How to Decide Whether to Serve Alcohol at a Wedding

Congratulations on your engagement. As soon as you have broken the news to everyone, however, you must make a slew of decisions. One of those is whether to serve alcohol at your wedding. You will need to decide if having booze at your wedding is the right thing for your guests. Read on to learn how to decide whether to serve alcohol at a wedding.

Instructions

1. Consider your budget. One of the reasons many couples opt to forgo alcohol at their weddings is cost. If your reception hall charges a per-person fee, the alcohol may cost as much or more than the food. If having alcohol at your wedding means paying off your credit cards for years to come, it probably is not a wise decision.

2. Think of ways to afford alcohol if your budget is a problem. Some reception halls allow you to bring in your own alcohol, which you can purchase cheaply at a warehouse club. If you have a daytime wedding, serve only beer and wine, which cuts the cost. Many reception halls have basic, mid-range and premium alcohol choices. Stick with the lower-end booze. If you really want alcohol but cannot afford it, consider a cash bar, for which guests have to pay for their own drinks. First decide which is better--to forgo alcohol altogether or to make guests pay for their own drinks.

3. Respect the wishes of family members and friends. If you have close relatives or friends who strongly object to alcohol--for religious reasons or because they are alcoholics--then consider having an alcohol-free wedding. Everyone will understand the absence of alcoholic beverages for these reasons.

4. Ask yourself why you want alcohol at your wedding. Most couples rarely get to drink at their own weddings because they are too busy greeting their guests and posing for pictures. If you have friends who over-utilize free alcohol service and make fools of themselves, maybe it is best for everyone to have an alcohol-free wedding. People are perfectly capable of having a good time without alcohol, anyway. The point of a wedding is to share in the love of the happy couple and to celebrate their big day--not to get hammered on free booze.

5. Make your choice, and then forget about it. If you decide to forgo alcohol, then do not give it a second thought. You have made up your mind, and friends and family will still come to your wedding and have a great time because they love you. If you decide to serve alcohol, the same ideology applies. It is your wedding day, and you get to make the decisions.