There’s no question that an open bar at a Las Vegas wedding reception can be a huge hit with the guests. A bar option such as this allows them to enjoy their drinks without having to worry about running up a tab, as well as provides them with other great advantages. However, there are also some disadvantages to consider before deciding whether or not to have an open bar at your wedding celebration. In this post, Always & Forever Weddings and Receptions will discuss the advantages and disadvantages of having an open bar so that you can make sure you choose the best drink options for your big day.
Decide if You Should Have an Open Bar at Your Wedding Reception Based on These Pros and Cons
One important decision you will need to make regarding your Las Vegas wedding reception is whether or not to have an open bar. This type of bar option is set up so that the bride and groom, or their families, pay for the drinks rather than the guests. So, it means there will be no cash transactions between the guests and the bartender.
As for whether or not you should have one, it’s a tough decision, because while an open bar sounds like a great idea, there are also some potential downsides that you’ll want to consider before making your final decision. To help you out, we’ve put together a list for your review of some of the most common advantages and disadvantages – let’s get started!
Advantages of Having an Open Bar at Your Reception
If you’re leaning towards having an open bar at your Las Vegas wedding reception, the information below may just tip the scales for you as you learn about all the benefits of having one – dive in to see if this option is right for you and your wedding day goals.
- A Way of Thanking Your Guests for Attending: Do you want to thank your wedding guests for coming? This especially applies to those who will drive a great distance to attend, and who will most likely be spending money on a hotel as well. An open bar is one way to do it! Many couples are opting to include an open bar in their wedding package, and for good reason – it’s a great way to show your guests that you appreciate the effort they put in to attend your reception.
- Guests Who Can’t Afford it Will Be Thankful: Within the wide variety of guests that can attend a wedding, from friends to family members, there are bound to be some people who just can’t afford to spend money on drinks. Because of this, they may become uncomfortable and feel like they are missing out while the rest of the guests sip their wine and drink their beers while mingling. An open bar will eliminate this issue by allowing them to drink without having to pay, and they will certainly appreciate it!
- Creates a Fun & Festive Atmosphere: There’s no denying that any reception, party, or event can be kicked up a notch when the guests are drinking alcoholic beverages, especially when a dance floor and a DJ/Emcee are part of the mix. As a result, an open bar can go hand-in-hand with having an amazing time at a wedding reception, and will create a memorable day. Overall, it can make for a better experience for your wedding guests.
Disadvantages of Having an Open Bar at Your Reception
We discussed the pros of an open bar, but it’s also important to keep the disadvantages in mind. As with any wedding planning decision, you should look at it from all angles so you’re fully informed. With that said, we will now cover the cons of having an open bar so you can see the big picture of this bar option.
- Open Bars Can Sometimes Be Expensive: One of the biggest disadvantages of having an open bar at your Las Vegas wedding would be the cost. Open bars can come with a high price tag if you’re having a large wedding, or even a medium-sized one with up to 50 guests. For instance, just imagine footing the bill for 100 guests to have unlimited drinks, especially if you have opted for premium liquor.
- Certain Guests May End Up Drinking Too Much: No matter how good your intentions are, when alcohol is involved, there is always a risk of someone getting out of hand, or someone not feeling well. When there is an open bar, that risk is increased. However, if you know all your guests are responsible, then you will have nothing to worry about. Also, in our tips section, we give some great advice as to how to lessen the risk of guests consuming too many alcoholic beverages on your special day.
- It May Cause You to Worry About Your Guests Driving Home: If you have an open bar for an extended period of time, it may cause you to become concerned at the end of the night, worrying if everyone is ok to drive when unlimited free drinks were offered during your reception.
Tips for Having an Open Bar at Your Wedding Celebration
Although certain aspects of the above disadvantages may have you a bit worried, you don’t have to let that stop you from having an open bar. An open bar is very common at wedding receptions and works out well for many brides and grooms on their big day. If you’re considering a bar option such as this, but would like to ensure everything goes well, then you can take certain precautions to make your open bar a success with the following four tips:
- For those worried about running out of money if you opt for an open bar, you can try setting a limit on how many drinks each guest can order, or limit free drinks to a certain time, such as cocktail hour, as well as making the choice to not serve hard alcohol, but instead only wine and beer. You can also look for wedding specials or specific all inclusive packages that have the drinks included at an affordable price.
- Be prepared for guests who might overindulge by having a solid plan in place for how to deal with intoxicated guests, such as providing transportation home or offering them a place to stay overnight. Because you shouldn’t have to deal with anything on your special day, it may be best to assign this task to one of the groomsmen or bridesmaids so you won’t have to worry about it.
- Instruct the bartender to be on the lookout for those who are drinking too much so they can cut them off before it’s too late. The good news is that many reception venues have bartenders on staff that know how to spot those who are drinking way too much, and know what steps to take.
- Make sure to have plenty of non-alcoholic options available for those who don’t drink; this would include water, soda, juices, coffee, tea, and the like. This can keep the cost down because these items are less expensive than alcohol.
Commonly Asked Questions Regarding Drink Packages for Las Vegas Wedding Receptions
Open bars and drink packages may be new to you, and because of this, we are here to answer any questions you come up with related to this subject. That said, below, we have listed two of our most common questions to get you started. However, if you have additional inquiries, please feel free to contact Always & Forever Weddings and Receptions so we can address your questions, as well as give you professional advice about other wedding day topics.
What are the most common wedding bar setups?
When it comes to wedding receptions, there are a few different types of bar options that you can select from, such as an open bar, cash bar, or drink ticket bar. So, what’s the difference between these three options, and which one is right for you? Let’s take a closer look so you can make a decision as to what’s best for you and the one you love as you celebrate your wedding with your closest friends and family.
- Open Bar: As mentioned, an open bar means that guests are able to drink for free throughout the duration of your Las Vegas wedding reception. This is usually paid for by the wedding couple or their families. Open bars can be unlimited or have a set number of drinks that each guest is allowed.
- Cash Bar: A cash bar is when guests have to pay for their own drinks. This is usually done by setting up a bar tab that guests can use to purchase drinks. Cash bars are often seen as being less generous than open bars, so they are not as common. However, if the bride and groom are on a tight budget, it doesn’t matter what the guests think if they have to pay for their own drinks, because in the end, it’s the bride and groom’s big day, and it’s all about them – the bottom line is that your guests should understand.
- Drink Ticket Bar: A drink ticket bar is a mix between an open bar and a cash bar. Guests are given a certain number of drink tickets that they can use to redeem drinks from the bar. This is a good option if you want to limit how much guests drink, but don’t want to make them pay for their own drinks.
What’s the difference between a limited open bar and a full open bar?
When planning a wedding reception, you may need to decide whether you want a limited bar or a full bar. Both have their pros and cons, and are therefore important to understand the differences before making a decision. A limited bar is a wedding reception option where only certain alcoholic beverages are served. This is often done in order to save money, as it’s cheaper to purchase and serve a limited number of alcoholic beverages than it is to serve a full range of alcohol choices. A full bar, on the other hand, is a wedding reception option where a wide variety of alcoholic beverage types are served. This option is more expensive than a limited bar, but it provides guests with more choices and allows them to indulge in their favorite drinks. If you want your guests to have more options to choose from, a full bar is the way to go.
Whichever option you decide to go with, be sure that you fully understand the differences so you can make the right decision about which one is best for your wedding reception! Also, you can speak to the wedding venue that’s hosting your reception to get the full details of what your options are.
Always & Forever Resources for Ceremony and Receptions Near Downtown Vegas
We can imagine that you may need information on a wide variety of wedding day elements, such as wedding flowers and the reception hall, information on marriage licenses, as well as wedding cakes, and so on. Because of this, we are here to provide you with all the resources you will need to make your day perfect. With that in mind, dive into the pages below to get your planning started:
- Always & Forever has many affordable packages for various size weddings – take a look to see what works best for you.
- If you decide you would like to book a ceremony only package instead, we have several packages just for you.
- You will need a professional photographer to capture your ceremony and your Las Vegas wedding reception and we include one in our packages!
- Every happy couple should have beautiful wedding flowers on their special day, view this page to find out more about dressing up your wedding and reception with flowers.
- Couples wishing to have a romantic ceremony will want to consider having a gazebo wedding, especially one that sits on the edge of a stunning lake.
- Always & Forever offers affordable lake wedding packages near the Vegas Strip, complete with garden views and lake breezes.
- If you will need bridal salon services on your wedding day, be sure to schedule your appointment as soon as you have your date set.
- Outdoor weddings in the Vegas area can be exceptional when you have lake and garden views – read more!
- Any couples who want to have a wedding for two will have plenty of package options to choose from – learn more about this!
- Those who need more details on our wedding packages, feel free to visit our Ceremony Information page to see what we can offer to make your day a success.
- We have outstanding Las Vegas Outdoor Wedding Packages that include several ceremony location options and incredible inclusions.
- Make sure to read over this post if you’re planning on having a Las Vegas evening wedding.
- Las Vegas offers stunning sunsets, so it’s the perfect location to have a sunset wedding.
- For those who plan on having a small wedding ceremony, we suggest reading over these planning tips.
- A wedding photographer is an important element of a ceremony and reception, so be sure to use a recommended and experienced one.
- File for your Las Vegas marriage license before your big day approaches; find out how.
- Do you have your bridal updo style picked out? If not, this post has a few ideas for you.
- Those who are planning a Las Vegas wedding ceremony can get a few good pointers from this article.
- Don’t forget to book your wedding day transportation so you can ride around in style on your special day!
- Wedding traditions can add charm and romance to your big day – dive into this post to find out which one is best for the two of you.
- Learn all about writing a maid of honor speech from this article we drafted!
- Don’t wait when choosing your bridesmaids; it’s important to do it as soon as possible – find out how!
- If you don’t know who pays for what for a wedding, this article will help you figure it all out.
Book an All Inclusive or Reception Only Package Complete with Fabulous Drink Options!
If you’re planning a Las Vegas wedding reception, we hope our post on the advantages and disadvantages of having an open bar has been helpful. Our goal is to always help make a couple’s special day everything they have ever dreamed it would be. From providing the perfect drink options at the reception to making sure the ceremony goes exactly as planned – let us take care of the details so you can relax and enjoy your big day. Please don’t hesitate to give us a call to book an all inclusive or reception only package, or to ask any questions you may have regarding your wedding day.