Wedding Times

Photo by alykat

It’s astonishing how much money drinks can take up within that budget. Thankfully it’s an easy area to cut your costs. Here are three easy ways to save on drinks at your wedding!

Have a Cash Bar

This is a bar where guests pay for their own drinks. The opposite, an open bar, means that guests can drink as freely as they like and you wind up paying the tab. A cash bar is the easiest way to save money on drinks and is not considered tacky or cheap in any way. While it used to be tradition that the bride’s family paid for everything, including drinks, things have changed and it’s becoming more and more accepted that guests pay for their own liquor.

Talk to Your Caterer

Most caterers provide drinks as well as a meal. This is especially true when it comes to things such as champagne for the wedding toasts. When selecting a caterer, ask them if they offer a package deal where you can get drinks and the food together. Doing it this way can save you a lot of money, as opposed to buying the drinks separately.

Also speak to the caterer about providing second line liquor products. Choose liquor that is not brand name and when you end up buying those drinks for your 100 guests, you will really be able to tell the difference! If the caterer is providing beer, ask that the beer come in the form of kegs, which are much cheaper than selling individual bottles.

Also speak with your caterer about the food that will be served. Ask them to cut way back on the salt. This is a healthier alternative and salt makes people thirsty. The thirstier the guests are, the more they will drink.

Have a Dry Wedding

Simply not offering alcohol of any kind may be the right solution for you. You will need to serve something else such as a signature punch but this will cost much less than serving alcohol.

Holding the reception earlier in the day will also make it seem to your guests more acceptable that there is no alcohol present.

Remember too that it is your day. You have chosen not to have alcohol for your own reasons and people should be willing to respect that. It may be a good idea to spread the word beforehand so people aren’t surprised by it but don’t feel that you need to offer any explanations. Simply say, “We thought this was the best decision for us,” and those that respect that won’t ask any more questions.