What's the Best Way to Plan a Dry Wedding?

Weddings and open bars are nearly synonymous, and if you’re feeling generous (and enjoy a glass of wine or a beer, yourselves), they’re a great option. But what if alcohol isn’t your thing? No matter the reason, it’s enough to make a couple consider having a dry wedding. So is a booze-free reception acceptable, or is it totally taboo? Here’s what our experts have to say.

Deciding whether or not to serve alcohol at your wedding is completely up to you. Whether you’re paying for the wedding yourselves or have a generous family member helping to foot the bill, as the guests of honor, you get to decide how your wedding budget is spent! It doesn’t matter why you don’t want to have alcohol at your wedding, if you’d prefer not to serve it, strike it from the catering order and call it a day.

If the fact that you don’t drink is unusual in your group of friends or your families, you may want to give your guests a heads-up before they arrive so they’re not surprised when there’s no booze behind the bar. A line on your wedding website letting guests know that alcohol won’t be served is plenty — and there’s no reason to go into any further detail.

You should, however, definitely have a bar or two set up at the reception for your dry wedding, even if they’re only serving soft drinks. A night on the dance floor will make people thirsty! A mix of sodas, juices, iced teas and waters — along with garnishes like sliced citrus fruit — will make sure everyone’s hydrated. To keep it festive, consider creating a signature mocktail with your caterers. Servers can pass the drink around when it’s time for toasts, and a fun garnish or pretty glass will make it feel totally celebratory! To cap off the evening, a cocoa, coffee or tea bar is always welcome, and is delicious whether or not it’s spiked.