Wedding shaming: is 'beer and wine only' basically a dry wedding?
"Mad about lack of alcohol - beer and wine only..."
This one I don’t understand. My relative is getting married in what could be described as a “traditional” type of wedding. The ceremony is at the church he has attended since he was a child in the town he grew up in, and the reception is at a restaurant two blocks away from the church that had a banquet hall on the floor about that restaurant itself.
They are having the restaurant prepare their options for dinner (chicken, beef, and vegetarian), and it will be an open bar, but only beer and wine. It is cheaper to not have mixed drinks and shots, and the theory is maybe people will not get completely fall over drunk only having beer and wine available for a few hours.
Some people (admittedly a small minority) of the family are not happy. They are going on and on about how the wedding is “basically dry," that no one will have fun, it will be a waste of time, and that the bride and groom are cheaping out. To be honest, when I hear them talk like this, they sound like alcoholics. Has anyone else seen pushback like this because the open bar was “only” beer and wine at a wedding?
Here's what people had to say to OP:
madshayes said:
In Australia most open bars at weddings are beer and wine only, spirits cost significantly more. It is bizarre people are being negative about it, maybe they should shell out for it.
AllisonTheBeast said:
That’s insane, beer and wine only is perfectly acceptable. People shouldn’t expect to get drunk or wasted at a wedding, that’s just embarrassing.
StructureSpecial7597 said:
I used to bartend at a venue that hosted weddings. The amount of waste that people created for liquor open bars was insane. Ordering a $14 drink and taking one sip then leaving it. Ordering 7 shots for a group and only actually taking 4. Half of the drinks ended up spilled on the floor.
It shocked me how people claiming to love the couple could waste their money so carelessly. The beer/wine only weddings were great. People got drunk but not plastered. The waste was minimal.
smileycat007 said:
I attended a wedding that offered just beer and wine, and I don't think it bothered anyone. As long as guests have plenty to eat and drink, they're happy.It is more classy to offer beer and wine all night than to have a cash bar or hand guests two drink tickets.
Catsdrinkingbeer said:
Our venue didn't allow liquor. Only one person complained, and she barely drinks. She only drinks vodka cranberries. So we gave her a Whiteclaw and she was fine.
BodyBy711 said:
My MIL tried to give me a hard time about not having a full open bar (we had tequila, vodka and whiskey and beer and wine and cider) and I just said to her, "if people are going to get so bent at our reception that they can't order a rum and coke or whatever, then perhaps they should be looking for an AA meeting instead of attending."
The bride and groom are not responsible for catering to every single guest's every single whim. Beer and wine are fine if you're not a self-absorbed alcoholic.
Sneakertr33 said:
Having worked at a brewery I can tell you that beer and wine do not a dry evening make. These are going to be the same people that are gonna end up getting sloppy.