Open Bar vs Cash Bar Cost Calculator
Deciding the bar for your wedding? Compare three ways to run it, side by side: a fully hosted open bar (priced as a per-person package or per drink consumed), a hosted limited bar (beer & wine only), and a cash bar where guests buy their own. Every assumption below is an editable ballpark, the pages ranking for this question are mostly venue blogs, and this one takes no side: cash bars are completely normal in many communities, hosted bars in others. Numbers stay in your browser.
Your reception
The 2-then-1 preset is the standard catering heuristic: drinking guests average about two drinks in the first hour and one per hour after. It's a planning average, not a guarantee — see the FAQ for its limits.
Scenario pricing (edit to match your venue's quote)
A · Open bar (hosted, full bar)
B · Limited bar (hosted, beer & wine only)
Beer and wine pours usually bill at roughly $5–$8 each on consumption — cheaper than cocktails, and many venues also offer cheaper beer-and-wine-only packages.
C · Cash bar (guests pay for their own drinks)
A cash bar is rarely a literal $0 for the host: venues commonly charge bartender staffing fees or a bar-sales minimum (often $150–$500+ per bartender for the evening). Set to 0 if your venue truly charges nothing.
Side by side
| Scenario | Host pays | Per guest |
|---|
FAQ
Where does the "2 drinks first hour, 1 per hour after" rule come from?
It's the standard heuristic caterers and bartenders use to stock a wedding bar: guests drink the most during cocktail hour, then settle to roughly one drink per hour. It's an average across the whole crowd — a hot outdoor August wedding, a heavy-dancing crowd, or a wine-with-dinner service can push real consumption well above or below it. That's why both numbers are editable here. It estimates volume, not behavior of any individual guest.
Package or consumption pricing — which is cheaper for an open bar?
It depends entirely on how much your crowd drinks. A per-person package is a fixed price per (drinking-age) guest whether they have one drink or six — cost certainty, and usually the better deal for a drinking crowd. Consumption billing charges the actual tab at an agreed per-drink price — usually cheaper for a light-drinking crowd. Toggle between the two above with the same guest numbers and see where your break-even sits. Note this calculator applies the package price to your drinking-guest count; many venues bill it for every adult regardless, so if yours does, set "guests who drink" to your adult share of the guest list.
What about bartender fees and corkage?
Almost every option carries service costs beyond the drinks: bartender staffing fees (commonly $150–$500+ per bartender), bar setup fees, and — if you bring your own alcohol — corkage per bottle. Cash bars usually still owe the staffing fee or a bar-sales minimum, which is why scenario C has that input. Tips are on top of everything; our wedding vendor tip calculator covers those.
Is a cash bar rude? Is an open bar showing off?
Neither. Etiquette here is regional and cultural, not universal: in many communities (and entire countries) a cash bar is the completely unremarkable default, while in others hosting the bar is the norm. There are also middle paths — a hosted limited bar, drink tickets, hosting cocktail hour only, or a signature-cocktail-plus-cash-bar setup. This page computes costs and stays out of the judgment business.
Anything legal to think about?
Yes — alcohol-service laws vary a lot by state and country. Some venues can't legally run a cash bar without a specific liquor license, some jurisdictions require licensed bartenders for private events, and hosts can carry liability for over-service. Whatever you choose, use licensed servers, never let anyone drive impaired, and make sure water and non-alcoholic options flow freely. Please drink responsibly.
Are these numbers real quotes?
No — they're planning estimates built from your inputs and editable ballpark prices. Real bar pricing varies hugely by city, venue tier, and liquor selection. Use this to frame the decision, then get itemized quotes from your venue or caterer for the scenarios you're considering.
Are you affiliated with any venue, caterer, or bar service?
No. We currently have no affiliate, advertising, or referral relationship with any wedding vendor; if that ever changes it will be disclosed on this page.
Planning vendor tips too?
Bartenders customarily get 10–15% of the bar bill (unless a service charge already covers it). Our wedding vendor tip calculator itemizes every vendor tip — bartenders, catering staff, band, officiant — and prints a cash-envelope checklist for the day.