Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Original poster

Alcohol worries at wedding

19 replies

Newmrs01 · 16/06/2022 12:43

I’m getting married in two months and I’m not much of a drinker. I know my friends and family will be buying me drinks all night and I don’t even want to get that drunk. We have to get up at 6am the next day to go on honeymoon so I don’t want a hangover which is adding to my worries.

how can I give the impression I’m drinking more than I actually am. I don’t want to ruin the atmosphere by being rude to people saying I don’t want a drink or telling everyone I’ve had enough. I need to do it slyly so no one suspects what I’m up to.

please give me some tips

OP posts:
ApolloandDaphne · 16/06/2022 12:48

When I got married I was bought drinks by lots of people as I went round chatting to them. I left each drink on that table as I moved on so only took a few sips of each one. Then the dancing started and I was so warm I moved on to large glasses of water. I hardly drank a thing and no-one noticed as far as I am aware. Wander around with a glass in your hand and put drinks down on random tables as you go. No one will pay any attention whether you actually drink them or not. It is your wedding though so you should not have to drink if you don't want to.

HSKAT · 16/06/2022 12:49

Always have a glass in your hand.
Ask the bar to make a lemonade look like a gin.
Tbh I've never paid much attention to how much a bride has been drinking now that I think of it.
Just politely say I'm ok for now thank you very much no one will be offended

Luxa · 16/06/2022 12:49

Drink apple juice. It's the same colour as lager.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

Weddings
user2345266 · 16/06/2022 12:50

Completely agree with what @ApolloandDaphne has said!

Nobody will really be paying attention to if you finish a drink or not. They will be too busy enjoying the day and I think you will be too! Xx

ScarlettOHaraHamiltonKennedyButler · 16/06/2022 12:50

Just carry around a full glass of something then if someone says they will buy you a drink you can just say 'oh Im alright now maybe later'. Or else just don't drink the ones you are bought, it isn't mandatory.

WombatCombat · 16/06/2022 12:51
  1. Always have a half full glass in your hand.
  2. Learn to say "No".
  3. Learn to say "not for me but I see X has an empty glass"
  4. Get the bar staff on side so they know not to put in alcohol or charge for alcohol if they know it's a drink for you - just say something like "yep, bar staff know what I am having, thanks"
Yodaisawally · 16/06/2022 12:54

Why do you have to hide it, just say no thanks

DoraSpenlow · 16/06/2022 12:56

Where possible always have a full/nearly full glass in your hand. You could even have just tonic and let people think there is gin/vodka with it. When someone asks what you are drinking thank them politely but say you are OK for now because you have the one in your hand and someone has already left one behind the bar for you. Perhaps later.

Or, if you are drinking wine/beer/cider make sure the bar has a low/non alcoholic version for you so if someone gets you a drink they can ask bar staff for a glass of Newmrs01's favourite wine/beer/cider.

Also there is nothing wrong in saying that you are pacing yourself because you have to get up early the next day. Don't be bullied - it's your day, you can drink/not drink what you want.

ShadowPuppets · 16/06/2022 12:59

If it’s any consolation I love a good booze up at a wedding and I was a bit nervous before my own that I’d inadvertently overdo it - as it was I was so busy nattering to people I actually was pretty sober by the end of the night because I didn’t have time to have a drink! So you may find it happens quite naturally anyway…

Lindy2 · 16/06/2022 13:01

You can say no thanks and that you've already got a drink at the moment.

If they buy you another, even though you've already got one, either leave it on a random table or have a few friends in on your plan, who are drinking, and give the excess drinks to them.

AmbushedByCake · 16/06/2022 13:04

I more or less carried the same glass of champagne around for the whole day when I got married. There isn't much time to drink!

whatwhhat · 16/06/2022 13:04

At my friends 21st I think, she was brought looooooaaaddss of drinks. Our table was her 'base' sort of thing so when ever she got another drink she couldn't finish she came back to the main table and put her drink down and one of her mates had it (I don't drink) but it wasn't obvious.

She did try saying no but drunk people are persistent and at least it didn't go to waste.

Could you set a base up with your bridesmaids and after trying to say no to the offer of a drink if they're still persistent the drinks are at the side of it or whatever then your bridesmaids/friends could help themselves?

Also always carry a drink in your hand!

HumourReplacementTherapy · 16/06/2022 13:11

Just say thanks but someone's at the bar getting me one already or have a glass of tonic with ice and lemon in your hand.

INeedNewShoes · 16/06/2022 13:21

Instruct the bar to serve elderflower presse in a Prosecco glass whenever someone is buying you a drink.

Or get your close friends on side. I’m a lightweight and hate the feeling of being drunk. My best mate and I used to swap glasses at the point that she’d drank most of hers and mine was only halfway down the glass.

JorisBonson · 16/06/2022 13:23

Yodaisawally · 16/06/2022 12:54

Why do you have to hide it, just say no thanks

This.

lollipopsandrainbows · 16/06/2022 13:30

We had this at a recent big celebration. We were going away the next day and neither of us wanted to be rough the next day. Our friendship groups tend to "pay one on", so when they asked what we wanted to drink, we just said "oh pay us one on". We then had a charity bucket behind the bar and asked the staff to take any paid on drinks and put the money in the bucket. We did do a bit of a "speech" at the beginning and said to everyone that rather than buying us a drink, we would rather they "pay one on" to two charities which meant a lot to us, so that we weren't deceiving anyone. We did get a few drinks actually brought to us, which we either drank (depending how we was feeling) or I moved from table to table. I think my partner probably did consume more than me, but I was the one driving the next day. When we returned from our holiday we put a notice on social media regarding how much the evening had raised, and everyone seemed really pleased.

RandomQuest · 16/06/2022 13:31

Just carry around a drink, say no thanks you’ve got one on the go when asked, if people really insist or just hand it to you then pass it on to bridesmaids that would appreciate it or just have a sip or two and put it down somewhere. Don’t make a big thing of it unless you want people to jump to the conclusion that you’re pregnant because you know they will…

LeafHunter · 16/06/2022 13:55

Just say no.

I told people they could get me a drink when we were back from honeymoon! We had an open bar though so it was easier than if they felt like they were buying it!

Original poster
Newmrs01 · 16/06/2022 15:14

Thank you for all the ideas you’ve put me at ease 😀

OP posts:
New posts on this thread. Refresh page