No Alcohol at a Wedding?

[Anne34]

I knew you were from MN instantly!



Cash bars are the norm here. We paid for 4 - 5 kegs for our wedding, wine (2 bottles on each table) and pop. Anything over and above - the guests were on their own! No one *****ed...it's just the way it's done around here

I grew up in Wisconsin and we do it the same way too -- Free beer & pop all night and wine with dinner. My soon to be IL were upset that we weren't having a full open bar because that's what they do in Chicago -- we told them, if you want it then you pay for it. (They did)

Also, NEVER been to a wedding that did not have alcohol. Most of our relatives are Catholic, Lutheren or the like.

 

[NCRedding]

The vast majority of the weddings I've attended in my hometown (in the south) have been held in the church fellowship hall, and have had no alcoholic beverages--mainly just punch, cake, finger sandwiches, and peanuts. Very few have bands.

My sister's first wedding and my brother's wedding were dry; afternoon weddings with no band or music. My wedding reception was held at the local country club in the evening, where we served red and white wine, beer in a keg, and champagne. I had wanted an open bar, but that was the one thing my mom opposed me on, so I followed her wishes. We had a awesome band, and danced into the wee hours.

Every wedding, except one, that I have attended out of town has had alcohol; most have had open bars. I went to one wedding that had a cash bar.

 

[BellvilleDad]

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.

There ya go!

 

[tar heel]

Having grown up in the South and in a Southern Baptist Church, I've been to way more dry weddings than wet ones. Even the wet ones usually only had champagne or champagne punch. I think I've only been to two weddings Only a handful have had bands and dancing, too.

In fact, I went to exactly one wedding that had alcohol before I graduated from college. It was my aunt and uncle's, and the family found it scandalous that the preacher saw my grandmother, whom he was sitting beside at the head table, was not drinking her champagne and asked if he could have it.

We had an afternoon wedding with a finger food reception at a lovely historic house. We served punch and champagne punch -- I wanted to have alcohol but didn't want my relatives to feel funny if they had different cups, etc. There was no band or dancing. DH and I got married where we were living. If my wedding had been at "home," it would definitely have been dry. To do otherwise would not have been worth the scandal for my parents.

 

[hentob]

[/B]

At my cousins wedding we were given drink tickets.

I have never heard of this.

 

[hentob]

It was a lovely wedding, 19 years ago, and people still talk about how great it was (and not just me and DH!).

Not picking on you, but what happened at your wedding that people are still talking about how great it was two deacades later?



I have a cousin that got married 21 years ago and she still wants to talk about her wedding We have had dozens of family weddings/ happy family events in the past 21 years, but she still thinks we all want to talk about her wedding

 

[Rora]

DFiance and I do not plan on having alcohol at our Wedding.

Honestly, I don't care what anyone thinks. Yes, maybe people expect us to have alcohol flowing but we are 1. on a tight budget and 2. neither of us drink. It's our day and we're going to be selfish

 

[ilovejack02]

I only had enough champagne at my wedding for a toast, we had about 30 guests. I knew the guests werent big drinkers.. if they drank at all. Hubby and I do drink, but figured what was the point. We did take a cpl of bottles of champagne back to the hotel for the honeymoon evening.
: )

It was a lovely evening and everyone had a good time.

I have been to 3 other weddings with out alcohol.. two were fun and one I just wanted to run screaming out of the building LOL.

 

[karenos]

I have never been to a wedding that didn't serve alcohol (maybe it is a Northeast thing, I'm not sure). It would stand out for me b/c of this, but I wouldn't think less of the bride and groom for doing so. Their wedding, their choices...

karenos

 

[Sugardimples]

I would rather go to a wedding without alcohol than a wedding with a cash bar.

The wedding that I've attended that were "dry" and they were wonderful in their own way. They are usually dry because the families involved do not have alcohol as a part of their life and choose not to serve it.

 

[englishteacha]

Hmmm...guess I'm tacky. We had a cash bar. I know, I know, it's scandalous. We did have plenty of punch, soda, coffee, tea and water for those who didn't want to buy a drink. I was going to have a "dry" wedding, but I had pressure from my family to at least have a cash bar. Here, it's completely normal to have a cash bar. I have never been to a wedding in Maine or NH with an open bar. I'm sure they exist, but not in my family and social circles! People still talk about what a lovely wedding we had (7 years ago), so I don't think anyone was brokenhearted about there being a cash bar. We served sparkling cider for the toast. I don't like champagne. I rarely drink (usually somone buys me a girly drink for my birthday), and Dh maybe has 4 beers a year, so we didn't even visit the bar at our wedding! We drank punch and water!

 

[JoiseyMom]

We had a Sunday brunch and wanted no booze at all. Mil and Fil wanted wine...they provided the wine, only their freinds drank it, ours did not. My mom wasn't happy we didn't have an open bar. If we were having an evening wedding vs a brunch we would have had booze. We did have a champagne toast, not my choice, I went with the flow.

 

[Nancy]

Sure, I've been to a few. I knew both would be no alcohol so if it was upsetting to me I would not have gone. I did think it was wrong that some people brought beer and were out in the parking lot drinking during one of the weddings...the bride and groom were not happy and I don't blame them.

I also went to a cash bar wedding and I was upset about that because I didn't know before hand and did not bring hardly any cash with me. Even soft drinks had to be paid for.

 

[KimR]

I've only been to 2 dry weddings. One was my sister's first wedding and that was because her in-laws were Southern Baptists and very much against drinking alcohol. The other one was DH's brother for pretty much the same reason, I think. People can be funny about alcohol around here.

As for a cash bar, I've only seen that once and while I was surprised, I really didn't have a problem with it. I'd much rather there be a cash bar than no alcohol at all because then at least there is the option. I do think non-acloholic choices should be offered free of charge, though.

 

[tchrrx]

I've only been to one wedding that did have alcohol. We don't drink & very, very few of our friends and family do. I was uncomfortable at the one that did have alcohol, not at the ones that didn't.

 

[vettechick99]

I'm Italian and raised Catholic - what's dry?

Living in the south, I have been to several daytime church receptions that were obviously alcohol-free. They are usually pleasant, and the food is decent, but they aren't very exciting. It's a social situation where you say hi to everyone and then go about your day.

The weddings I prefer are evening affairs and have an open bar. Hell, I can think of two times I brought in my own alcohol. Those are nearly always a really good time.

I have never been to a wedding that was at night and dry. But if I was invited to one, I doubt I would stay long. I just can't have a good time unless I'm drunk.

 

[scrump]

I've never been to a wedding that didn't serve alcohol, but I don't think it would matter too much to me anyway.

 

[C.Ann]

I haven't - but DD and her DH have attended two weddings where there was no alcohol.. Neither one of them really drink though, so it made no difference to them and everyone had a great time..

I've never entertained the notion that any event "must" include alcohol in order for people to enjoy themselves.. My late DH and I used to host a huge party every Christmas Eve at our home - as well as several gatherings throughout the summer here at the lake - and alcohol was not served.. It never prevented anyone from accepting our invitations - and certainly never prevented anyone from having a great time..

 

[PrincessSuzanne]

I have never attended a wedding that HAD alcohol. Most of them were in the church hall and alcohol wasn't allowed. One was at the local Shriners Hall and the Bride's family didn't believe in drinking, so no alcohol.

There was no alcohol at my wedding and I have no regrets about that, my regret is not being able to have my reception somewhere I could dance with my Dh. We had our reception in the church hall after a 6pm wedding.

Suzanne

 

[paigeandmorgansmom]

We live in an all dry town. Half our county is wet the other dry. All my showers and the rehersal dinner had alcohol, but our reception was dry.
Our reception was held at a 150 year old historic hotel that was dry. No big deal for us, had 250 people who ate, had punch and dance all day. The wedding was at noon. We served finger foods, but lots of them. Shrimp cocktail, beef tips, fondue and much more. No one said they wouldn't come if there wasn't any alcohol. His family is Southern Baptist, mine is Episcopalian...no big deal. I think if someone wouldn't come to a reception then they aren't a true friend.