Question from Nannette:
Hi, my fiancee and I are paying for our wedding ourselves. We were thinking of having a twoonie bar at the reception to cut some of the cost. Is this tacky?
Answer from Bridal Expert Angela:
Hi Nannette, and congratulations on your upcoming wedding. Having a cash bar at a wedding is considered poor etiquette. There are others ways in which to reduce your bar costs. This video talks about the etiquette of hosting a wedding and covers cash bars, and wedding budgets.
One way to reduce costs is to use ‘bar brand’ alcohol instead of ‘premium brand’. Another way is to shake things up a bit, and do something completely different. How about creating one or two ‘signature cocktails’ named after the bride and groom, and having them as the only alcohol at the bar, and supplying some flavoured coffees and teas instead. This can reduce your liquor bill by 1/2. You would still have wine for your meal, and a couple of cocktails for your guests to choose from. With imaginative names for the cocktails, you can add your personality into the reception, and reduce your liquor bill at the same time.
If you are an eco-friendly couple, or into healthy living, you might consider no alcohol (other than the wine at the meal), and have a smoothie bar or drinks similar to the selection at Booster Juice.
From an etiquette point of view, only wine (2 bottles per table of 
is considered required for good etiquette. After that, whatever you choose for your guests is up to you.
Good luck and feel free to email again if you have questions.
Angela Fiebelkorn, Ask The Expert
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