Katharina Buczek
When it comes to wedding planning, the sad reality is that a large portion of your budget will be eaten up by food and drink expenses.
But opting to add an extra appetizer or serve steak over chicken will not even be the biggest cost determinant. Instead, how you decide to structure your wedding bar will make all the difference– either saving you some money or soaring your expenses sky-high.
Now, there are a few different ways to structure a wedding bar. Some brides and grooms opt to host a fully open bar– which means that they foot the bill for all drink transactions rather than making guests pay.
On the other end of the spectrum are just standard bars, in which guests have to provide their own cash or cards to pay for all drink orders.
And in the middle, there is a third option that has been coined the “modified open bar.” We’ll talk more about that later.
But first, let’s dive into the benefits and downsides of providing a fully open bar on your big day.
Open Bar: The Pros
Open bars are usually the most appealing because they offer a better experience for guests. After all, who wants to make weddings an even more expensive endeavor for family members, friends, and other loved ones supporting your nuptials?
Open bars allow guests to drink stress and payment-free. So, after your guests spend money on travel, gifts, wedding attire, and more, this gesture is typically very well-received and appreciated. They do not have to bring their wallet or worry about how many beverages they can afford to pay for. Instead, open bars are a stress-saver.
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