If you’re considering hosting a dry wedding, your top concern is likely how guests will react. First, like any choice with your wedding, it’s up to you and your partner. This is your day and it’s up to you both how you want to celebrate.

That said, because drinking at weddings is very common, we recommend communicating that it will be a dry event. If your community isn’t big on drinking, or if it’s known you and your partner don’t drink, it likely won’t be a very big surprise in the first place.

If your wedding is larger, or if you think it’ll be a surprise, share that you won’t be serving alcohol on your wedding website. Something simple like “We will be serving a variety of our favorite mocktails and nonalcoholic beverages at the reception.” Keep it upbeat; you don’t need to apologize!

(Note: if you’re planning to provide extensive non alcoholic options in addition to a traditional alcohol bar, there’s no need to call this out on your website.) 

Secondly, there are plenty of ways to make your wedding fun! 2021 Vermont bride Jessica shared that while they had some alcohol at their wedding, it was largely a dry event. “It’s entirely possible to enjoy a wedding celebration without drinking!” says Jessica. “It helped me stay very present throughout the wedding, and I was really able to enjoy every detail.”

The team at TÖST, the Vermont company behind delicious, sparkling non alcoholic beverages, agrees. “There are plenty of ways to celebrate your wedding without alcohol. The rise in delicious, celebratory non alcoholic options in the past couple of years makes it easier than ever to host a sober wedding.”

The Importance of Offering Non Alcoholic Options at your Wedding (Even if You Drink)

Even if you plan on hosting a “traditional” alcohol bar, we highly recommend offering a variety of non alcoholic options. “Lots of people enjoy alcohol and alcohol-free beverages together, so having options for people to make their own decisions can be a successful strategy,” says the TÖST team. “Over 80% of non-alcoholic beverage purchases are made by people that drink, and 58% of global consumers are drinking more non alcoholic beverages in the last year alone.” 

Those numbers tell us that it’s important to provide a variety of ways to celebrate. We strongly encourage couples to think beyond soft drinks and offer more options such as signature mocktails and elevated non alcoholic beverages (our picks below).