open bar at a wedding?

[Lenonis]

I think, in all honesty, the issue with alcohol at weddings is likely a question of the average age of the attendees, which often is driven by the age of the couple. And yes, there are always exceptions, but in general, weddings I've been to where the couple married young and it was a young group celebrating often turned into the equivalent of a drunken frat party. Weddings I've been to where the couple was older and thus the guests were also older were much more in control.

So shots at a wedding is likely driven by the caterer or venue, but if you have a young couple you'll likely want to avoid them.

[zenkai]

Tonight I was at an open bar at a wedding. The venue said that open bar does not include shots. This was a surprise to the bride and groom, who were paying per person per hour for booze. Has anyone else ever heard of a venue that doesn't include shots in an open bar?

Almost all of them... Hell just be lucky you got an open bar!

[tikcol]

Tonight I was at an open bar at a wedding. The venue said that open bar does not include shots. This was a surprise to the bride and groom, who were paying per person per hour for booze. Has anyone else ever heard of a venue that doesn't include shots in an open bar?

OUTRAGEOUS

I don't know man, it seems like they got scammed, scammed for good

[Rooflesstoofless]

Yes. I've been to completely open bar events and to ones where only certain types of drinks (i.e. wine) were 'open'.

[jk5834]

Tonight I was at an open bar at a wedding. The venue said that open bar does not include shots. This was a surprise to the bride and groom, who were paying per person per hour for booze. Has anyone else ever heard of a venue that doesn't include shots in an open bar?

I had an open bar that only included beer and wine. We could have paid more for liquor, but we didn't want a complete shit show at our wedding. Did they look at their contract to verify the package they purchased?

[wheresmywoft]

Had open bar. Shots were allowed. All of my 400 guests were well behaved.

People excused themselves before they became a problem. Just need mature people.

[GreenJesus]

I think the bar just wants to prevent people from getting too drunk and making a scene at the wedding. Shots are basically meant to get shitfaced where as wine and beer have less alcohol content and can be spread out over time. The venue generally doesn't like it when people are punching the bride's father and puking on floors.

[Heladys]

Shots are routinely excluded from open bars these days because they are the express route to heavy intoxication, and any bartender worth their salt knows they're at risk of being sued or at least losing their license if just one of the people at the party/reception drives home drunk.

[Dug]

I think it's a smart move personally. Open bar with free shots is just asking for people to get absolutely shit faced in under and hour and the potential for drunken mishaps ruining the wedding rises. At least with mixed drinks people will generally take their time with them + the idea that people think taking a shot somehow makes them more drunk even if they drink a mix with the same amount.

[belfpala]

I think it's a smart move personally. Open bar with free shots is just asking for people to get absolutely shit faced in under and hour and the potential for drunken mishaps ruining the wedding rises. At least with mixed drinks people will generally take their time with them + the idea that people think taking a shot somehow makes them more drunk even if they drink a mix with the same amount.

I don't know about taking more time with a mixed drink (I can shoot a Jack and coke just as fast as I can shoot a straight Jack...). But, bartenders have a number of tricks to make mixed drinks weak, such as just pouring a splash of the liquor on top, or in the straw, or just topping you off with mixer but not more liquor, and so on. Can't do that with shots (unless the person is already wasted...)

[Dug]

I don't know about taking more time with a mixed drink (I can shoot a Jack and coke just as fast as I can shoot a straight Jack...). But, bartenders have a number of tricks to make mixed drinks weak, such as just pouring a splash of the liquor on top, or in the straw, or just topping you off with mixer but not more liquor, and so on. Can't do that with shots (unless the person is already wasted...)

Well that's why I said in general personally though I think it comes down to how people approach alcohol and their own... uh idk how to describe it exactly but somewhat of a placebo effect? They can have 5 mixed drinks with 5 shots worth each and be fine, tipsy but just take 5 straight shots and go off the rails. But then of course that would come down to consumption time.