Cocktail hour or no?

[lizzyl875]

Hello,

I'm having both my ceremony (on the restaurant deck) and reception at a restaurant in Maui. We're also hosting appetizers prior to dinner. We are considering not having cocktail hour during the appetizer and serve only non alcoholic drinks. However, the event manager at the restaurant is saying that cocktail hour is typically a standard and we should have it, plus having cocktail hour would be an extra $1000 for the restaurant.

 

Our concern is that most of the guests on my side are not big drinkers and my FI is concerned that his friends will drink it up and up getting drunk.

 

We are however, serving wine during the dinner.

 

Is it tacky to not have a cocktails included with the appetizers? Thoughts? Thanks.

[Michelle613]

Since you're having appetizers before the dinner, not having a cocktail hour should be okay. Personally, I'm a fan but it's b/c every wedding I've been to has cocktail hour before the ceremony. Since you're doing it right before dinner & serving wine with dinner, though, it should be fine & you'll be saving a lot. A lot of brides on here skip the cocktail hour completely.

[bride2b10]

I agree - you're having appetizers so I think it's fine. Don't let the restaurant pressure you into getting one just because it's "standard".

[lizzyl875]

Thanks for the feedback.

[scrouse]

I agree with the others. I think it's okay not to have alcohol served during appetizers. Especially since there will be alcohol later with the meal.

 

My wedding day is set up in a similar way, and it's not open bar during appetizers...at first I was a bit disappointed and thought it might look like we're being cheap or something...but since we're having a champagne toast right after the ceremony, and then open bar with dinner, I think it will be fine...

[diamondpooch]

I'm not having one. They expected another 12 dollars a person per hour for drinks we already get for free because it's all inclusive. No way am I paying that. My guests can go to the lobby bar and socialize.

[buckain]

Is it tacky to have a cash bar? It just adds up so quickly, neither my partern or I are big drinkers, but our family is... so we are torn if we need to have an open bar....

[Mardigras]

We aren't having a cocktail reception either. Figure with the sit down dinner and cocktails at the reception, no one is going to be hungry afterwards :-) Also, like others we are having it at an all-inclusive resort, there will be a little time between the wedding and reception, but there are like 7 bars they can choose from if they want a drink between the wedding and reception...

[TRose]

I don't think cocktails are necessary...destination weddings aren't the tradition anways so it's okay to not follow the rules!

[mbarnes04]

I agree with the guests can go to the lobby bar suggestion