Wedding Alcohol Calculator

How much alcohol do you need for your wedding?

How much to buy for your reception

Total Guests

Duration (hours)

Drinkers (%)

Wine (%)

Beer (%)

Spirits (%)

Formula

~1 drink per person per hour

How to Use

1
Enter guest count — Input the number of guests at your reception (typically 80-85% of invites).
2
Set event duration — Enter how many hours your reception will last.
3
Choose drink types — Select which drinks to serve: beer, wine, cocktails, or all three.
4
Get shopping list — See exactly how many bottles, cases, and kegs to purchase.

Plan for about 1 drink per person per hour for the first hour, then 0.5-0.75 drinks per hour after. A 5-hour reception averages 4-5 drinks per guest.

A common split is 50% wine, 30% beer, 20% liquor. Adjust based on your guest preferences and season.

Yes, buy 10-15% extra. Most liquor stores allow returns of unopened bottles, so overbuying is safer than running out.

For 100 guests at a 5-hour reception with wine as primary drink: approximately 50-65 bottles (750ml each).

Calculate food quantities.

Allocate your wedding budget.

Plan guest seating.