Free Bar?

Was reading in a Wedding magazine yesterday that it is considered good etiquette to have a free bar at your wedding because many guests wouldn't be expecting to have to pay for their drinks. They suggested that if your budget is tight then just have things like beer and wine, but no spirits. Friends of mine had a free bar for an hour. I personally won't be having a free bar at all, I think it just adds unnecessary cost to the B & G. What do you think?

I wonder what hotel paid the magazine a few bob to put that in as "good etiqutte" I don't believe its the done thing..

we have a free bar for my side of the family - in Germany all drinks are free on a wedding anyway and its so expensive for my family to come over so I said we'll pay their drinks. Which only includes alcohol free and beer. We will also pay the drinks for FFIL as hes also best man, he cant afford much but again he wont drink much anyway. H2Bs family will pay for themselves. Same like in IRL over in teh UK they usually pay for their drinks anyway. We're thinking of having a free bar for alcoholfree drinks like Coke, Water etc.

I won't be having a free bar I think we all supply enough and its rare these days to have a free bar althoguh it is great. We'll be supplying Champagne on arrival, wine for the meal and a round of drinks after dinner. I thinks that's enough and all anyone expcets these days...

Jesus Christ. Aren't weddings expensive enough without having to pay for peoples drinks as well. In all fairness guests get enough. They get drinks reception before meal, They get meal and they get wine at the meal. Wedding mags really piss me off. Don't we have enough to be paying for.

I'm with Rey on this one! We're supplying either champagne or an alcoholic punch after the ceremony and wine with the meal. My parents are also buying a round of drinks during the meal, so I think our guests are getting plenty of free booze. I don't think that in Ireland or the UK it's expected to provide a free bar. If it's in the budget, go for it, but if not, don't stress about it - we won't!!

[quote="Icy Bride":3ael2pgv]Was reading in a Wedding magazine yesterday that it is considered good etiquette to have a free bar at your wedding because many guests wouldn't be expecting to have to pay for their drinks. They suggested that if your budget is tight then just have things like beer and wine, but no spirits. Friends of mine had a free bar for an hour. I personally won't be having a free bar at all, I think it just adds unnecessary cost to the B & G. What do you think?[/quote:3ael2pgv] Bet that was an English magazine - I believe it is the norm there. It definitely isn't expected in Ireland. I voted "no" as we will have a drinks reception, with selected drinks only, but no free bar.

We are having a "free" bar - the more weddings I've gone to, the more I think the idea is great and adds a nice touch. Personally, I'd rather put the money into providing drinks for my guests than have a chocolate fountain/Irish dancers/fireworks. Given the amount that you provide anyway between arrival drinks, drinks with meal, toast - you're not really talking a whole whack more. Of course there will be some who will be like fish, but I think that is by far and away the minority

We had a free bar on arrival. The reception drinks (punch, brandy, whiskey etc) were working out at €5.60 per drink plus My Dad had a thing about wanting to buy a drink for the guests and I didn't want him stressing over it for the day. I thought that by having a free bar people would get what they wanted as not everyone likes brandy or whiskey and Dad would be covered. It worked like a dream and really set the mood for the evening. Everyone was in great form for the meal!! It was money well spent.

[quote="Pomegranate":2tb6mp1d][quote="Icy Bride":2tb6mp1d]Was reading in a Wedding magazine yesterday that it is considered good etiquette to have a free bar at your wedding because many guests wouldn't be expecting to have to pay for their drinks. They suggested that if your budget is tight then just have things like beer and wine, but no spirits. Friends of mine had a free bar for an hour. I personally won't be having a free bar at all, I think it just adds unnecessary cost to the B & G. What do you think?[/quote:2tb6mp1d] Bet that was an English magazine - I believe it is the norm there. It definitely isn't expected in Ireland. I voted "no" as we will have a drinks reception, with selected drinks only, but no free bar.[/quote:2tb6mp1d] Or an American one - I saw something similar in an American bridal magazine where they said it was shocking bad manners to invite people to a wedding and not offer a free bar, quote: 'You wouldn't invite people to your home and ask them to pay for their drink, would you?' !!!! Well, clearly these people have never been at an Irish wedding! I think a free bar is madness. We had champagne on arrival, loads of wine with dinner and a champagne toast, which I think is more than enough. You have to take into account the outrageous prices charged in Irish bars, and the fact that a lot of Irish people, and I hate to say it, quite frankly take the piss when there's a free bar... triple brandies, anyone? So no, I don't think it's sensible, fair or expected... feck 'etiquette' anyway, who writes these magazines???