Weddingbee Blog

I bartended on and off for nine years and taught bartending school for about a year. Because of that, I was always the person who got stuck mixing drinks for people at parties instead of mingling and, you know, actually enjoying myself (bitter? me?). I haven’t set foot behind a bar since 2004, though, so I’m no longer up on the newest trendy drinks and liquor brands. I also don’t drink nearly as often as I used to.

But I’m still the one who my friends turn to for booze advice. The resident expert, if you will. Still, I was surprised to see how many options there are for wedding bars. Here are some of the most popular options, as well as some pros and cons for each.

Open Bar

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PROS: All the drinkers will be able to find at least one drink that they enjoy.

CONS: Price, price, price.

NOTE: A full wedding bar doesn’t need to be as stocked as a regular bar. There are lots of random cordials and liqueurs that will be completely unnecessary. Just make sure that you have all of the hard liquors (vodka, gin, rum, tequila, whiskey—you can probably skip the brandy), plenty of mixers and garnishes (fruit), as well as beer and wine.

Beer and Wine

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PROS: Affordable.

CONS: Not every guest likes wine or beer.

NOTE: If you’re having a wine-and-beer-only reception, make sure that you’ve got enough choices for your guests. I recommend a medium-bodied white (Chardonnay and Pinot Grigio are popular) and a medium-bodied red (can’t go wrong with Cabernet and Merlot). Have a decent selection of beers as well. At the very least, get a light, easy-to-drink beer (I recommend Yuengling Lager, if you can find it, or Amstel Light) and a deeper beer (some kind of ale would be great).

Signature Cocktail(s)

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PROS: Affordable, fun, can match your color scheme.

CONS: Not everyone drinks hard liquor. Also, signature cocktails tend to be sweet, and many people don’t care for overly sweet drinks.

NOTE: If you’re going to have a signature cocktail at your wedding, I’d recommend having beer and wine as well. That way, you’re bound to make everyone happy. Choose a cocktail that matches the season and time of your wedding (i.e., not a margarita for a Vermont ski-lodge wedding).

Cash Bar

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PROS: Budget-friendly for the bride and groom.

CONS: Not budget-friendly for anyone else. A lot of guests may be angry that they have to buy drinks after paying for a wedding gift and possibly travel expenses. But if the only other option is no booze at all, they might be OK with it.

NOTE: One option is to offer free wine and beer to your guests and then have a cash bar for cocktails. That way your guests have choices.

Mr. Sloth and I are definitely going to have an open bar. His family are drinkers. Our friends are big drinkers. My family are moderate drinkers. And after all is said and done, I’m going to definitely want to kick back with several cocktails.

What kind of bar are you having at your wedding?