6 of the Worst Wedding Drink Nightmares

Planning a wedding can require months or even years of prep work, so there’s a lot of pressure for the day’s events to run perfectly. But in reality, every bride or groom can count on at least one or two missteps on their big day — and there’s a decent chance that those blunders will be booze-related.

Whether you splurge on a Martini stand or insist on a dry wedding, the drinks setup at a wedding can set the tone for the whole evening. Offer too little and some guests might get antsy, and too much? That can lead to some wild stories. From too many Jell-O shots to Champagne at the kids table, here are six of the worst wedding drink nightmares, according to Reddit.

Bottomless Mason Jars

Cocktail hour can mean wildly different things to different people. For one couple, it meant Mason jars of alcohol — and absolutely nothing else. One user posted to Reddit’s r/weddingshaming thread that after the ceremony at a friend’s wedding, the cocktail hour offered minimal food and no non-alcoholic beverages.


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“The food was a single food truck, and it took them literally two hours to serve everyone,” the post reads. “The bar just kept refilling our mason jars full of alcohol while we were waiting.” Needless to say, the night got a little out of hand thanks to the disproportionate food-to-booze ratio.

Jell-O Shots for Dessert

Although fancy Jell-O shots have made a comeback, we’re still not sure if these boozy, gelatinous bites belong at weddings. And even if the couple of the hour is set on serving them on their big day, it’s best they incorporate some non-alcoholic dessert options, too. One user in the r/weddingshaming thread shares that they attended a wedding where the hosts only served a “couple of three-foot Subway subs, jello shots, and beers.” The guests allegedly grew so hungry for real dessert that one of them went to a nearby gas station to get some cookies.

Cashless at a Cash Bar

While everyone hopes for an open bar at a wedding, guests generally understand that it’s a massive expense, and are willing to chip in at a cash bar if need be. However, it’s important to keep attendees informed, as ending up at a cash bar without any cash is an instant mood killer. One Reddit user divulges that they once attended a wedding with a cash bar and no available ATM. Since none of the guests knew the situation ahead of time, none of them brought cash. “Almost no one can get a drink, not even soda,” the poster shared.

A Missing Bride

While many brides like kicking off their wedding day with a glass of bubbly while getting pampered, some accidentally take the pre-vow drinks a bit too far. This Reddit user recounted one such event where the bride ended up drinking so much that she could barely attend her own reception. After making her grand entrance, she apparently retreated to a couch outside the venue and napped through dinner and dancing.

Just Water

On Reddit’s popular r/AmITheAsshole page, one user posited if it was a rude move to nix a beverage menu altogether. That’s right: not just throwing a dry wedding, but offering no drinks outside of water. No soda, iced tea, lemonade, seltzer, or even coffee. While every couple is entitled to their preferences, toasting with cups of flat water sounds a little lackluster.

Champagne at the Kids Table

It’s easy to forget that there are kids around while the Champagne is flowing at receptions. To that end, one Reddit user reminisced on a wedding they attended as a child where someone accidentally prepped the kids table with filled Champagne flutes for the ceremonial wedding toast. The poster’s cousin even dared the children to drink all the glasses on the table. Someone took notice, and the planner shrieked: “YOU WEREN’T SUPPOSED TO PUT CHAMPAGNE AT THE KIDS TABLE”.

*Image retrieved from LRafael via stock.adobe.com