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Original poster

Saving money on drinks

12 replies

Kayzr · 11/08/2011 17:04

We are trying to find a way to save money on our wedding. One of the the ways is to get people to buy their own drinks for the wedding breakfast. We've worked out we can save £500 if we just provide the drinks for the toast.

But I am slightly worried that people will be expecting a drink and will turn up with little or no money.

Any ideas?

OP posts:
Grumpystiltskin · 11/08/2011 19:11

I wrote in the invitation that it was a pay bar as we were miles from anywhere cashpoint wise and it was a temporary bar so no card facilities.

What drinks are you thinking of? We saved lots of clubcard vouchers and got tesco wine deals (extra discount for 6+ bottles) and did 40xwhite, 40xred & 40x cava for under £400.

I know that may not be practical but just wondering what you were looking at.

Weddings are ace!

going · 11/08/2011 19:13

Make a note of it on the invite. Not everyone expects free drinks at a wedding.

tabulahrasa · 11/08/2011 19:14

I've never been to a wedding with a free bar - didn't even know they existed till I started watching 4 weddings

Maybe it's because I'm Scottish? lol

moomaa · 11/08/2011 19:15

I think you should say explicitly on the invite, I would expect wine and water to be provided during the wedding breakfast and probably a drink on arrival, in fact I probably wouldn't buy a drink on arrival as I would be waiting for them to come round with arrival drinks.

Original poster
Kayzr · 11/08/2011 19:17

Thanks.

Will certainly put it on the invite. Grumpy, that's a good idea. Will have to see if venue will let us do that.

OP posts:
onelily · 12/08/2011 13:05

Good ideas guys, u mind if i use them for my documentary interview featuring Britain's most frugal person?
really need nice ideas besides phone contract, furntiure and baby stuff.

OohThatsMyTractor · 12/08/2011 13:14

I don't know whether or not this is applicable, depending on your venue, but could you do an 'at cost' bar? Whereby you buy the alcohol and people pay what it cost you, ie. you buy a bottle of wine for £4, get 4 glasses from it and charge £1 a glass.
I have been to a few weddings where they've done this and it works really well, everyone feels they're getting cheap drinks and it doesn't leave you out of pocket footing the bill for everyone's drinks.

TrillianAstra · 12/08/2011 13:43

I would expect at minimum to have a drink when guests arrive, wine on the table during the meal and sparkling wine of some kind for the toast.

If you are literally only providing a drink for the toast that seems rather mean.

There is also the question of how much the drinks cost and how many hours your guests will be there. If you were asked to spend hours and hours in a place that you hadn't chosen and where a glass of wine was £4.50 how would you feel?

wineandcheese · 12/08/2011 14:48

Is there any way that you can get round this? E.g. would your venue let you bring your own drinks then you could buy enough (cheap) wine for everyone to have 1 or 2 glasses with the meal?

Lots of venues (even those with great wine selections) are happy for you to BYO and corkage fees are often easily negotiated away if you explain your situation.

Original poster
Kayzr · 12/08/2011 15:12

I rang the venue this morning and they won't allow us to bring our own wine. So luckily we didn't actually book the venue.

So now we have decided on just a little ceremony and then just a big party afterwards.

OP posts:
oohlaalaa · 12/08/2011 17:24

I don't think guests can expect a paid for bar, but I think a welcome drink, wine on table, and toast is the norm.

I've been to a village hall wedding, which didnt have the grandeur of a stately home, but the bride and groom had a brilliant caterer and a fantastic buffet, and a free bar all day for 80 guests. We walked to nearby old castle ruins for photos. It was ACE. She'd bought her dress on Ebay, and told me after the whole wedding had cost them 6k. They had an ipod for tunes at night, and it was quite informal and relaxed, with everyone chatting and drinking and playing games into the evening. They also did their own flowers, cake, and had a friend who was a keen amateur photographer do the photos.

raspberrytipple · 12/08/2011 22:07

I don't think people expect a free bar so would bring money but it is nice to provide something. If you are just having a big party afterwards you could perhaps do what we are doing and providing a glass of pimms, its just a little gesture as people arrive and we are paying around £2 a glass. After that, people wouldn't expect a free bar. Have a lovely wedding!

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