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Wedding Alcohol Calculator
Enter your guest count and how long the bar is open. You get a shopping list of beer, wine, liquor and ice with an estimated cost, based on the usual one-drink-per-guest-per-hour rule, which matches what couples report their guests actually drank.
Your shopping list
| What | How much | Details | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Estimated total | |||
How the calculator works
It uses the common rule of one drink per guest per hour, about five drinks each over a five-hour reception (The Knot). Drinks are then split between beer, wine and liquor, and turned into bottles using US standard drink sizes from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism:
| Drink | Container | Drinks | One drink |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beer | Can or bottle | 1 | 12 oz |
| Wine | 750 ml bottle | 5 | 5 oz glass |
| Liquor | 750 ml bottle | 16 | 1.5 oz pour |
| Liquor | 1 liter bottle | 22 | 1.5 oz pour |
| Liquor | 1.75 liter bottle | 39 | 1.5 oz pour |
| Sparkling wine (toast) | 750 ml bottle | 6 | 4 oz pour |
| Beer | Keg, half barrel (15.5 gal) | 165 | 12 oz |
| Beer | Keg, quarter barrel (7.75 gal) | 82 | 12 oz |
| Beer | Keg, sixth barrel (5.16 gal) | 55 | 12 oz |
The starting split is 30% beer, 40% wine and 30% liquor. The Knot suggests half liquor, a quarter beer and a quarter wine, so change the shares if your guests lean toward cocktails. Fewer guests drink at some weddings, for example with many older guests or children; lower "Guests who drink" to match.
How much alcohol for 50 to 200 guests
For a five-hour reception with a full bar and the starting split, before any extra:
| Guests | Drinks | Beer | Wine bottles | Liquor, 750 ml | Ice |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50 | 250 | 75 (4 cases) | 20 | 7 | 50–100 lb |
| 75 | 375 | 113 (5 cases) | 30 | 9 | 75–150 lb |
| 100 | 500 | 150 (7 cases) | 40 | 11 | 100–200 lb |
| 125 | 625 | 188 (8 cases) | 50 | 15 | 125–250 lb |
| 150 | 750 | 225 (10 cases) | 60 | 16 | 150–300 lb |
| 200 | 1000 | 300 (13 cases) | 80 | 20 | 200–400 lb |
What couples actually drank
Couples who counted what was left after their wedding found guests drank about four to five drinks each. That's close to the one-drink-per-hour rule. What went wrong was buying far more than that, often on a supplier's or store's suggestion:
| Wedding | Bought | Drank |
|---|---|---|
| 160 guests | 336 beers, 105 bottles of wine, 29 bottles of liquor (about 8.5 drinks per guest) | 228 beers, 59 bottles of wine, 16 bottles of liquor, plus some bourbon they didn't count (about 5 per guest) |
| 65 guests, about 20 of them older | 44 bottles of wine, 4 of sparkling, 120 beers, 6 bottles of liquor (about 7 per guest) | About 4 per guest; returned 23 bottles of red wine and 72 beers |
For 160 guests over five hours, this calculator's starting numbers come to 240 beers, 64 bottles of wine and 17 bottles of liquor, close to what the first couple's guests actually drank. Another couple set aside $700 for drinks and spent $250, and one had a keg of beer that went almost untouched.
Ways to avoid buying too much, or too little
- Ask about returns before you buy. Some stores take back unopened bottles, some don't, and some states don't allow alcohol returns at all. Get the store's answer in writing, then buy a little extra only if you can return it.
- Check what your venue allows. Many venues require a licensed bartender or insurance, charge a corkage fee, or only let you serve drinks bought through them.
- Pick a signature cocktail instead of a full bar. One or two cocktails need fewer kinds of liquor and mixers.
- Think twice about a keg. A half barrel holds about 165 beers; if your crowd prefers wine, cans or bottles are easier to return or keep.
- Skip the toast for everyone. Many guests toast with whatever they're already drinking, which leaves a lot of full glasses (The Knot).
- Don't forget ice and soft drinks. Plan on one to two pounds of ice per guest (Reddy Ice), plus water and something non-alcoholic for guests who don't drink.
Drinks are usually part of the catering and bar line in your wedding budget, and the wedding checklist reminds you to settle the bar plan about two months before the wedding.
Wedding alcohol FAQ
How much alcohol do I need for a wedding of 100 guests?
For a five-hour reception with a full bar, plan on about 500 drinks: roughly 150 beers (7 cases), 40 bottles of wine and 11 bottles of liquor (750 ml). Change the hours, the share of guests who drink and the mix of beer, wine and liquor in the calculator to match your wedding.
How many drinks does each guest have at a wedding?
A common rule is one drink per guest per hour, or about five over a five-hour reception. Couples who counted what was left over after their wedding report about four to five drinks per guest, so the rule holds up; buying much more than that is the usual mistake.
How many drinks are in a bottle of wine or liquor?
A 750 ml bottle of wine pours five 5-ounce glasses. A 750 ml bottle of liquor gives about 16 1.5-ounce drinks, a 1.75 liter bottle about 39. A bottle of sparkling wine gives six 4-ounce toast pours, and a half-barrel keg holds about 165 12-ounce beers.
Do we need a champagne toast?
No. Many guests toast with whatever they are already drinking, and a glass for everyone often leaves a lot of full glasses behind. If you want one, the calculator adds a 4-ounce pour for every guest who drinks.
Can we return unopened alcohol after the wedding?
It depends on your state and the store. Some stores take back unopened bottles, some don't, and some states don't allow alcohol returns at all. Ask before you buy and get the answer in writing; only buy extra if you can return it.
How much ice do we need?
Plan on one to two pounds of ice per guest, toward the higher end for an outdoor or summer wedding or if the ice also chills the drinks. The calculator shows the range and the number of 10-pound bags.
Are my numbers saved?
They are saved in this browser on this device and are not sent to our server. The share link carries your numbers inside the link, so anyone you send it to sees the same list.
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