Wedding Alcohol Calculator

Your details

Count every adult guest who will be at the reception - children can be excluded.
guests
The total duration of your open bar service from first pour to last.
hours
Light: daytime weddings, older crowds, few drinkers. Average: typical evening reception. Heavy: late-night party crowd, open bar emphasis.
Choose the type of bar service you are offering. This sets the drink-type split.
Add a single glass of champagne or sparkling wine for every guest at the toast.
A buffer adds extra to account for spillage, breakage, and guests who drink more than expected. 10-15% is standard industry practice.
Total drinks
650drinks

Total individual drinks to serve across all types

Wine bottles28bottles
Red wine14bottles
White wine14bottles
Beer138cans/bottles
Spirits bottles17bottles
Champagne bottles17bottles
Estimated cost (retail)1,274USD
Wine28
Beer138
Spirits17
Champagne17

You need approximately 650 drinks for your 100-guest wedding.

  • For 100 guests over 5 hours with a average-drinking crowd and a full open bar, plan for about 650 drinks total.
  • Buy 28 bottles of wine (14 red + 14 white) - that is 28 at 5 pours each.
  • Stock 138 cans/bottles of beer (roughly 6 cases).
  • You need 17 bottles of spirits at 17 cocktails per 750 ml bottle.
  • Add 17 bottles of champagne or sparkling wine for the toast.

Next stepEstimated retail cost is about $1,274 (roughly $12.74 per guest). Ask your venue or caterer about corkage fees if you supply your own wine, and check whether any leftovers can be returned for a refund.

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