Consumption Pricing versus Open Bar Pricing

[jerseygal]

Our DS wedding venue(a month away, yay!!!) gives the option of open bar OR consumption pricing.
We are hosting a 2 hour Welcome Gathering the night before the wedding and the venue does not give us the option of open bar, just consumption.
My gut feeling is that there is absolutely no control over consumption pricing. You are putting full faith in the venue, who really knows how many glasses are served over a two hour period in our case, a two hour event, or if our DS and future DIL decide to go with consumption pricing for their 5 hour event. Maybe we'll need a home equity loan just to pay for the liquor, LOL!
Would very much appreciate any guidance on consumption pricing as we are now "stuck" with this for our 2 hour event.THANKS in advance!!!

 

[jaggies]

By “DS wedding venue” do you mean “Dear Son’s” or “Disney Springs”?

With Disney’s calculus at their own events, the vast majority of people who choose a bill-on-consumption bar end up getting a refund and paying less than they would with an “unlimited” package bar. It might be different if your event is at Disney Springs, though – I don’t know what their calculation for package bar pricing would be based on, but it’s usually quite a lot of drinks.

In any case, I think it’s doubtful that you would end up paying less with a package bar even if it was an option. Since it’s not an option, don’t agonize over it! Just try to enjoy the day and know that bill-on-consumption, while scary-sounding, is the way to go at most venues anyway. If you’re concerned about cutting costs, you might be able talk to your venue about using a less premium level of liquor service.

 

[jerseygal]

By “DS wedding venue” do you mean “Dear Son’s” or “Disney Springs”?

With Disney’s calculus at their own events, the vast majority of people who choose a bill-on-consumption bar end up getting a refund and paying less than they would with an “unlimited” package bar. It might be different if your event is at Disney Springs, though – I don’t know what their calculation for package bar pricing would be based on, but it’s usually quite a lot of drinks.

In any case, I think it’s doubtful that you would end up paying less with a package bar even if it was an option. Since it’s not an option, don’t agonize over it! Just try to enjoy the day and know that bill-on-consumption, while scary-sounding, is the way to go at most venues anyway. If you’re concerned about cutting costs, you might be able talk to your venue about using a less premium level of liquor service.

Thanks for your response. DS means son. Yes, we have worked with the venue and will be offering more of a "limited" menu. We were able to choose 3 different type of wines, 5 choices of beer, and 6 mixed drink. Very excited for our "kickoff event", Welcome Gathering, the night before the wedding since it is a destination weekend wedding!

 

[jerseygal]

Wedding was BEAUTIFUL! SO HAPPY for our wonderful son and lovely daughter in law! Wow, what a weekend!
We had a Rehearsal Dinner with drinks, consumption. Immediately, following at the same venue, we hosted a Welcome Gathering the night before our destination weekend wedding, 2 hour event for out of town guests with a very large cheese platter, fresh vegetable tray with various dips and drinks. The venue would NOT ACCEPT a per person open bar rate for drinks for the 2 hour event, only consumption. Live and learn for our youngest DS...NEVER again will we do Consumption! Absolutely no control over "the real final bill of how many drinks was served"...a real joke. Feel we got ripped off by the venue, but where is the control or the proof? Thankfully, our son and the Bride took our suggestion for the Wedding Venue, 1 hour cocktail hour and 4 hour dinner and dancing to go with fixed per person open bar, rather than consumption. They would have been killed with a huge bill; this was a big drinking crowd, 80% of guests were young millennials around 30 years old. They certainly know how to have a good time...DJ was fabulous!
Oh well, 1 down and 1 to go sometime in the future, but will never do consumption drinks! Thankfully, the bride and groom listened to our strong suggestion to do Bride and Groom are estatically happy and all went off without a hitch! GOOD LUCK to all the future brides and grooms planning their incredible wedding day!

 

[lorimay]

When we hosted our son's rehearsal/welcome dinner (Ft Lauderdale 2017) we chose the open bar as opposed to the consumption, we had just over 40 adults and felt $800 for the open bar was fair, we couldn't imagine the BOC would be much less.
I was watching them drinks come out, we made the right decision!!!

 

[jerseygal]

When we hosted our son's rehearsal/welcome dinner (Ft Lauderdale 2017) we chose the open bar as opposed to the consumption, we had just over 40 adults and felt $800 for the open bar was fair, we couldn't imagine the BOC would be much less.
I was watching them drinks come out, we made the right decision!!!

We live and learn! Other than that, wouldn’t change a thing!

 

[lorimay]

We live and learn! Other than that, wouldn’t change a thing!

I'm glad you guys had an amazing time!
Our daughter was married 10 years ago in Disney, our son was our last and they were both beautiful weddings, a couple of the best days in our lives.
I was lucky enough to have a daughter in law that included me in everything , every step of the way, God is good.

 

[jerseygal]

I'm glad you guys had an amazing time!
Our daughter was married 10 years ago in Disney, our son was our last and they were both beautiful weddings, a couple of the best days in our lives.
I was lucky enough to have a daughter in law that included me in everything , every step of the way, God is good.

ABSOLUTELY one of the very best days of our lives, God is very good, feel very blessed that all the extended family were healthy enough to attend! We missed all the grandparents dearly, but had a memory table with a beautiful framed poem in their honor, pictures of the couple with their grandparents, floating candle with 2 side candelabra candles lit throughout the ceremony in their honor. The grandparents were smiling in heaven seeing their first born grandson so HAPPY with his bride! Your DISNEY wedding must have been spectacular!

 

[AnnaS]

Congratulations!!!! to all!!!!

Where did you have the 2 hour welcome gathering? Was this through the Escape/Wishes or did you book this privately/on your own?

How long was the rehearsal? And only people in the bridal party and parents attend?

 

[jerseygal]

Ours was was not a Disney Wedding. It was a 2 hr open bar event(consumption pricing , restaurant would not do Open Bar pricing unfortunately ) to welcome guests the night before the wedding, as most guests stayed 2 nights in a hotel, on awedding group rate. We had it in the same restaurant as our Rehearsal Dinner which consisted of bridal party and their guest or spouse, bride and groom,parents of bride, and us, parents of groom and Pastor and his a Wife. We limited it to that group because we didn’t want to show favoritism by including anyone other than that to the Rehearsal Dinner. Hope that all who are planning weddings all goes well, so many details!

 

[AnnaS]

Thank you

 

[jerseygal]

Thank you

GOOD LUCK with the rest of your planning, exciting, but many details!

 

[AnnaS]

Planning a Disney wedding is a little overwhelming.......my daughter is in contact with a consultant. There is so much to absorb - blocking rooms, # of people inviting vs. # of people paying/responsible for, choosing locations, meal, vendors, etc. etc. Thank you so much again and congratulations again

 

[lurkyloo]

Planning a Disney wedding is a little overwhelming.......my daughter is in contact with a consultant. There is so much to absorb - blocking rooms, # of people inviting vs. # of people paying/responsible for, choosing locations, meal, vendors, etc. etc. Thank you so much again and congratulations again

Have her check out last week's episode of the Disney Wedding Podcast—we explained the room-blocking process in depth: https://disneyweddingpodcast.com/2018/09/05/room-block-overview/

This Wishes Overview show explains everything else in depth: https://disneyweddingpodcast.com/2018/01/17/wishes-overview-faq-2018/

And I have other shows on basically every other topic: transportation, bill-on-consumption bars, how to get your license, how to stick to the Wishes minimums, etc. Just use the search bar at the bottom of the site to search on the term you're looking for.

Also, here are photos of all the locations: https://fairytaleweddingsguide.com/wdw-venues/

 

[AnnaS]

Started listening to your podcasts. Very helpful~~~ Thank you!