Raise Your Glass

Is An Open, Cash or No Bar Right For Your Wedding?

Endless opportunities exist for how to handle alcohol at a wedding. Figuring out bar options for a wedding reception can be overwhelming, but when handled well, an evening of fun awaits.

Alcohol options at a wedding can range from serving just beer and wine to an open bar with full liquor options to even a dry reception.

When coaching couples through the decision-making process, Megan Drake, local wedding planner and owner of The Elegant Event, helps brides and grooms think through issues such as the alcohol options provided by their venue, whether they can supply their own alcohol, what the costs for alcohol may be and other related topics.

Spice It Up

For those with the budget to add some fun to their bar option, Megan said fancy mobile bars are an exciting way to spice up the alcohol experience for guests. These bars come in a variety of shapes and sizes.

One mobile bar in particular that she enjoyed was a vintage truck that served drinks out of kegs in the back of the truck. However, the kegs were hidden under barn wood boxes to add to the aesthetic of the bar.

Megan added that her favorite mobile bar from 2021 was a beautifully converted horse trailer.

With most creative mobile bar options associated with companies outside the High Country, be sure to do research as early as possible. Though these bars come with increased prices, they can greatly add to the experience of guests.

Signature cocktails are all the rage these days at weddings. With couples creating favorite or memorable drinks with a spin for their friends and family to enjoy, they’re able to share a part of their story with those in attendance.

Megan said she’s recently seen many couples choose to name their cocktails after their pets or mimic a drink from a local restaurant.

“Whether it’s a favorite, whether it’s kind of thinking outside the box as far as what you would typically drink, or just trying to suit the particular season that you’re in — those are all fun ways of creating signature drinks,” Megan says.

Frank Williams, food and beverage manager at Morchella Provisions — which provides the alcohol options at Twickenham House — helps couples think through signature cocktail choices if they are stuck deciding what to serve.

An important tip to keep in mind when dreaming up a signature cocktail is to think about how easy it will be for the bartender to create the drink quickly. Though Frank said he is able to create a fancy, complicated mixed drink as a signature cocktail, the guests’ experience at the reception can be hampered by how

Signature cocktails are all the rage these days at weddings. With couples creating favorite or memorable drinks with a spin for their friends and family to enjoy, they’re able to share a part of their story with those in attendance.

long they would wait in line at the bar.

Also, in keeping with the times, Frank said Morchella Provisions offers hard seltzers and local craft beers as an appealing option for couples wanting to cater to a variety of guests.

What About A Cash Bar?

When advising couples, Megan encourages them to steer away from offering a cash bar if possible.

“I am not a fan of a cash bar and here’s why — most of the time, guests come to a wedding and they have certain expectations. If you let them know ahead of time, we’re going to have a cash bar available and they can go ahead and process, ‘I’m going to have to pay for my alcohol,’ then that’s one thing,” Megan says. “When they show up and see cash bar, that can be a huge let down; it puts a poor taste in their mouth for the wedding.”

But if a cash bar is the best option for a couple, Megan recommends giving guests plenty of notice of this ahead of time. In addition, she firmly encourages couples to stay away from having an open bar during a cocktail hour and then switching to a cash bar during the reception. This confuses guests and can make their experience subpar.

“I tell people if you’re going to do that, then let’s just go with a beer and wine option all night and avoid the expensive liquor because if you’re that concerned about budget, let’s have alcohol available all night, but we’re avoiding really expensive liquor drinks,” Megan says.

With many couples worried about over serving or their guests becoming unruly when alcohol is free and flowing, Frank encourages couples to only have an open bar for four hours maximum. Sometimes couples ask for a six-hour open bar, and with his wisdom Frank is able to explain the downsides of this request.

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The Buffalo and the Bird

Cynthia Viola Photography

Dry Doesn’t Mean Boring

WeddingWire (weddingwire.com) states that there are several reasons why couples may choose not to have alcohol at their wedding reception such as religious reasons, cutting down budget costs or for personal reasons. While their occurrence may be infrequent, it’s easy to use creativity to make a dry wedding reception a fun time for all in attendance.

Though 2022 is Megan’s 10th wedding season in the High Country, she can only recall one or two weddings where couples chose not to serve any alcohol. One stood out in her mind as memorable; a particular couple had a local coffee company set up a coffee bar with blended coffees and iced coffees instead of mixed drinks.

“You don’t have to have alcohol to have a great wedding,” Megan says. “They had a wonderful reception and it was very much a party and people had a great time — they were hyped up on caffeine instead of alcohol.”

WeddingWire suggests that couples could host their wedding earlier in the day with a brunch or lunchtime affair. To keep the wedding interesting, WeddingWire also states that couples could be creative with their non-alcoholic beverage selection and offer additional activities at the reception such as a photo booth, board/yard games or karaoke.

Tips for Success

The placement of the physical bar is another thing to customize if the wedding venue allows for it.

Chassie Stone, wedding sales manager at Chetola Resort at Blowing Rock, said couples she works with are able to use an app on their smartphone to create a custom reception layout and place the bar wherever they would like that is feasible.

Another matter for couples to consider is the type of liquor to serve and the quality of it.

Megan said if cost is an issue, but a family member needs to have a top-shelf option for a particular type of liquor, it’s OK to ask the bartenders to only use that higher quality liquor for the designated person, thus keeping cost down overall.

All in all, it’s important to remember, there’s no shame in asking the experts for help. It’s their job, and they’re more than happy to provide answers to questions.

“From the couples’ side of it, (make) sure you ask a lot of questions if anything comes up,” Frank says. “Ask the question — the worst thing you could get is a no answer, but if you don’t know, it’s better off to ask than worry about it.”

Sarah Rodriguez

By day, Sarah works in social media marketing. But after hours, she enjoys hiking, finding the best tacos, and watching football.