Providing free drink at your wedding?

A question about : Providing free drink at your wedding?

Hi,

we are getting married on a budget.

Getting married late in afternoon at a church (around 4) and then for the guests (approx 150 adults, 30 children) to follow on to the reception venue for a party afterwards. (around 6pm, where there will be an hour for speeches etc, before music is on and party properly starts).

So no sit down meal.

Looking to open the buffet at around 7.30-8pm.

Just wondering what to do regards offering drinks on arrival/for toast, or a free first drink for guests.

Is it an expected thing?

Unfortunately we cannot provide our own booze for our venue. The reception venue has quoted us around Ј300 for a bucks fizz on arrival for guest, and if we wanted an open bar for the guest's first drink that could be anywhere between Ј280-Ј550 dependant on drinks ordered (that would include a restriction on doubles and big bottles of wine).

I could see if they are open to the idea of only providing one kind of beer and one red, one white wine for the first drink... that may bring cost down of open bar... but cant imagine it brining it down too much though.

This would take a fair whack out of our budget, so wondered if guests would expect it or not?

Personally im not the kind of person who expects anything when going to a party other than a bit of grub at a buffet... but wouldnt want our guests disappointed.

Thanks

Best answers:

• If I was invited to a wedding I would only expect a drink for the toast and then pay for any other drinks myself.
  As far as I know, that's the norm
• It's your wedding do whatever you feel comfortable with, in a years time no one is going to remember whether they paid for their first drink or not.
• We went to a wedding where the wine was all free, from bucks fizz after the ceremony, through the meal, Veuve for the toast and any undrunk bottles of wine ended up on our table (all friends of the B&G so was pre-arranged )
  We on the other hand had bucks fizz on arrival at the venue, wine with the meal and champagne for the toast.
  We did however buy a barrel of local real ale (which was rebranded "Nuptiale" for us) and ask for donations to Cancer Research in memory of those who had suffered from the illness - I lost my my parents & a close friend of DH's also died of cancer, and 2 more of our close friends continue to fight. We raised enough to cover the cost of the beer twice, and it was drunk dry.
  At the end of the day, people won't expect a free bar - just provide what you can afford to enjoy your day without worrying about the bill
• My DD has a drinks package as part of the meal which includes toasting bubbles and wine per adult. As you are not having a meal people will probably not expect the drinks to be provided.
• A drink on arrival is plenty, especially if there's no sit down meal
• If drinks are not provided (especially soft drinks), make sure that you let guests know beforehand, especially if the venue only takes cash. I think nowadays most people go prepared to pay, but I do remember going to a wedding miles from anywhere - with very little cash (my fault, I know), credit/debit cards which they didn't take, and not realising that all drinks including soft drinks, had to be bought!
• I'd never expect a free bar or even a toast drink
  HBS x
• Thanks all.
  Our budget may allow for a drink on arrival, we will see after we get all our numbers back from the RSVPs.
  As we aren't having a sit down meal (just an evening buffet), I just thought a drink may be a nice way to say thank you to people for coming, after all the price of going to a wedding isn't cheap and Im guessing many may be generous enough to give us a present. (We have asked for cash if presents are given).
• We provided all drinks free, except spirits.
  We were determined nobody was going to have to pay for drinks at our wedding after being right royally ripped off at a couple of wedding that we had attended.
  Quote:
• Our place definitely isn't Ј6 pint. I cant find the price list at the moment, but a pint was around Ј3.50 I think. Which seems an average price these days.
  Personally, when I goto a wedding reception, or any other reception, I wouldnt expect my drinks to be bought for.
  I just think it would be a nice thank you for guests if we can afford it.
• I agree, it's a nice gesture, and I don't mind paying if the price is reasonable. Unfortunately, a few venues offer cheaper wedding packages but then screw the money out of the guests at the bar.
  Most of the people who attended our wedding had travelled a very long way so we felt an all-day free bar would be appreciated. I must add that there were tea, coffee and soft drinks available too. I had read some horror stories about free bars automatically being a recipe for drunk and disorderly disaster but, luckily, we had none of that.
  It also helped that the wedding was DIY so we could source the booze cheaply ourselves with no silly corkage charges.
• You could always have a stop off for bucksfizz ect on the way to the party. Obviously you probably couldn't have everyone there but if there was somewhere suitably picturesque you might get some nice photos of the main wedding party popping the cork and having a drink.
  Also if there is anyone you particularly want to thank you can always buy them an individual drink over the course of the evening. They're less likely to order something expensive that way too!
• I never expect free drinks at weddings. I've certainly never been to one where all the drinks are free! It tends to be a welcome drink, glass of fizz for toasting and maybe some wine at the meal max.
  We're getting married in a brewery and serving half a pint of ale each for welcome drinks, then providing a glass of wine each for the meal. We would like to provide more, but we simply can't afford it. There's no sit down meal though, and no toast, so hopefully people don't feel too cheated.
  The most expensive drink they sell is a glass of wine for Ј3, so I don't feel we're putting people out that much. I've been to plenty of weddings where the drink prices are ridiculously high- it simply means I can't have too many drinks, and I wouldn't want to drink too much at someone's wedding anyway.
• My ex is a photographer and if he's ever asked about drinks (he does a lot of weddings so some clients use him as a wedding planner) he will always tell them to get the wine from Aldi!