Bored Panda works better on our iPhone app
Continue in app Continue in browser

BoredPanda Add post form topAdd Post
Tooltip close

The Bored Panda iOS app is live! Fight boredom with iPhones and iPads here.

Couple Make Their Wedding Dry Without Warning The Guests, Get Mad When They Start Leaving
3.7K

Couple Make Their Wedding Dry Without Warning The Guests, Get Mad When They Start Leaving

ADVERTISEMENT

There are various reasons why people look forward to weddings. Some are excited to see all the people they don’t get to meet as often, while others can’t wait for food, drinks, and entertainment. There are also those who simply want to get loose, escape from their daily routines, and relax. 

Redditor Radiant_List_9993 was hoping to do just that. However, she became skeptical when she found out there would be no alcohol at the celebration. Starting to get bored, she, her husband, and some of the bride’s friends left the wedding early, causing quite the drama.

A wedding without alcohol is a great option for those who want to preserve their health, save money, and even avoid rude guests

Image credits: Victoria Priessnitz / Unsplash (not the actual photo)

However, this woman wasn’t happy when she showed up to a dry wedding without knowing

ADVERTISEMENT

Image credits: Spora Weddings / Pexels (not the actual photo)

ADVERTISEMENT

Image credits: Radiant_List_9993

8% of couples choose to have a wedding without alcohol

According to wedding data, 8% of couples choose to have a celebration without alcohol. This is great news for 24% of adult guests who already opt out of alcohol-free drinks on such occasions. 

Liz Taylor, CEO of a leading wedding and events management company, the Taylor Lynn Corporation, has been in the industry for over 35 years and has never seen such a need for dry or low-alcohol weddings, with the demand rising nearly a third in the last two to three years. 

“Alcohol just doesn’t hold the same significance for a growing number of our wedding clients,” Taylor explains. “Even in celebrations that aren’t completely teetotal, we’re being asked to put more emphasis on developing innovative non or low alcohol drinks’ menus for the big day.”

ADVERTISEMENT

Such growth in popularity can be attributed to the emphasis on health, mental well-being, and mindful consumption in recent years. Dry weddings allow couples to have a unique and meaningful celebration without all the risks that come with alcohol. Not to mention the amount of money they save by excluding alcohol from their wedding menu. 

The high-quality non-alcoholic alternatives that the retail and hospitality industries now have to offer also contribute to this trend. “Many of these drinks use sustainably sourced botanicals to create a unique drink that doesn’t need to mimic alcohol. It stands alone as an elegant toast or reception drink,” Taylor says.

However, she notes, that taking the spirit out of the drinks doesn’t mean that the party has to be boring. A big part of it is how the beverages are presented. “Reimagining the service of your drink and adding that extra element of theatre by offering cocktails in everything from mini milk bottles and copper mugs to China teacup.” Such a wow factor makes them simply forget about the lack of spirit inside, she adds. 

Communicating in advance about having a dry wedding can save a lot of dissatisfaction and misunderstandings

When it comes to announcing such a wedding preference to guests, it can be helpful to set the expectation ahead of time. The best way to do this is to include the no-alcohol policy in the invitation. “Try phrasing it in an informative and inviting way, such as: ‘We are delighted to share this special day with you and kindly ask that no alcoholic beverages are brought to ensure a safe and enjoyable celebration for all of us,'” says Jacqueline Vizcaino, owner of Tinted Events Design and Planning. 

ADVERTISEMENT

“If you want to put a positive spin on it, add a line about how you look forward to celebrating with them more healthily and mindfully.” Adding some information about the selection of drinks and food available at the party might give the guests a little something to look forward to.  

Communicating in advance about having a dry wedding can also save a lot of dissatisfaction and misunderstandings during the celebration, like guests leaving the party early. Commenting on the redditor’s situation, therapist Rachel Goldberg said to Fox News that if guests knew there was going to be an event without alcohol, they could’ve chosen whether they wanted to attend the wedding or not. 

Goldberg concluded that Radiant_List_9993 wasn’t wrong for leaving as she “had certain expectations about the wedding.” So she decided to make the most of her trip when those weren’t met. “On the other hand, the bride understandably felt upset because her special day didn’t go as she had hoped, and she was disappointed her friends didn’t show up for her as she expected,” Goldberg continued. “Better communication beforehand, especially knowing her friends’ preferences, could have helped avoid these misunderstandings,” she said.

ADVERTISEMENT

Some readers found such women’s behavior rude

Meanwhile, others justified her actions

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Ic_polls

Poll Question

Thanks! Check out the results:

Share on Facebook
Austeja Zokaite

Austeja Zokaite

Writer, BoredPanda staff

Read more »

Hi, glad you swung by! My name is Austėja, and I’m a writer at Bored Panda. With a degree in English philology, I’m interested in all aspects of language. Being fresh out of university, my mission is to master the art of writing and add my unique touch to every personal story and uplifting article we publish. In my time here, I’ve covered some fun topics such as scrungy cats and pareidolia, as well as more serious ones about mental health and relationship hiccups. When I’m not on my laptop, you’ll probably find me devouring pastries, especially croissants, paired with a soothing cup of tea. Sunsets, the sea, and swimming are some of my favorite things.

Read less »
Austeja Zokaite

Austeja Zokaite

Writer, BoredPanda staff

Hi, glad you swung by! My name is Austėja, and I’m a writer at Bored Panda. With a degree in English philology, I’m interested in all aspects of language. Being fresh out of university, my mission is to master the art of writing and add my unique touch to every personal story and uplifting article we publish. In my time here, I’ve covered some fun topics such as scrungy cats and pareidolia, as well as more serious ones about mental health and relationship hiccups. When I’m not on my laptop, you’ll probably find me devouring pastries, especially croissants, paired with a soothing cup of tea. Sunsets, the sea, and swimming are some of my favorite things.

Indrė Lukošiūtė

Indrė Lukošiūtė

Author, BoredPanda staff

Read more »

I am a Visual editor at Bored Panda, I'm determined to find the most interesting and the best quality images for each post that I do. On my free time I like to unwind by doing some yoga, watching all kinds of movies/tv shows, playing video and board games or just simply hanging out with my cat

Read less »

Indrė Lukošiūtė

Indrė Lukošiūtė

Author, BoredPanda staff

I am a Visual editor at Bored Panda, I'm determined to find the most interesting and the best quality images for each post that I do. On my free time I like to unwind by doing some yoga, watching all kinds of movies/tv shows, playing video and board games or just simply hanging out with my cat

What do you think ?
Add photo comments
POST
The_Nicest_Misanthrope
Community Member
4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'll never understand why it's so hard for people to go ONE NIGHT without drinking - it's sad AF. YTA.

Zedrapazia
Community Member
4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Seriously, it's a wedding, not a party. It sounds so fücking sad that these people genuinely can't have fun without alcohol, or if they are that desperate at least suck it up for a single day to make the newlyweds happy. What an arrogance!

Load More Replies...
Super Beast
Community Member
4 months ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Dear pandas, remember, if you're getting married, you should get the invitees drunk because they will choose alcohol over you /s

Ace
Community Member
4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Like so many of the replies to the reddit thread and on here, this one seems to be unable to distinguish between having a couple of drinks in a social setting and getting shïtfaced drunk.

Load More Replies...
Joey Jo Jo Shabadoo
Community Member
4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It wasnt a dry wedding to spite the guests, the groom is an alcoholic. The OP is an a*****e for not going to the reception, for drawing attention to it, and for trying to find drinking buddies at a wedding.

Royal Stray
Community Member
4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

OP framing it like an after party, and not the part of the wedding where you'd typically eat/ have cake or whatever makes me a bit confused as to what went on at the reception. Was the plan for the guests to just stand around and chat? Did they have a band or a DJ? Were there food or cake? I do think OP had every right to just stay for a little bit, then say her good byes and go out and have some drinks. But I don't think it was very gracious of her to invite half of the guests out with her during the wedding

Load More Replies...
Load More Comments
The_Nicest_Misanthrope
Community Member
4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'll never understand why it's so hard for people to go ONE NIGHT without drinking - it's sad AF. YTA.

Zedrapazia
Community Member
4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Seriously, it's a wedding, not a party. It sounds so fücking sad that these people genuinely can't have fun without alcohol, or if they are that desperate at least suck it up for a single day to make the newlyweds happy. What an arrogance!

Load More Replies...
Super Beast
Community Member
4 months ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Dear pandas, remember, if you're getting married, you should get the invitees drunk because they will choose alcohol over you /s

Ace
Community Member
4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Like so many of the replies to the reddit thread and on here, this one seems to be unable to distinguish between having a couple of drinks in a social setting and getting shïtfaced drunk.

Load More Replies...
Joey Jo Jo Shabadoo
Community Member
4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It wasnt a dry wedding to spite the guests, the groom is an alcoholic. The OP is an a*****e for not going to the reception, for drawing attention to it, and for trying to find drinking buddies at a wedding.

Royal Stray
Community Member
4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

OP framing it like an after party, and not the part of the wedding where you'd typically eat/ have cake or whatever makes me a bit confused as to what went on at the reception. Was the plan for the guests to just stand around and chat? Did they have a band or a DJ? Were there food or cake? I do think OP had every right to just stay for a little bit, then say her good byes and go out and have some drinks. But I don't think it was very gracious of her to invite half of the guests out with her during the wedding

Load More Replies...
Load More Comments
You May Like
Related on Bored Panda
Related on Bored Panda
Trending on Bored Panda
Also on Bored Panda