No Alcohol at a Wedding?

disykat · Apr 26, 2009

I hope this post is a joke. Poor taste? Did you expect them to put it in the invitation that there wouldn't be alcohol or did you want them to stand up and give an explanation why not? How did you want to be informed?

Bluestars · Apr 26, 2009

I don't care if people want to serve alcohol at their wedding reception or not. Alcohol isn't that big of a deal to me or my family. We rarely drink. Even if we drank often, I wouldn't care. I find it interesting that alcohol is so important to some people that they would be offended if it wasn't served at a party.

I think it is tacky to have a cash bar. If you invite someone to a celebration you are hosting, I don't think they should have to pay for anything. If you can't afford to provide a full bar, an alternative is to serve beer and wine. Personally, I would rather not serve alcohol than charge for it.

Eeyores Butterfly · Apr 26, 2009

I suppose if you expect it it might have been nice to give fair warning, but it's not necessary. It seems in poorer taste to feel like you are owed an explanation.

What if you were the recovering alcoholic? Would you like that information shared with people you didn't know? Even if they didn't name names, people would start trying to guess. What about religious preferences? Is it necessary for them to explain their religious issues just so they won't be judged at their own wedding that they are paying for?

I guess my family is laid back when it comes to weddings. We just go with the flow. I've been to really fancy northeastern affairs and I've been to midwestern affairs with BBQ buffets and beer. We weren't there for a lavish party, we were there to support the couple. We had fun no matter what they decided to do at the reception.

KSchwagg86 · Apr 26, 2009

Just my 2 cents...I think no alcohol is fine, but you need to inform guests so they aren't cashless!

Alesia · Apr 26, 2009

There are no words...

lil mermaid · Apr 26, 2009

I have only been to one wedding where alcohol wasn't served. I knew up front, and it wasn't a big deal to me. I knew that it was because the bride and groom were worried about members of their families getting drunk and also that they didn't drink themselves for religious reasons. The reception was held in a restaurant that had a function room upstairs, and the bar downstairs was open. Several wedding guests went to the downstairs bar, bought drinks, and brought them upstairs. Now I REALLY love my wine, but I felt that it would have been disrepectful to the wedding couple to do that, so I didn't.

Do you really believe that you deserved prior notice, or an explanation? I certainly can understand being surprised, but did you really consider it to be in poor taste? And how do you know that there were no alcoholics? It isn't as if this information is always public. And had you known in advance, what difference would that have made - would you have snuck some in with you or something?

disneyfav4ever · Apr 26, 2009

I've been to one, but the bride and groom were both 18, and at least half of the guests were under 21, so I get why they didn't serve alcohol.

Kickapoo Joie Juice · Apr 27, 2009

My perception has been that the person/s doing the drinking is/are the only one/s having fun.

Everyone else around them who's not bombed out of their skull is thinking what an embarrassing PITA that person is, and therefore NOT enjoying the occasion nearly as much.

JMO...

ICF · Apr 27, 2009

28 pages and still going.....

Intesting article in the local paper today on people cutting back at weddings...

http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2009304270002

Apparently the average wedding in 2009 is expected to cost $20,398 this year...of course, your local milage may vary on what that will get you.

cteddiesgirl · Apr 27, 2009

Oh wow.

Who are you to expect an explanation of why the couple didn't have alcohol at their wedding?

If I, like you absolutely Have to have alcohol at another person's wedding, I would start analyzing myself and why I would need that.

FoundMyPrince · Apr 27, 2009

We've been to plenty of weddings without alcohol (we're Baptist

).

HM · Apr 27, 2009

My wedding was without alcohol.
We got married at 11:30 am in church and had the reception in the meeting hall of the church. No alcohol allowed in the church (but we wouldn't have served it even if it was), so we served sparkling juice of the toasts.

bookgirl · Apr 27, 2009

Man I'm from Oklahoma, no alcohol is the norm here at least for simple church hall reception occasions. I've had a few friends have receptions off church grounds and there is usually a cash bar, or they have a sit down dinner with wine and champaign included, but I never plan to drink at a regular wedding.

I've had fun with and without drinking at a wedding. It's the people who make it fun not the booze. If you need booze to enjoy yourself, well then....that about says it all doesn't it.

KigerKat · Apr 27, 2009

I didn't read through all the replies, but our wedding back in 2007 didn't have alcohol. DH and I don't drink much at all. Personally, I don't like the taste of many drinks and I hate the way I act when I've been drinking. In fact, the last time I drank was at a New Years party, and the time before that was about 7 months earlier. We thought it was too expensive (we were paying for the wedding ourselves) and we didn't want anyone to get sloshed off their butts and end up looking like a fool.

I had a feeling some people would be upset by our choice, so we also had a "technical" reason behind our decision. We weren't using the caterer that held the liquor license at our reception location, and there was some law about having 2 licenses on the property so our caterer was unable to serve anyway.

We still had a great time! For anyone getting married who is looking for a money saver - I always recommend this. I think we probably saved a couple thousand dollars by not having alcohol.

Philagoofy · Apr 27, 2009

Our Wedding Invitation

Mr. & Mrs. Chuck Brown and Mr. & Mrs. Harry Van Pelt
would like to invite you to the wedding of their children
Sally & Linus on June 28, 2009 at 4:00 P.M.
The alcohol-free reception will be held at Snoopy’s Restaurant.
The reasons the reception is alcohol-free are that Linus’ sister Lucy,
Sally’s uncle Schroeder and Mrs. Van Pelt’s cousin Patty are alcoholics.
(Cousin Patty becomes really obnoxious after a few belts.)
Also, Mrs. Brown’s aunt Belle & Mr. Van Pelt’s half brother Franklin abhor
alcohol of any type, including champagne & wine, for religious reasons.
Therefore, we understand if you will not be able to attend the joyful
celebration of Sally & Linus’ marriage because you’d have to go
several hours without booze.

hope you enjoy my wacky sense of humor also!

TotalSnowWhite · Apr 27, 2009

I'm also from Oklahoma, and I was going to say that I've only been to one wedding where no alcohol was served. Aside from that, there's always been at least a champagne toast, if not a full open bar. Never been to a cash bar wedding.

Alcohol or no alcohol doesn't matter to me. I wouldn't comment about it. Not my wedding, so I have no say.

kimmar067 · Apr 27, 2009

...perhaps the words 'Dry Wedding' would have been sufficient. Actually, if the invite had said THAT, I would have been okay with it; however, I would have had to look it up, because, not only have I never gone to a dry wedding, but I do not know ANYONE else (friends, relatives, acquaintances) that's gone to one either. As I stated in my follow-up post, it is not the norm to have dry wedding where I come from...besides,who are you to judge my post?? The OP asked a question and I responded based upon my past experience - BTW, I was not alone in my shock over this phenomena....I had overheard several other guests (none of whom I have ever met before) at that wedding who were a bit befuddled and confused about the non-alcohol issue....I NEVER said that it couldn't be done (have a wedding w/o alcohol) and I NEVER judged anyone for choosing that - I simply stated MY OWN FEELINGS at the time based upon MY EXPERIENCE...

kimmar067 · Apr 27, 2009

...I never said that I (or anyone ELSE, for that matter) NEEDED alcohol at a wedding, birthday, shower, barmitzvah, or any OTHER social gathering. Whenever I go out, I usually have MAYBE a glass of white wine, which I nurse throughout the evening. Wow, why are you people SO JUDGEMENTAL about my opinion because it isn't necessarily in agreement with YOURS????

Chicago526 · Apr 27, 2009

I've never been to one, but it wouldn't bother me if a wedding (or any other big party, for that matter) didn't serve alcohol. It's the choice of the couple, they may have financial, religious, or other valid reasons for not offering it.

I do think it's courtious to perhaps inform guests that it's either a "dry" party or a cash bar, this way people aren't surprised, and in the case of a cash bar, be prepared for it (like having cash on hand). I don't think it's a huge faux-pas not to let guests know, but something for someone to consider if they are throwing a party where this is a concern.

kimmar067 · Apr 27, 2009

....Philagoofy - you sucked me RIGHT IN....... :rotfl:

No Alcohol at a Wedding?

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