Wedding Alcohol Calculator
Tell us your guest count and how long the bar is open, and get a clear shopping list — beer, wine, spirits and champagne — plus a cost estimate you can print or download. No signup, no email.
You'll need about
660 drinks
Estimated cost
$1,301
$13 per guest
| Buy | Amount | Covers | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beer | 11 24-pack cases | 264 drinks | $308 |
| Wine | 53 750ml bottles | 264 drinks | $795 |
| Spirits | 9 750ml bottles | 132 drinks | $198 |
Estimates use standard serving sizes (1 drink ≈ 12oz beer, 5oz wine, or 1.5oz spirits) and average national prices. Buy where you can return unopened bottles, and check your venue's corkage rules.
How much alcohol do you need for a wedding?
The simplest rule of thumb is one drink per guest per hour, with a bit extra for the first hour when people arrive and toast. From there, three things move the number: how much your crowd drinks, how many of your guests drink alcohol at all, and how long the bar stays open.
The calculator turns that into an actual shopping list — how many cases of beer, bottles of wine and bottles of spirits to buy — and estimates the cost at budget, house or premium pricing. Add a champagne toast and it works out the bottles for that too (one 750ml bottle pours about six flutes).
A few tips before you buy
- Buy where you can return unopened bottles, and keep the receipt.
- Chill enough ahead of time — you need fridge or ice capacity, not just quantity.
- Don't forget mixers, ice, garnishes and enough glassware or cups.
- Confirm your venue's corkage policy and any licensing requirements first.
Frequently asked questions
How much alcohol do I need for 100 wedding guests?
For 100 guests at a 5-hour reception, plan on roughly 500–600 drinks. A common split is 40% beer, 40% wine and 20% spirits, which works out to about 8–10 cases of beer, 40–50 bottles of wine and 6–8 bottles of spirits. Adjust up for a heavy-drinking crowd or a longer bar.
How many drinks per guest should I plan for?
A standard estimate is one drink per guest per hour, with guests drinking a little more in the first hour. So a 4-hour reception is about 4–5 drinks per drinking guest. Use the "how much does your crowd drink" setting to nudge this up or down.
What is a good ratio of beer, wine and liquor for a wedding?
A 40/40/20 split of beer, wine and spirits suits most weddings. Shift toward wine and beer for a relaxed dinner crowd, or toward spirits and cocktails for a party crowd. The calculator re-balances the mix automatically if your percentages do not add up to 100.
How much wine do I need for 100 guests?
One 750ml bottle of wine pours about 5 glasses. If wine is 40% of a 100-guest, 5-hour reception (~550 drinks), that is roughly 220 glasses, or about 44 bottles. Buy a mix of red and white, plus a little extra you can return unopened.
How much extra alcohol should I buy?
Add a 10% buffer so you do not run out — that is the default here. Buy from a store that accepts returns of unopened bottles, so any surplus is easy to take back after the wedding.
Is an open bar cheaper than buying our own alcohol?
Supplying your own alcohol is usually far cheaper than a per-drink or per-person venue bar package, if your venue allows it. Check corkage fees and licensing first — some venues charge a flat corkage fee per bottle that can change the math.
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