Choosing the best bar service for your wedding depends on your budget, your guests and the type of wedding you want. When it comes to your wedding you’re probably getting all kinds of advice, but alcohol is a personal choice. As the hosts, you and your partner should provide food and drinks that are appropriate for the time of day. But alcohol is purely optional. How much you provide is up to you.

If you want a low key celebration with a champagne toast and maybe a bit of wine sipping, go ahead and plan that. If you’re having a longer reception, you might want to have more drinks for your guests. Or maybe you’d love to have a fun, party atmosphere. If that’s what you want for your wedding, make sure your budget includes some drinks for your guests.

Once you’ve decided how much alcohol you want to serve, you can start to think about what type of bar service you’d like to have at your reception. There’s a few different ways to configure your bar service. If you’re using a caterer talk to them to find out your options. Most will offer a host bar, an open bar or a cash bar.

What Does Host Bar Mean?

A host bar and open bar get confused a lot. You’re paying the bill for both, but with a host bar the bill is calculated based on drinks that your guests order. The bartender will keep track of the drinks ordered and you’ll be charged for each one at the end of the night. Sometimes, instead of charging per drink, the caterer will measure the bottles at the end of the night. You’ll pay for drinks based on the amount of liquor that was consumed. If you’re offering a host bar, make sure the method and the prices are outlined in your contract.

What Does Open Bar Mean?

An open bar is similar to a host bar - you’ll pay for all the drinks. The difference is in the way that you’re charged. Instead of paying for individual drinks, you’ll pay an hourly fee for each guest, regardless of the amount of alcohol consumed.

Most caterers will offer a few prices for a bar package. The lowest price will be a smaller selection with generic alcohol. If you choose a higher priced package you’ll get more selection and premium alcohol stocked at your bar. Choosing an hourly package makes it easy to do the math and make sure you’re on budget.

Pros and Cons of an Open Bar or Host Bar at Your Wedding Reception

Pros of a Host Bar or Open Bar:

People love free drinks! If you want a fun, party atmosphere at your reception an open bar is a great way to get people dancing and mingling.

Cons of a Host Bar or Open Bar:

People love free drinks! Some of them might overindulge. Depending on your guests, this could lead to some hilarious photos or some major regret. Another problem with an open bar is that people are sometimes wasteful. If they’re not paying, they’re more likely to put down a drink and forget about it. Then go back to the bar to order more.

Is a Host Bar Cheaper Than an Open Bar?

You should choose your bar service based on your guests and the type of party you want. If you have a lot of non drinkers, a host bar would be a good choice. You’ll only pay per drink, so it could be the less expensive option. The only problem is that you won’t know the final price until the end of the night.

If your guests are going to party and dance for longer, they’ll probably drink more. In that case, an open bar would be a better choice. The hourly fee might seem high, but you won’t be surprised with a bigger bill than you expected.

What Does Cash Bar Mean?

A full bar is available, but each guest will pay for their own drinks and tips for the bartender. Typically the bar will be provided by the caterer or venue you’re working with.

How Does a Cash Bar Work?

A cash bar is easy to plan - and easy on your budget. Once you set it up with your caterer, they’ll have the bar and the bartender ready to go at your wedding reception.

Before you decide, check if your caterer asks a minimum amount for your cash bar. Some caterers will need a guaranteed minimum. That means that if your guests don’t spend a certain amount you’ll have to make up the difference. It’s not necessarily bad, just check your math ahead of time so you’ll know if your guests are likely to cover the minimum. Then make sure you understand the numbers in your contract before you sign it.

Some people also wonder if this means literally cash only. The answer is no - most catering services and wedding venues allow the guests to use credit or debit cards. We just use the term cash bar to let the guests know that they’ll need to pay for their own drinks.

Pros and Cons of a Cash Bar at Your Wedding Reception

Pros of a Cash Bar:

Your budget will thank you. A cash bar will save you a ton of money. People will be less likely to overindulge. Depending on your guests, this might be a good thing.

Cons of a Cash Bar:

Some guests might not be happy about having to pay for drinks. If you want a free flowing dance party, it might not happen without an open bar.

Other Options For Your Bar Service

The host bar, open bar and cash bar are the most common ways to serve alcohol at a wedding reception. But if none of these feel right for you, there’s a few other options for your bar. You could also offer a limited bar or a subsidized bar.

What is a Limited Bar?

As the host, you’ll be paying for all the drinks, but you’ll only offer a limited selection. You can choose wine, beer, signature drinks or certain cocktails to include on your bar menu. A limited bar is a good compromise if you’re on a budget. You can treat your guests to drinks without breaking the bank.

How Does a Limited Bar Work?

Depending on your style and budget, there’s a few different options for a limited bar. If you’re having a lunch or dinner wedding reception, you can limit the alcohol to wine and beer. If you’re having a cocktail hour before your meal or dancing after your meal, it’s best to offer some cocktails. For this type of reception you can choose one or two signature drinks to offer along with wine and beer. Most caterers will let you purchase signature drinks by the gallon. This is a great way to include drinks without going over your budget. You’ll decide ahead of time how much to order and you can be sure your bill won’t go over.

What is a Subsidized Bar?

With a subsidized bar, you’ll pay for part of your guests drinks. It’s kind of a middle ground between a cash bar and an open bar. Your guests will appreciate a few free or low priced drinks, and you won’t have a huge bill for the full expense. If you decide to offer a subsidized bar, there’s a few different way to do it.

How Does a Subsidized Bar Work?

Most caterers will be able to offer different services for different amounts of time. Talk to them to find out if they can accommodate the subsidized bar service that you want to offer. Do the math and consider your budget before you make your final decision.

The Best Options For a Subsidized Bar

One way to subsidize an open bar is by paying for drinks up to a certain time. Or you can pay for the open bar up to a dollar amount. Once your limit is reached, the bar will switch to a cash bar.
Or you could pay for an open bar during cocktail hour, plus wine and beer during dinner. When the bar reopens after dinner it’s a cash bar.
Another choice is to pay for wine and beer and offer a cash bar for guests to purchase cocktails.
Or you could pay for wine, beer and a signature drink. Then have a cash bar for any other cocktails.
Another good option is to subsidize individual drinks. Your bar can offer all the drinks for $2. Then you’ll pay for the cost above that.
One more way to offer a subsidized bar is by paying for 2 drinks per person. For this option, you’ll need to use drink tickets. Each guest will get 2 tickets to use for the drinks of their choice. Once they’ve used their tickets, the guests will pay for any extra drinks.

Pros and Cons of a Limited Bar or a Subsidized Bar

Pros of a Limited or Subsidized Bar:

Offering drinks at your reception will make your guests happy. You can be a great host and still stay on budget with a limited or subsidized bar.

Cons of a Limited or Subsidized Bar:

Most people won’t mind spending a few dollars, but some people might complain about having to pay even a small amount.

Are Cash Bars at Weddings Acceptable?

People on the internet love to complain! About weddings, about the food and especially about cash bars. Luckily you’re not inviting a bunch of random people off the internet to your wedding. You’re inviting the people from your neighborhood. What matters most is how weddings are held in your community.

In some places weddings are always cash bar. In others it’s less common. You’ll have to think about your family and friends who are coming. Think about other weddings you’ve been to. Did they have cash bars or open bars? If you haven’t been to a lot of weddings talk to your parents, relatives and soon to be in-laws.

If cash bars are the norm where you live, set one up and have fun. If cash bars are truly frowned upon in your community think about some of the other options. You can offer drinks and still stick to your budget with some of the limited or subsidized bar options.

Being a Good Host

Remember, you can be a good host without spending your life savings. Offer the drinks that suit your wedding style and your budget. Your guests are there to celebrate your marriage. As long as you keep them comfortable, everyone will be happy. And you’ll have a great wedding!

Please note: this article contains affiliate links. That means that I may earn a commission if you decide to buy something.

Are you planning a DIY wedding? Get organized with a printed planner. The Boho on a Budget Wedding Planner has everything you need to plan an affordable wedding. It has worksheets and checklists for all your wedding plans including choosing your venue, planning your menu, hiring vendors and more:

Best Bar Service For Your Wedding: Open Bar vs Host Bar vs Cash Bar