How Much Alcohol to Buy for a Wedding
The standard estimate is one drink per guest per hour. That baseline is sound. Everything useful is in the adjustments.
By Rohit Sharma, Founder, SEOShouts
Buying drinks for a wedding is a forecasting problem with an asymmetric cost of error. Over-buying wastes money, and most suppliers will take back unopened stock. Under-buying is unfixable at nine in the evening. Plan generously and negotiate returns in advance.
The baseline
drinks = drinking guests × hours of service
One drink per guest per hour. Count only guests who drink, which is typically 70 to 80 per cent of the list.
For 100 guests over five hours, assuming 75 drink, that is 375 drinks. In practice consumption is front-loaded: expect around two drinks per person in the first hour, then closer to one per hour after. The total holds, but the bar needs to be staffed for the opening rush.
Splitting the total
A reliable default split is 50 per cent wine, 30 per cent beer, 20 per cent spirits. Adjust for what you know about the room.
| Drink | Share | Of 375 drinks | What to buy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wine | 50% | 188 glasses | 38 bottles (5 glasses each) |
| Beer | 30% | 113 bottles | 5 cases of 24 |
| Spirits | 20% | 75 measures | 5 bottles (about 16 measures each) |
Within the wine, a summer afternoon leans white and sparkling, perhaps 60/40; a winter evening reverses that. Always buy a little more white and rosé than you think, since they are drunk faster when it is warm.
What shifts the estimate
- Age profile. A guest list centred on 25 to 35 drinks noticeably more than one centred on 50-plus.
- Open bar versus cash bar. An open bar raises consumption by roughly 20 to 30 per cent.
- Season and venue. Warm weather and outdoor receptions push volume up, especially on beer and white wine.
- Food. A full seated meal slows drinking; canapés alone speed it up.
- Dancing. A long dance floor session raises soft drink and water consumption more than alcohol.
- Culture and community. Some guest lists drink far less than the baseline assumes. You know your families.
Do not forget the non-alcoholic side
Budget two to three soft drinks or waters per guest across the event, more in summer. Designated drivers, pregnant guests, children and anyone who does not drink should have something better than tap water available, and a decent alcohol-free option is now easy to find.
Practical buying notes
- Ask the supplier about sale or return before ordering, and get the terms in writing.
- Check the venue corkage policy. Some charge per bottle opened, which can exceed the cost of the wine.
- Allow roughly 0.5 kg of ice per guest, more for an outdoor summer event. It is the thing most often underestimated.
- Confirm glassware counts. Guests abandon glasses constantly, so plan for about two per person per drink type.
Frequently asked questions
How many bottles of wine do I need for 100 guests?
For a five-hour reception with about 75 drinking guests and a 50 per cent wine share, roughly 38 bottles. A 750 ml bottle gives five standard glasses.
How much champagne for a toast?
One 750 ml bottle fills about six toast-sized flutes, so 100 guests needs around 17 bottles. Buy 20 to allow for generous pouring and second glasses.
Does an open bar increase how much people drink?
Yes, typically by 20 to 30 per cent compared with a cash bar, because there is no per-drink decision to make.
Calculators from this guide
About the author
Rohit Sharma is the founder of SEOShouts, a search consultancy in India, and has worked in technical SEO and content strategy since 2014. He builds and maintains Calcshark.