AIBU to not provide a free bar at our wedding?

What bar.
Guests arrive at the reception, fizz, soft and canapes. We also had beer and pimms.
Wine with the meal.
Champagne for the toasts.
After the meal, extra wine and beer put on the tables and soft drinks.

Just how much can people reasonably drink?

What we did for my daughter's wedding as she and SIL had work colleagues to evening do only, was give a"voucher" with the invitation that these guests handed over at the bar for a first free drink. (Evening food was provided). It seemed the best way to be a little bit generous but keep control of the bill which we then paid in the morning.

I’ve been to one with a free bar and it was genuinely chaos. I kind of think because it’s not the done thing in the UK people didn’t know how to act and just got way out of hand. Also it was partly to do with the crowd, but it was enough to put me off the idea of ever having a free bar at any event for life - even if I won the lottery 😭.

Congratulations for your big day, make sure to eat in the evening- I totally forgot and regretted it.

drinks wise you covered welcome drinks, table drinks, I also offered prosecco draft Guinness/larger/bitter if people didn’t want wine, those were table serviced during meal, pre poured for arrival reception. Eveningbiaid drinks

We did not have a free bar at our wedding. We had wine on the table, but no free bar. I did not hear any complaints and the wedding was great.

We didn't have a free bar. Due to our wedding being cancelled due to covid and the caterer being unable to refund us the venue cost we had already paid he did our food for free hoping to make the money back from the bar so in my husbands speech he asked everyone who wasn't driving to drink lots. I don't expect a free bar at weddings, I don't recall any weddings I've been to having a free bar.

We gave everyone two tokens (casino chips) for the bar for after the meal drinks - so that the tab was split more fairly. I think between that, the welcome drink, table wine etc it was enough for most people.

The token drinkers that wanted to do shots all night paid for it themselves.

I don't think there's any requirement anymore with weddings being so expensive! Also I've been to weddings with a free bar where everyone loses track of their drinks and it ends up being an incredible amount of waste.

Most of the weddings in the U.K. have been to have had welcome drinks before the meal, wine with the meal and fizz for the toast provided then a pay bar. One was in a marquee on a farm with beer, wine and soft drinks provided through the whole thing. I would hesitate to provide free spirits even it it was affordable to be honest. Just too much risk of things getting out of hand.

I have been to a couple of American weddings, they had free bars but didn’t go on as long as a British (or at least Scottish) wedding does.

I've been to many weddings, been bridesmaid 6 times and never had the delight of a free bar!

Doesn't that depends on the calibre of the guests? I've never seen issues with free bars.

I think it is fine not to have a free bar. A welcoming drink, which I guess is something alcoholic, then wine on the table and a glass of bubbly for toasts is fine. If next summer is like this one though, I would make bottled water/ or tap water available without charge and lots of it, perhaps together with a few other soft drinks.

I'd provide a welcome cocktail. table wine at the dinner, and sparkling for speeched, then paid bar afterwards. The last thing you want is some idiot getting roaring drunk at ytour expense. I've seen it happen. It can ruin a gorgeous wedding.

Wine at the table and a drink of choice for the toast. That’s what’s normally done around here.

If you know some people don't drink wime, it's a nice touch to give them tokens fir a couple of other drinks, but not essential

^ this. Lots of brits have no control around booze. A free bar coild bring the vibe down.

That's totally fine.
Most of the weddings we went to had wine on the tables and bubbly on the tables, but not a big free bar.

I wouldn't assume a free bar. I think I've only been to one (of about 7) weddings with a free bar.

I would assume wine on the tables at the meal and maybe a first glass of fizz/OJ at the drinks reception

If you can stretch to doing 1-2 free drinks tokens (I've been to weddings where they had them on your place card to use at the dancing portion) then that's a nice added extra but with a totally free bar there's always a risk that people will take the piss

Could someone tell me how to get rid of unwanted gifs please!?

Yes, that is more than reasonable.

Deleted to get rid of unwanted gif.

Unless you are extremely wealthy then no free bar.

Your plan seems very normal to me but maybe add a welcome drink especially if there is a gap between ceremony and dinner ( taking photos etc)
Have a brilliant day.

Uk? Not expected. And my experience is people are wasteful (abandoning drinks etc).

A nice soft drink as well as table wine is appreciated.