No cash bar venue!

Would they let you hire a drinks company? Like one of those mobile drinks vans?

View quoted message No I thought this would be an option but they can’t let any drinks be purchased on the premises. So the options are to do it all ourselves and get the caterers to do the bar (they have a bar set up), or get a bar in and do a package per head...

Could guests BYOB? You could provide fizz and wine/beer for the table during the meal with guests bringing any other drinks they want for the rest of the evening.

View quoted message

How weird!!

My best thought is to provide alcohol with drinks tokens - so whatever you deem you are prepared to pay for per person you provide and the tokens avoid anyone taking advantage - and then say that guests are free to BYOB for the rest of the evening (and clarify that they would need to, as no other alcohol is available to buy on the premises)?

It is a pain though... so I would ask yourself just how much you love the venue and whether it's worth it to you.

My Friend provided the alcohol at her wedding. It was a small wedding so it might be a bit harder if you have more people. I got to say at that wedding we all drank but I felt like nobody took advantage and nobody got fall down drunk (although I guess it depends on your audience).
Have you thought about buying Kegs of beer and cider? Would be a lot cheaper for more volume of alcohol! Then buy a few cases of Aldi Fizz (which is really tasty for the price!! Aldi booze is awesome and cheap 🤣) add a couple bottles of harder liquor and some mixers and it might not cost too much? Try talking to smaller brewery's and explain the situation and try and get a deal. Worst they will say is no and you never know they might just help out?
Hope this helps good luck!

This is an odd one to be honest. Not sure how they expect to run a business with these restrictions. And I agree with others who have said that people do unfortunately take advantage of a free bar. I have only been to one wedding with a free bar but it was on someone's premises in a garden marquee so quite different and people were totally drunk!

I think I would really consider whether the venue is special enough for the inevitable hassle that the bar situation will cause. A drinks truck would totally solve the problem but involves money changing hands and that is the issue here- they don't have a licence for that. Bit odd though....

Thanks everyone! We’ve decided that we don’t think the venue is for us, it will be too much stress and my friends love a drink so it’s a recipe for disaster 🤣

Is you have to provide drinks also provide drink tokens and then you will not run out. Cheap spirits and fizzy drinks is a perfect route to go down but also allowing BYO for those guests who want to get wasted. If you have a lot of them on social media I would write a small post explaining the tokens and that you are providing x amount per person and if they wish to bring more they can