Ever had that one guest who hits the open bar a little too hard at your wedding? You know the type—the uncle who starts table hopping, the college buddy who tries to relive his glory days on the dance floor. Before you know it, you’ve got a sloppy mess on your hands. Don’t panic, this happens more often than you’d think, and there are a few ways to handle the drunkest guest at your wedding without causing a huge scene.
The key is to stay calm, get help, and take action quickly before the real party starts. Your guests will thank you, and you’ll be able to enjoy the rest of your wedding without worrying about the open bar closing early! With some subtle manoeuvring and the help of your wedding planner or close friends, you’ve got this under control.
Identify the Drunk Wedding Guest Early
The open bar is always a nice wedding perk, but it also means watching for that one guest who doesn’t know their limit. Identifying the drunk wedding guest early is key to avoiding a sloppy spectacle on the dance floor or a tearful toast later on.
As the happy couple, you’ll be pulled in many directions, so enlist some close friends or family members to subtly keep tabs on guests. Tell them to watch for signs like slurred speech, stumbling, spilling drinks, loud or obnoxious behaviour, or aggression. The earlier the drunk guest is spotted, the better.
Once identified, it’s time for damage control. Politely ask other guests not to buy that person any more drinks. Provide water and food to help slow the absorption of alcohol. If the guest seems agitated or unwell, don’t hesitate to call a taxi or friend to get them home safely.
You may also need to run interference, distracting the drunk guest from making a scene. Dance with them, introduce them to other guests, and get them involved in an activity like a group photo. Keep things light and casual, avoiding direct confrontation. Your goal is to keep the peace without ruining anyone’s night.
With some planning and teamwork, you can handle the drunkest wedding guest and ensure your celebration stays memorable for all the right reasons. The key is staying proactive, vigilant and compassionate – qualities that make for a great marriage!
How to Avoid Drinking Too Much at a Wedding: Tips and Strategies
Assign a ‘Handler’ to Keep an Eye on Them
An extremely intoxicated guest can damage the wedding festivities and cause unwanted drama. The solution? Assign a close friend or family member to keep an eye on them.
Choose someone responsible yet fun-loving, who the guest already knows and trusts. Explain the situation to them ahead of time and ask if they’d be willing to make sure the guest in question doesn’t get into any trouble or cause a scene. This ‘handler’ can then stick by their side, get them water or snacks, suggest when to stop drinking and help them to the restroom if needed.
Feel free to set a drink limit or cut the guest off altogether if things get messy. Their safety and the comfort of your other guests should be a top priority. Have the handler keep tabs on their condition and alert the wedding planner or coordinator immediately if they are getting sick or passing out.
The drunken guest is less likely to stumble into inappropriate behaviour with someone attending to them one-on-one. They’ll be kept happy and hydrated, and when the effects of the alcohol become too much, the handler can escort them back to their hotel room or a quiet area away from the other guests. Crisis averted, and the wedding can go on!
Cut Off the Open Bar Privileges
Once the open bar has been going for a while at the wedding, you may notice certain guests are getting increasingly intoxicated. When someone has clearly had too much to drink, it’s time to make an executive decision to cut them off to avoid embarrassing or dangerous situations.
Politely ask the bartenders and servers to stop serving alcohol to the overly intoxicated guest. You may want to designate certain friends or family members of that person to also keep an eye out and not provide them with any more drinks. Don’t make a big scene, but be firm that they will not be served more alcohol.
At this point, the guest may get angry or upset at being unable to drink anymore. Calmly explain your reasoning that you want them to have an enjoyable time celebrating but also want to make sure of their safety and the safety of others. Suggest drinking water, coffee or a snack to help them sober up. If they continue to cause a scene, you may need to ask another guest to escort them from the venue.
Don’t engage in an argument with the intoxicated guest. Remain polite but stand your ground that they are cut off. Get help from venue staff or hire security if needed to handle the situation properly. Most importantly, you tried your best to prevent the guest from becoming dangerously drunk and causing trouble. You acted responsibly, even if it was difficult.
The open bar privilege comes with the responsibility to not overindulge. Once a guest crosses the line, you must step in to avoid chaos and ensure the special day stays memorable for all the right reasons. Acting quickly and with compassion is key.
Offer Water and Snacks to Help Sober Them Up
A super drunk wedding guest can damage the celebration and cause problems. While it’s ultimately their responsibility, here are some tips to help minimize their disruption and ensure the safety of all your guests:
Providing water, coffee and snacks with carbohydrates or protein can help speed up the sobering process. Have your venue staff, wedding planner, or close friends discreetly offer the drunk guest bottles of water, cups of coffee, nuts or bread to help counteract the effects of the alcohol. These substances will help them feel full while hydrating them and providing energy.
Continuously checking on the drunk guest by discreetly asking if they need anything and making sure water or snacks are within their reach can go a long way to helping them become more coherent and able to function. However, avoid overdoing it, as too much food or drink on top of heavy alcohol consumption can lead to vomiting.
Limit or cut off their access to more alcohol to prevent further intoxication. Let the bartenders and waitstaff know they should no longer serve that person. If the drunk guest has an open bar tab, consider closing it to prevent them from obtaining more drinks. The less access they have to alcohol, the faster they’ll start to sober up.
Your goal is to make sure this guest is safe until the effects of the alcohol start to wear off. While it may be an annoyance or disruption, their well-being should be the top priority. Staying hydrated, eating and limiting further alcohol intake are the keys to helping a drunk wedding guest sober up responsibly. With time and care, they should start to feel better and become less of a problem. But if their condition worsens or becomes dangerous, don’t hesitate to call emergency services. Safety first!
Provide Transport and Overnight Accommodations
As the host, one of your top priorities is ensuring all your guests make it home safely after the wedding. You’ll want to take extra precautions for that one super drunk guest who seems like they’ve forgotten how to walk straight.
Designate a few reliable friends or family members to get them into a taxi, rideshare or shuttle to take them home. Make sure whoever takes them has their address, phone number, and cash to pay the driver. If they’re in no state to go home alone, you may need to set them up in a hotel for the night.
Call ahead to reserve a room at a nearby hotel or motel and have your designated helper escort them there. Provide the friend with the reservation details, room key and cash to cover any charges. Ask the hotel staff to please check in on the guest periodically through the night to ensure their safety.
It would be best if you also gave your contact info to the hotel in case they need help from you during the night. Have a backup plan for getting them home the next day if needed. Their belongings and vehicle (if they drove) will also need to be dealt with to avoid any issues.
Most importantly, all your guests avoid driving if they’ve had too much to drink. Their safety, and the safety of others on the road, should be your top priority, even if it means a little extra work. Your drunk guest will surely appreciate your help the next day when they realize the state they were in – and that they made it home in one piece thanks to your planning and support.
Limit Their Alcohol Consumption Politely but Firmly
Politely but firmly limiting how much the drunkest guest drinks is key to avoiding disaster. Approach them discreetly and speak with compassion. Say something like:
“I’ve noticed you seem to be drinking a lot. I want you to have a good time, but I also want to make sure you stay safe. Would you slow down or switch to water for a bit?
If they become belligerent, get help from venue staff or close friends and family. Explain the situation and ask them to help cut the guest off by refusing to serve them any more alcohol. Make it clear that the goal is to look out for their well-being and ensure everyone has an enjoyable evening.
You may need to be insistent if they continue demanding drinks:
“I’m sorry, but it’s for your own safety. We care about you and don’t want you getting hurt or sick.”
If the situation escalates, don’t engage in an argument. Remove them from the area to prevent disruption, and call local authorities if you feel truly threatened. Due to one out-of-control guest, your wedding should be a celebration, not a dangerous situation.
Monitor them even after they’ve stopped drinking to ensure their condition does not worsen. Ask friends or family members to check on them periodically and get medical help immediately if they become incoherent or vomiting. It’s always better to be overcautious in this type of scenario.
With compassion and teamwork, you can limit an intoxicated guest’s alcohol consumption and keep your wedding reception running smoothly. The drunkest attendee will surely thank you for it the next day when they realize you may have saved them from a world of hurt or embarrassment. Your guests’ safety and well-being should be a top priority, even if it means an awkward conversation.
FAQ: Common Questions From Couples About Dealing With Drunk Wedding Guests
As a bride or groom, dealing with intoxicated guests is probably not how you imagined your wedding day. Here are some of the most frequently asked questions about handling drunk wedding guests:
Q1: How do we cut them off without causing a scene?
Politely but firmly speak to the bartender and ask them to stop serving alcohol to the guest. You can also ask the guest’s close friends or family members to help escort them away from the bar area and supply them with water and food to help sober them up.
Q2: What if they start acting inappropriately?
Be bold and ask disruptive or unruly guests to leave the event. Get help from venue security staff or hire private security if needed. Your wedding should be an enjoyable experience for all your guests, and you don’t need intoxicated people causing a disturbance or making others uncomfortable.
Q3: Should we call the police if they become aggressive or violent?
Absolutely, if any guest becomes physically aggressive due to intoxication, do not hesitate to contact local law enforcement for help removing them from the premises. The safety of you, your new spouse and all your guests should be the top priority.
Q4: How can we prevent issues with drunk guests in the first place?
Limit the amount of alcohol available, stop serving liquor several hours before the end of the event, provide plenty of food to slow alcohol absorption and have water, coffee and non-alcoholic options readily available for all guests throughout the event. You may also want to designate some close friends or family as “lookouts” to help monitor guest behaviour and alcohol consumption.
The most important thing is that you and your guests remain safe and are able to enjoy this special day. Be bold and take action if any guest’s behaviour threatens to ruin the event or endangers others. Your venue staff and local law enforcement are there to help if needed. Focus on celebrating with your loved ones, and don’t let one drunk guest spoil the whole day!
Conclusion
So there you have it. A plan B for when your wedding turns into a booze fest. Don’t let one soused guest ruin your big day. Stay calm, get help, and take care of the situation with empathy and discretion. Your guests will appreciate your poise under pressure. And that drunk guest, once sober, will be grateful you handled things with care. After the wedding, follow up to make sure they’re doing okay. While an open bar invites excess, what really matters is the love between you and your new spouse. Focus on that, enjoy this special time, and don’t sweat the small stuff. Or the spilt stuff. Your wedding day will be memorable for all the right reasons. Congratulations! Now get out there and celebrate your new marriage. But keep an eye on the bar.
FAQ
To identify the drunk wedding guest early, you can enlist the help of close friends or family members to keep an eye on guests. Look for signs such as slurred speech, stumbling, spilling drinks, loud or obnoxious behaviour, or aggression. The earlier you spot the signs, the better you can address the situation.
Assigning a “handler” or close friend to keep an eye on the drunk guest can be a discreet way to manage the situation. This person can offer water and snacks, suggest stopping drinking, and distract the guest from making a scene. The goal is to keep the peace without confronting the guest directly.
When a guest has clearly had too much to drink, it’s important to politely ask the bartenders and servers to stop serving alcohol to that person. You can also designate friends or family members not to provide them with more drinks. Explain your concern for their safety and the well-being of others.
If the drunk guest starts acting inappropriately or becomes aggressive, it’s important to take action to ensure the safety and comfort of other guests. You can ask them to leave the event, get help from venue staff or security, and, if necessary, contact local law enforcement for assistance.
To prevent issues with drunk guests, you can limit the amount of alcohol available, provide plenty of food to slow alcohol absorption, and offer non-alcoholic options. Having designated friends or family members as “lookouts” to monitor guest behaviour and alcohol consumption can also help prevent excessive drinking.
