The honest take

Open bars work if your crowd is mature, sober on arrival, and gets tired by 11 p.m. They fail spectacularly at college weddings, second marriages with exes on the guest list, or anywhere people use free liquor as permission to lose their minds. You’re buying their behavior for the night—make sure the math works.

The real expense isn’t the first two drinks. It’s the third, fourth, and tenth. Budget for it.

How it works

One or two bartenders pour unlimited drinks from a pre-selected liquor list for all guests. No cash bar, no drink tickets, no cutting people off at hour three. Duration is typically 5–7 hours (cocktail hour through midnight). Cost is either per-head negotiated with your caterer or per-bottle purchased upfront from a distributor.

How to do it

Negotiate per-head pricing with your caterer or hired bartender service. Most venues include bar service in catering packages. Ask specifically: what’s included (beer/wine only vs. full bar), who provides liquor, what’s the cost per head, and are non-alcoholic drinks included? Expect $25–50 per person for beer/wine, $40–75 for full bar. Get it in writing.
Select your liquor tiers. Budget tier: beer, wine, well liquor (vodka, gin, rum, whiskey from brands like Svedka or Dewars). Mid-tier: craft beers, decent wine, mid-shelf spirits (Tito’s, Tanqueray). Premium: local craft beer, good wine selections, top-shelf everything. Stick to one tier—mixing sends confusing signals and costs more.
Calculate consumption by guest type. Wedding planner rule of thumb: professional/older crowds drink 1.5 drinks per person over 5 hours. Mixed-age crowds drink 2–2.5. Young crowds drink 3–4. College crowds drink 5+. Use this to estimate total bottles needed: (headcount × drinks per person) ÷ 13.6 shots per bottle.
Create a limited liquor list. Don’t stock 12 spirit options. Pick 3–4: vodka, gin, whiskey, rum. Add beer (2–3 options), wine (1 red, 1 white), and mixers (tonic, soda, lime juice, simple syrup). Fewer bottles = faster service, less waste, easier to monitor.
Arrange bartender(s) and station setup. For under 75 guests, one bartender handles it. Over 100, you need two. Position the bar to funnel traffic (not hidden in a corner). Provide high-top tables nearby so people don’t crowd the bartender.
Brief your bartender on your rules before the event. No shots. No pouring while guests are eating (reduces consumption 30%). No top-shelf unless specifically requested. Cut anyone off who’s slurring by 10 p.m.—you’re liable if they leave and hit someone.
Monitor the first two hours. Check in with your bartender at the 90-minute mark. If you’re on pace to run dry by 9 p.m., you miscalculated. If you still have half the liquor left by late night, adjust pricing down next wedding or trim the list.

Common mistakes

Assuming unlimited alcohol costs less than a cash bar. It doesn’t. You’re paying for excess consumption. A cash bar tops out at $2K–3K for most weddings. Open bars run $3K–8K+.
Hiring one bartender for 150 people. Lines form, guests leave, you look cheap. Hire two, or hire one and add a self-serve wine station. Costs $100–200 extra, worth it.
Stocking top-shelf liquor because you think it’s fancy. Drunk people don’t taste the difference. Use mid-shelf, pocket the savings.
Not including non-alcoholic drinks in the open bar. Pregnant guests, sober curious guests, recovering people, drivers, Muslims during Ramadan—they exist. Offer sparkling cider, good coffee, fresh juices. Don’t make them ask.
Forgetting that venue policies limit service hours. Many venues stop serving alcohol at 2 a.m. by law. Know your state’s rules, communicate the cutoff time to bartender and guests.

Variations by budget

No open bar / Cash bar (avoids cost entirely): Ask guests to pay per drink ($5–7). Works for daytime events, rehearsal dinners. Awkward at receptions, feels cheap. Save this for events under 50 people or very casual settings.

Budget open bar ($20–25 per person): Beer and wine only, well spirits (vodka, gin, whiskey, rum), basic mixers. Total for 100 guests: $2,000–2,500. Limit to 5 hours. Skip the cocktail hour—start with dinner.

Mid-range open bar ($35–50 per person): Full bar (beer, wine, all spirits), better brands, more mixer options. 6-hour service. Total for 100 guests: $3,500–5,000. This is standard for most weddings.

Premium open bar ($60+ per person): Top-shelf spirits, craft beer selections, wine by the glass, craft cocktail signature drinks, coffee/espresso drinks. 7+ hour service. Total for 100 guests: $6,000–10,000. Only necessary if your crowd is genuinely high-income or you’re doing destination wedding.

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