POST-IT NOTE NINE: Cash bar. Include this on the Invite or Surprise Your Guests? Discuss.

Before we get started on our 9th Post-It...we would just like to apologize for being a little on the MIA side this past week. Apparently, life has smacked us in the face.

Now that that is out of the way, let's talk about SURPRISE cash bars. Everyone always loves a good surprise. Right? A surprise bachelorette party, a surprise bridal shower, maybe even a surprise wedding present...How's this for a surprise? You get a beautiful invitation in the mail. A lovely summer wedding is on your horizon, yay! Hotel information is included as are the standard directions to the venue and the typical who? what? when? why? where? Any hints on what the surprise is yet? Nope, we do not see it either...

That wedding sure has crept up fast. You walk into the reception room after an intimate and romantic ceremony, drop your envelop in the card box and continue onto find your seat when the best man walks up to you. (Hint hint: surprise is approaching.)

"Here are your drink tickets, you're at table 16!"

Drink tickets? Oh no. SURPRISE!! There was no mention of a cash bar on the invitation! And, you are sporting a very cute new clutch purse that is too tiny for all your credit cards. To make matters worse, you just put all your cash in that envelop! What to do?

**Allow ourselves to interrupt ... ourselves and clarify that we are in no way, shape or form condemning the cash bar. This option is a real money-saver and if photography or the meal are important to you, the bar is certainly a place to cut costs.

So now back to what do you do? Unless you're willing to ask friends for a loan, you'll just have to grin and bear it. No, going back into your gift envelope is not an option even though you may be dying for that rum and coke.

This is one of the prime reasons that you should always notify your guests that they will be coming to a wedding with a cash bar. The other reason, is that some people will base the amount of their monetary gift on the price of their plate. The last reason, is that if people know about the cash bar beforehand, they can plan ahead and bring a bigger purse ;) It alleviates stress & your guests will feel more at ease.

Bottom line. Always. Notify. Your. Guests.

DISCLAIMER: Any similarity to real life events is purely coincidental.