Alcohol Before The Ceremony?

I always thought it depended on the time of day (like not before 10am)? But I don't know whether that is just for purchasing alcohol.

I've definitely been to weddings where I've purchased a drink from the bar beforehand but that may be down to the fact it was a permanent bar, or maybe down to time of the ceremony like SuperDuff said.

I got married at noon and the bar was not open before mine - didn't question why though!

I think it would depend on your venues licencing law and also on the day you are getting married, ie if your getting married on a Sunday then you cant serve drink before a certain time. Our venue told us that there is no such thing as a late licence so when venues charge you an extra £150 to keep the bar open an extra couple of hours on that pretnece it is a total scam (needless to say our venue is not doing this!) but from when my parents owned an off-licene I know that we where not able to serve drink before 10am but this was before the 24 hour licence came in to play so I am not sure what it is at the moment. I would question why it is against the law and see what they say, you can always use the arguement that you can buy a shot at 7am in Weatherspoons if you really like so why cant they give out a glass of champagne!

If you have a particularly early ceremony, they may well not be able to sell it. But you would be buying this beforehand and simply redistributing? I'm not sure there's an issue with that. Licensing laws relate to the sale of alcohol, not the distribution of it without payment.

Hi all,

Many thanks for all the feedback. A couple of extra elements I missed out of the initial email:

1) We are giving people the alcohol, not selling it;

2) The wedding is at 3pm, so not the crack of dawn!

Cheers,

Sam

I wonder if it is something to do with the registrars as we were told that our registrar will meet up with my OH in the ceremony room 1/2 an hour before the wedding but she made sure he knew that he would not be allowed to bring an alcoholic drink into that meeting with him! We are not actually serving drinks before the ceremony but as it is in a hotel the hotel bar will be open. We get married at 2.30.

Not sure if this helps at all. I would ask them the reasoning behind it.

My understanding is you can not serve alcohol in the room where you are to be having the ceremony before the ceremony starts (and guest are not allowed to bring their drink into the room)

Oh yes, that's definitely true. It would have to be served elsewhere.

You are definitely not allowed alcohol in the ceremony room for the one hour before the ceremony. Also, (obviously) you are not allowed to be under the influence for the marriage (although I think they turn a blind eye to a glass of bubbles while you're getting ready, as long as you don't roll up sloshed!).

I have been to a wedding where we were told it was illegal to be served alcohol before the ceremony, even if we bought it, but that was in Vegas!

If you're unsure, I'd question them again.

Aaah! Thanks all - I think you've anwered the question.

The wedding is in a big event space where the reception is being held too. I guess once anyone is in the space they are technically in the room where the wedding will take place. Makes sense.

Oh well - we'll just have to serve them in the courtyard outside!

Many thanks for all the replies - very useful!

My venue get round this by using a partition between the bar and the ceremony seats so bar will be open before ceremony but technically not in same room. Could you serve drinks outside?

Girls, I have a serious problem, my husband after the ceremony began to drink every day and drinks until without remembrance, what to do, who knows, I do not know where to go in London.