No Alcohol at a Wedding?

[Philagoofy]

Inspired by the No Children...thread. Have you ever been to a wedding that did not serve alcohol? Was it a disappointment? Did you secretly ridicule the bride & groom for their choice? Did you have a good time anyway?

 

[Deb in IA]

Yes, I have.


Both bride and groom were recovering alcoholics.

And no, I did not ridicule them, secretly or otherwise. And everyone seemed to be having a fine time.

 

[luvmy3]

I have never been to a wedding that didn't serve alcohol, its not the norm in this area to have a dry reception. If the bride and groom decided tyo have one, its their decision and fine with me.

 

[MovieJunkie]

No but i have been to cash bar weddings and that was kind of disappointing

 

[jimmalru80]

Have never been to a wedding that did not serve alcohol. However, that is a personal decision by the bride and groom and I would have no problem with that.

 

[Green Tea]

That really isn't very uncommon around here. Many receptions are punch, cake and ham biscuits in the church social hall.

 

[tazdev3225]

I did go to a wedding like that years ago - my uncles. My whole family had a good time making fun of the whole thing. My uncle was an alcoholic and smoked funny cigarettes. His new wife did these things with him. Her family was born again non-drinkers. We found the hypocracy extremely funny, especially when my grandmother kept offering to go to the corner bar for a case of beer. I didn't care because I don't drink that often anyway and was nursing my baby at the time.

 

[onelilspark]

My roommate from college had her reception at an elementary school. They were on a super tight budget, but everyone was happy to be there and to be celebrating their day. I made a mental note that it's not something I wanted for my wedding and that was that. They were happy, that's all that mattered.

 

[tonilea]

I have never been to a wedding that served any type of alcohol. I haven't been to a lot of weddings, but I don't think that is the norm here.

 

[TinklednPants]

I've never been to (nor personally know of anyone who has been to) any wedding that wasn't open bar.
I would find it strange to be at a dry wedding. For that matter I would find it strange to go to a dry gathering of any kind.

 

[powellrj]

Yes, mine. It never occurred to me to have alcohol at our wedding. I wasn't 21 and my parents don't drink, so it just never came up when planning our wedding.

It was over 30 years ago and people are still telling us what a great time they had at our wedding, so I guess our little church basement buffet wasn't the disaster people on the DIS would like to make it out to be.

 

[java]

We're in the Northeast. Enough said?

There is always alcohol. One time we did attend a wedding at a Historical Inn that didn't serve alcohol. It was fun anyway.

And my cousin's first wedding had a cash bar. It was his wife's idea. His wife's awful idea I should say.

 

[chicagodisneyfan]

Been to a few dry weddings - found them a little boring. No one really danced either.

I would never speak ill of someone who did not have alcohol at their wedding - their wedding - their choice.

(cash bar on the other hand - extremely tacky, tacky)

 

[Camicar]

Yes, I have.

I really don't care one way or the other.

Except for the time it was a wedding where the groom and his family were really.... fervent evangelical Christians and had to keep making comments about how 'some of us' will be unhappy that they can't get drunk (blatant jabbing at the bride's family who were Italian American). The groom even made a big stink because one of the table pitchers (provided, standard, by the caterer) was birch beer. In his ignorance, he thought it was actual beer and made quite a scene.

So what do I remember about the wedding? Not the ceremony, the flowers, the food... Nope, I remember the groom and his family and their holier than thou attitude. If ever there was a wedding where I wanted a drink, it was that one.

 

[Disney Doll]

I have not ever been at a wedding without alcohol, but it wouldn't faze me really. Alcohol isn't that important to me. If it's there, I might have one fancy drink, if it's not there, I am as happy with soft drinks.

 

[mamacatnv]

My Brothers beautiful wedding a couple of years ago had champagne served for the toast and that was it, there was no other alcohol. We didn't miss it and we danced and had a great time.

 

[Disney Doll]

Yes, mine. It never occurred to me to have alcohol at our wedding. I wasn't 21 and my parents don't drink, so it just never came up when planning our wedding.

It was over 30 years ago and people are still telling us what a great time they had at our wedding, so I guess our little church basement buffet wasn't the disaster people on the DIS would like to make it out to be.

Who has indicated that you having the wedding you wanted was a disaster???

The conversation seems to be more toward the fact that there are some who don't wish to allow other couples that same courtesy by letting them have the wedding they want, by allowing them to choose the guest list, the menu and so forth.

Judgemental works both ways, you know.

 

[java]

My Brothers beautiful wedding a couple of years ago had champagne served for the toast and that was it, there was no other alcohol. We didn't miss it and we danced and had a great time.

How many champagne toasts were there though!

 

[lovemygoofy]

I had a dry wedding. My husband and I paid for the wedding ourselves and had the wedding and reception at the church my grandparents were married in. He nor I wanted anyone to over indulge, which was quite possible with both our families, and we wanted it to be a simple wedding.

We had sparking juices, punch, and water for the drinks. The food was made by my mom's sisters. We had a wonderful cake(so I hear since we didn't get anything but a bite)

Seven years later, people don't tell us they didn't like not having a beer or wine; they tell us the loved having their pictures taken with us and seeing my granparents church on the cliff with sunsetting and it starting to snow. They don't tell us how they didn't like to not dance but they tell us how they think of us when they put their Christmas ornament on their tree as a reminder of our wedding.

I guess it's about perspective. I think a wedding is about the coming together of the two people in love not the party afterward.

 

[cteddiesgirl]

I've been to many weddings. I would say about half had no alcohol and the other half did.

Most of the time, I had fun. The only times I didn't have fun was when the reception had no music (therefore no dancing), and there was only cake and punch. There have been a couple of weddings where it didn't really seem like a celebration at all, but more of a somber occasion.

I don't think alcohol is necessary to have fun.