Wedding receptions don’t have to serve alcohol by default, and many couples decide to make their weddings either completely alcohol-free or with fun non-alcoholic offerings for non-drinkers.

If this is the way you would like to go, here are 10 alcohol-free bar ideas so fun and creative that your guests won’t even mind not drinking!

Old-Fashioned Bar

Vintage-themed weddings are popular, but many, especially those with a Prohibition-era theme, are assumed to come with liquor — and lots of it. You can get around this by offering sodas sold in old-fashioned bottles, such as Coca-Cola Classic. For a speakeasy feel, have these bottles available not at a bar, but from vintage bathtubs or metal basins filled with ice.

Punch Bar

Punch was a popular drink for guests in decades past, making this a great idea for vintage themes. You can find authentic recipes in some vintage cookbooks, and non-alcoholic punch recipes can also be found online. For an authentic vintage feel, offer the punch in old-fashioned glass punch bowls.

Classic Soda Shop

A soda bar works well for any wedding, but to lend it style, make it into a vintage-themed soda shop. To create the atmosphere of an authentic soda shop, print a menu with a vintage feel, listing old-fashioned sodas, ice cream sodas, milkshakes, and malts as beverage choices.

Italian Soda Bar

Italian sodas are sweet drinks made from plain carbonated soda mixed with sweet syrup. They are popular drinks, making it a fun and easy way to keep your wedding guests happy. Be sure to have many different flavors of syrup on hand, and let people customize their drinks by mixing and matching. 

Milkshake Bar

Think outside of the box with this childhood favorite, and have a milkshake and malt bar at your wedding. A spin on the vintage soda shop, this beverage bar should offer a variety of flavors beyond traditional vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry.

Smoothie Bar

A more modern twist on the milkshake bar is to have a smoothie bar. Your best bet is to offer three or four smoothie recipes, and let guests pick which one they want so that they don’t drive your bartender crazy with custom ingredient requests.

Lemonade Stand

For a fun twist on a summer wedding, set up a lemonade stand at your wedding reception. Update this childhood favorite by offering a variety of different kinds of lemonades for people to choose from, such as strawberry lemonade, mint lemonade, and Arnold Palmer.

Tea Bar or Afternoon Tea

Tea is a great drink and is coming back in popularity. If you want a traditional beverage bar at your wedding, you could make it a tea bar, and offer a selection of teas and blends, perhaps with the help of a favorite local tea shop. Another option is to serve afternoon tea at your wedding, with complete tea service and treats.

Espresso Bar

An espresso bar is another option at your wedding, especially a morning or afternoon wedding. Serve espresso and drinks such as lattes. Have a couple varieties of beans available, for your coffee connoisseurs, as well as decaf options!

Mulling Bar

Cold-weather weddings do best with something to warm the guests, but if tea or coffee bars don’t interest you, you can try a mulling bar. Serve a couple varieties of hot mulled cider, and offer hot chocolate as an alternative beverage option.

 

Lack of liquor shouldn’t limit your beverage options for your guests. Alcohol-free beverage bar ideas can be interesting and fun, as these examples demonstrate. Get creative and quench your guests’ thirst in style!