What this tool does
The Wedding Alcohol Calculator helps you determine exactly how many bottles of wine, beer, and liquor to buy for your wedding reception or event. Running out of drinks halfway through the night is embarrassing, but over-ordering wastes money. This tool finds the right balance using industry-standard drink-rate formulas and your specific guest details.
Enter your guest count, event duration, the percentage of guests who will be drinking, their typical drinking pace, and how you want to split between wine, beer, and liquor. The calculator instantly shows you bottle counts, case quantities, and even champagne needs for toasts. A built-in 10% buffer ensures you have a comfortable margin without excessive waste.
How it calculates
**Core Formula:** \`\`\` Total Drinks = Drinking Guests x Drinks Per Hour x Event Duration \`\`\`
**Where:** - **Drinking Guests** = Total Guests x Percent Drinking (typically 70-85%) - **Drinks Per Hour** = 0.75 (light), 1.0 (moderate), or 1.5 (heavy) - **Event Duration** = Hours of service from cocktail hour to last call
**Bottle Conversion Rates:** - **Wine:** 5 glasses per 750ml bottle - **Beer:** 1 bottle or can per drink - **Liquor:** 16 cocktails per 750ml bottle (1.5oz standard pours)
**Case Sizes:** - Wine: 12 bottles per case - Beer: 24 bottles/cans per case - Liquor: 12 bottles per case
**Champagne for toasts:** 1 bottle per 6 guests (approximately 5-6 flutes per bottle)
A 10% buffer is automatically added to the base calculation to account for spillage, extra-thirsty guests, and unexpected plus-ones.
Who should use this
- **Couples planning their wedding:** Get accurate drink quantities before talking to caterers or liquor stores - **Event planners and coordinators:** Quickly estimate bar needs for receptions of any size - **Parents hosting rehearsal dinners:** Scale the calculation for smaller pre-wedding events - **DIY wedding couples:** Buying your own alcohol can save thousands, but only if you buy the right amounts - **Caterers and bartenders:** Use as a baseline when quoting bar packages for clients
How to use
1. Enter your total guest count, including children and non-drinkers 2. Set the event duration in hours (most receptions run 4-6 hours) 3. Adjust the percentage of guests who will be drinking alcohol (the default 80% works for most weddings) 4. Choose a drinking level that matches your crowd: light for daytime or brunch events, moderate for most evening receptions, heavy for late-night parties 5. Use the beverage split sliders to set the proportion of wine, beer, and liquor (the sliders automatically balance to 100%) 6. Review your results: total drinks, bottles needed for each type, case quantities, and champagne for toasts 7. Use the calculation breakdown section to verify the assumptions match your event
Tips for buying wedding alcohol
**Timing matters.** Guests drink more during cocktail hour and the first hour of the reception, then taper off. A 5-hour event does not mean 5 hours of peak consumption.
**Meal service reduces drinking.** Events with a full sit-down dinner typically see lower per-hour consumption than cocktail-only parties. If your reception includes a multi-course meal, the moderate setting is usually appropriate even for a lively crowd.
**Check return policies.** Many liquor stores allow returns of unopened bottles. Buy slightly more than the calculator suggests and return what you do not open.
**Season and weather affect choices.** Summer outdoor weddings tend toward more beer and lighter drinks. Winter events lean toward more wine and spirits.
**Do not forget mixers and ice.** For every bottle of liquor, plan on about 1 liter of mixer (tonic, soda, juice) and roughly 1.5 pounds of ice per guest.
FAQs
**Q: What drinking level should I choose?** A: For most evening wedding receptions, "moderate" (1 drink per person per hour) is the standard recommendation. Choose "light" for brunch or afternoon weddings, or "heavy" for late-night celebrations where guests are known to drink more.
**Q: Does this include champagne for toasts?** A: The main calculation covers wine, beer, and liquor for general drinking. The champagne toast recommendation is shown separately as a tip below the results. One bottle of champagne or sparkling wine serves approximately 6 flute pours.
**Q: How accurate is the 10% buffer?** A: The 10% buffer is a widely used industry standard. It accounts for spillage, stronger-than-average pours, and a few extra guests. For very large weddings (200+), the buffer percentage is usually sufficient. For smaller, more intimate events, you may want to round up an extra bottle or two.
**Q: Should I count children in the guest count?** A: Yes, include everyone in the total guest count. Then adjust the "percentage drinking" slider downward to account for children and non-drinkers. For example, if 20 of your 100 guests are children, you might set the drinking percentage to 65-70%.
**Q: What if I only want to serve wine and beer?** A: Simply set the liquor slider to 0%. The wine and beer sliders will redistribute to cover 100% of the drinks. Many weddings opt for a wine-and-beer-only bar, which simplifies both ordering and service.
**Q: How do I handle a cocktail hour plus a reception?** A: Add the total hours together. If you have a 1-hour cocktail hour followed by a 4-hour reception, set the duration to 5 hours. The calculator accounts for average consumption across the entire event.
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