had to pay for their own.  That way you appease both camps, those that expect a free bar and those who expect a first drink.

Check with your venue though.  Our didn`t allow vouchers or run two tills, so we had no option.  We would have preferred a voucher system and to have given these out to people.

Answer 14

Not at all ! You guests will have their meal and a drink to toast at your expense , theres nothing wrong with expecting them to buy their own drinks afterwards . I live in the UK and my wedding day was similar , guests all had their 3 course meal and champagne for the speeches but they bought their own drinks after the meal . Weddings are expensive enough ! I would be very surprised if anyone turned up and expected a free bar , its not done nowadays .

Congratulations x

Answer 15

Not at all.

When we got married everyone has 2 glasses of wine with their meal and a glass of champagne at the daytime meal. The hotel provided guests who didn't drink alcohol with Orange Juice.

Prior to the meal there were 2 rounds of arrival drinks for the guests.

We didn't have much money when we got married so the hotel bar was pay for your drinks and no-one batted an eyelid. They'd been provided with 2 huge meals, 3 drinks during the meal and drinks prior to the meal and I think people did honestly expect to pay for drinks, no-one made any comment about there not being a free bar.

I haven't yet been to a wedding where there has been a free bar!

Good luck with the wedding!!

Answer 16

Absolutely. I don't know of anyone who has had a free bar at their wedding, apart from the 2 complimentary drinks. OMG it would cost a small fortune the way the Scots drink LOL.

Answer 17

Not tacky at all.  

Answer 18

You are paying for the first drink that's enough. A lot of people don't even do that.