NTR: need wording for partial open bar on invite

npaulsell

My dad is throwing my step mom a surprise 50th bday party. I am doing the invites for him but can't figure out the wording to use. He is paying $200 for an open bar in the begining, but it will be a cash bar after that.

Any thoughts?

lpennie16

Not sure on wording, but you need to specify when is the "beginning". So if its open bar until 7pm and then cash bar from 7pm to ?

turtlesmom

open bar until youre drunk enough that you dont realize youre paying?

npaulsell

That is what I thought it should be "open bar from 6pm to 7pm." However, he is only putting $200 down - and I don't want him to have a huge bill just bc people are like "oh, free drinks!!" and take advantage. YKWIM?

lpennie16

Since he is only putting down $200 can you make it open bar on beer and wine only? That way he won't get stuck with a huge bill for that limited time and ppl can still get free alcohol. If they want liquor at any time, they'll have to pay themselves.

Sawyerplus1

Seems like that could be tricky to word, especially when you dont know how long $200 of an open bar could last, so you cant promise from start to a certain time for free booze. In that case I may not mention it on the invite. I may even be tempted to say "cash bar" so people are prepared, and then put $200 worth of open bar into tickets for the guests to use. Does that make sense?

LondonBridges

I think I would just put "cash bar" on the invitation and leave off the part about your dad paying the first $200. If people are going to drink, they'll be pleasantly surprised when the first round is on your dad, but you won't have to worry about all the freeloaders getting their drink on at your dad's expense and being too cheap to pay for their own drinks once the $200 is gone.

jen_k2

A few drinks on the house with a cash bar to follow? IDK It's hard to word w/o using a time period.

radiokate

I agree, I would just put "cash bar." How many people are coming to the party? Because depending on where you're having it and how many people are coming, I can't imagine $200 buying too many drinks. That seems like an odd way to even do it to me.

ElizC

I wouldn't put it on the invites. I have done simlar things for political fundraisers and we never put wording about the bar on it.  We just gave each guest a drink tick or 2 depending on the budget at left it at that.

Faith1318

What if you just put "Cash bar beginning at ___" and left it at that. Then people will be pleasantly surprised that it is an open bar at first, but won't come prepared to hurry and down a dozen drinks before they have to start paying.

MrsSoapbox

LondonBridges:

I think I would just put "cash bar" on the invitation and leave off the part about your dad paying the first $200. If people are going to drink, they'll be pleasantly surprised when the first round is on your dad, but you won't have to worry about all the freeloaders getting their drink on at your dad's expense and being to cheap to pay for their own drinks once the $200 is gone.

I think if you're going to put something about the bar on the invitations, this is the way to go!

rlthomas7

Ditto, just say "cash bar" and then your dad looks like a hero for buying the first round!

Abby'sMommy

What my friend did at his party, they just told the bartender a limit, and then when people came up to order drinks, the bartender told the people who were still ordering when tehre were drinks left on credit that they did not need to pay. Then, when the money limit is hit, they have to charge people.

 OR

Another party I went to, the host was given tickets, and passed one to each of the party guests as they arrived, and the guest was able to trade it in for a drink. You can do something like that, and that way you dont need to mention it in the invite, and you can deligate who gets a ticket (in case there are people who shouldn't be drinking, you know what i mean).

 

Libramom2b

I don't think you shoudl put anything about the bar on the invite. It's not proper etiquette and weird IMO.