Here's Everything You Need to Know About Having an Open Bar at Your Wedding

Though it's a difficult reality to come to grips with while wedding planning, the truth of the matter is that food and drink will typically eat up a large portion of your overall budget. When it comes to the wedding bar, in particular, costs can escalate rapidly—and the sky's the limit if you’re serving real Champagne or premium liquor. These days, most weddings have some variation of an open bar as well, which can also impact your budget depending on what you plan to serve to your guests.

Nonetheless, unless you plan to host a dry wedding, an open bar is an important factor to consider when planning your big day. Why? Well, it allows you and your partner (or whoever is paying for the wedding) to foot the bill for alcohol, enabling guests to enjoy the celebration without dealing with any cash transactions at the bar. Best of all, there are a variety of ways to personalize an open bar, whether you and your partner decide to serve only beer and wine or create a unique theme to supplement your wedding day décor.

Ahead, with the help of Kristen Baxter, director of events for Abbey Road Farm in Oregon’s Willamette Valley, here's everything you need to know about having an open bar at your wedding.

The Cost of an Open Bar

The price tag of an open bar depends entirely on what you’re serving. If you’re buying a drink package through your caterer—that is, they’re in charge of all the food and drinks served at the wedding—you’ll likely be quoted a price per head. More specifically, nonalcoholic drinks, even nicer options such as LaCroix or Pellegrino sodas, will be a fraction of the cost of any alcohol. From there, it increases: Beer, wine, and liquor will incur additional costs.

Think of it this way: The more you pay for a drink at a restaurant, the more it will cost to include it in your open bar. So if you’re serving Champagne, red Burgundy, and 12-year Scotches, the tab can really start soaring. If your venue is more flexible and DIY-oriented, however, you may be able to save money on your wedding bar by providing the drinks yourself.

The Pros and Cons of an Open Bar

According to Baxter, most couples choose an open bar because it’s a better experience for the guests. “It makes for more of a celebration,” she says. Your loved ones have likely already spent money on travel, gifts, and more, and it’s a polite gesture to host them for the evening. “Your guests appreciate coming and not having to bring their wallets or worry about how many drinks they want to pay for. It makes the events more seamless and enjoyable because you just don’t have to think about those things," Baxter adds.

Also, paying for drinks does take time, and since the wedding bar tends to be a popular place, having to pay as you go can make for longer lines. “And having to close out a tab at the end of the night is the absolute worst thing you can ask your guests to do,” says Baxter. Some guests will consider cash bars a bit tacky, she adds. Therefore, the only real con of an open bar “is the cost of paying for it, of course," notes Baxter.

Open Bar Variations to Consider

The good news, according to Baxter, is that few wedding guests expect a full bar where you can order any single malt or tequila-tonic you like, and fewer couples are going that route. “Almost no one’s doing a full-service bar at a wedding these days,” says Baxter. “When I first started in the industry, full-service bars were much more prevalent. But in the last three to five years, we’ve seen that drop off almost entirely.”

“Providing every kind of liquor is cost-prohibitive,” Baxter continues. “And you end up with a bunch of bottles with just two shots taken out of them—what do you do with all that product at the end of the evening?” Instead, plenty of couples are offering modified open bars, which we highlight below.

Beer and Wine Only

Beer and wine-only open bars are a great way to cut costs, while still providing guests with "free" drinks at your wedding. “We’re definitely seeing that as a trend,” says Baxter. “And more and more people aren’t serving alcohol at all, but doing fun things with juices and sodas. That’s a great way to save on money.” If taking this route, however, you should think about providing the option of a cash bar for individuals who'd like to order drinks with liquor.

Signature Cocktails

Providing signature cocktails, rather than a full liquor setup, is another affordable option to consider for your open bar. Couples can also plan to start their signature drinks at the cocktail hour, serve until they’re gone, and switch to beer and wine after (rather than purchasing enough liquor to go all night). "Signature cocktails are also a really cool way to put your touch on the evening," says Baxter. "Really customize it and make it yours."