Are you planning to have a “dry” wedding? It is possible to have a wedding reception that is a lot of fun without alcohol, as long as you take steps to ensure that everyone still has a great time. These 4 great ideas for weddings without alcohol will help you to keep the party going without an open bar.
One: Have Signature “Mocktails”. A wedding is a grand occasion. Folks get all dressed up in their best attire and most fabulous wedding jewelry, and they want to be wined and dined. That doesn’t mean that you need to serve liquor, but it does mean that you should replace the booze with some other kind of festive drinks. After all, who wants to stand around a cocktail hour sipping Diet Coke? I love soda as much as the next person, but it isn’t special enough. Instead, treat your guests to fabulous signature “mocktails” – specially blended drinks bursting with flavor served in elegant glasses. Since you will be saving so much money on your bar tab, splurge on several signature non-alcoholic drinks.
Two: Add Some Entertainment to Your Cocktail Hour. Some people just can’t imagine what to do with themselves if they don’t have a drink in their hand during the cocktail hour at a wedding. For those people, it would be a good idea to add some entertainment to your cocktail hour. If you are having an outdoor reception, you can set up a few lawn games like croquet. For an inside wedding, it would be fun to have custom napkins printed with ice breakers on them to get conversations flowing. You can have trivia questions about the bride and groom, such as “Did the bride wear a pearl necklace today?” or “Which one snores the loudest?”. Oh, and by the way, if you are having a dry cocktail hour, it is advisable to rename it something else, such as the “welcome hour”.
Three: Hire a Fantastic Band. A great wedding reception is one that draws everyone out onto the dance floor to get their groove on. The reality is that a couple of cocktails loosen inhibitions enough that even non-dancers are inclined to dance at a lot of weddings. If you are skipping alcohol, you will need to have music that is so outstanding that even your shy guests are lured to the dance floor. A really fantastic band is your ticket to a rocking reception with a great party atmosphere.
Four: Have a Unique Theme. Alcohol isn’t the only way to make a wedding fun. Another option is to plan your wedding with a very unique and memorable theme. How about having a carnival wedding, complete with cotton candy, games, and maybe even a few rides? Folks will be mighty glad they are sober when they try out the Tilt-a-Whirl! Or you could do a mystery party on a boat or host a red carpet style event in a glamorous old theater. There are plenty of ways to host a dry wedding that is loads of fun; you just need to be a little bit creative about it.
