How to Save Money on Your Wedding
By Marie Gorbenko Published March 2022
You’re getting married! Congratulations!
When you think of an amazing and memorable wedding reception, what are the first two magic words that come to mind? Is it “open bar?” If so, you’re not alone. That’s why we’re talking about how to save money as you plan and prepare your wedding bar.
Around 90% of couples will have alcohol at their wedding reception and of that, most of them are going to have an open bar. But before your eyes glaze over seeing dollar signs while your budget goes out the window, we’d like to note that a lot of couples don’t realize how affordable your open bar can be.
In search of the perfect venue?
Wedding tip: Find a venue that allows for outside alcohol so that we can help with the planning.
When you’re trying to narrow down your search, you’re going to want to stay away from country clubs and hotels, as they have a different type of licensing. However, if you’re getting married at a private venue or reception hall, those venues generally do allow for outside alcohol.
When in doubt, just ask!
Another reason you may want to avoid hotels and country clubs is they have pre-set packages for their alcohol. Let’s say your Aunt Sally loves Tito’s—they may not be able to offer that to her…and if they do, it’s probably going to be at a pricey cost.
After you’ve found a venue that allows outside alcohol, what do you do then?
Wedding tip: Book a free consultation with ABC’s Concierge Service!
It’s a totally free service that provides a team of event specialists who will help you figure out exactly what you need and how much you need based on your guest list. Our wine and spirits experts can offer you high-quality, top-shelf brands that are a great bang for your buck.
We also offer bulk discounts on wine, so you’ll save $10 off every $100 you spend in wine purchases, and you don’t have to worry about over buying and being stuck with extra product after the wedding—ABC will take returns on any unopened and unsold products.
And the celebratory Champagne toast? Everybody does it, right?
Wedding tip: Skip Champagne for a toast.
Champagne toasts aren’t as common as they have been in the past. In fact, you can actually opt for a cava (a sparkling wine from Spain) instead - which will be around a $10 price point and save you some money. Between us, nobody’s going to be able to tell the difference. You can also do a toast with a drink in hand so your guests will be drinking what they’re toasting with.
Looking for more ways to keep the cost low on your reception bar?
Wedding tip: Choose beer and wine for your open bar.
People are not going to turn their noses up at free alcohol. If you are set on spirits though, we suggest holding to the large sized bottles that are going to save you money in the long run and be a great budget-friendly option. Our Concierge Team has other wedding bar bundles and trending ideas they can offer as well.
Now that you’ve started planning your open bar reception, feel free to come see the experts at ABC to learn about more ways that we can help you plan a celebration and give you Champagne taste on a beer budget for your big day!