Stocking Up For A Wedding: Buying Alcohol In Bulk

Planning a wedding can be stressful, especially when it comes to figuring out how much alcohol to buy. The last thing you want is to run out of drinks halfway through the reception or be stuck with hundreds of unopened bottles. To avoid this, there are a few things to consider: the duration of your wedding, the number of guests, the average number of drinks consumed per hour, and whether your guests are light, moderate, or heavy drinkers.

A good rule of thumb is to assume that each guest will have two drinks in the first hour and one drink per hour after that. However, it's important to know your crowd, as some guests may drink more or less than this estimate. If you're unsure, it's always better to overestimate and return any unopened bottles later.

Online wedding alcohol calculators can help you determine the right quantities based on your guest count and the duration of your event. These calculators take into account various factors, such as the type of alcohol (beer, wine, liquor), the season, and the drinking habits of your guests.

When in doubt, consult a professional bartender or your local liquor store for advice. They can guide you based on their experience and knowledge of drinking trends. Additionally, consider the return policies of liquor stores in your area, as you may be able to return any excess alcohol after the wedding.

How much alcohol to buy for a wedding

Planning a wedding can be stressful, especially when it comes to figuring out how much alcohol to buy. The last thing you want is to run out of drinks halfway through the reception, but it can be tricky to calculate exactly how much you'll need. Here's a guide to help you determine the right amount of alcohol for your big day.

Factors to Consider

Before you start stocking up on drinks, there are several factors to consider that will impact how much alcohol you need.

• Guest Count: The number of guests is a crucial factor. As a rule of thumb, you can assume that each guest will consume about one drink per hour or around five drinks throughout the evening. So, for a 50-guest wedding, you'd want about 250 drinks in total.
• Duration: How long your reception lasts will also affect your alcohol needs. A longer reception means more drinking time, so you'll need to increase your supply accordingly.
• Drink Preferences: Consider the drinking habits of your guests. Will there be light drinkers, average drinkers, or heavy drinkers in attendance? Adjust your quantities based on their preferences.
• Champagne Toast: If you plan on having a traditional champagne toast, be sure to include enough champagne for each guest.
• Signature Cocktails: Offering signature cocktails can add a personal touch, but they will also impact your alcohol calculations. Decide on the number of cocktails you want to offer and plan accordingly.
• Type of Alcohol: The type of alcohol served will also influence your quantities. The recommended mix these days is 50% liquor, 25% beer, and 25% wine. Within the wine category, it's typically a 50/50 split between red and white wine.
• Season and Climate: The time of year and climate can play a role in drink choices. Lighter drinks are often preferred in warmer months, while heartier beverages are more popular in winter.
• Time of Day: A brunch or lunch wedding may require less alcohol than an evening reception, and drink choices may vary. Mimosas and Bloody Marys are popular for daytime events, while cocktails and higher-proof drinks are more suitable for nighttime affairs.
• Bar Type: The type of bar you choose can also impact your alcohol needs. An open bar, where guests can order any drink without cost, will likely result in higher consumption. A limited open bar, with only beer and wine, will reduce the amount of alcohol needed.

Calculating Quantities

Now that you've considered the various factors, it's time to calculate the specific quantities of alcohol you'll need. Here's a breakdown:

• Wine: Typically, there are five servings per 750ml bottle of wine, and 12 bottles per case. For a full open bar, wine usually accounts for 50% of the total alcohol consumption.
• Beer: There is approximately one serving per bottle of beer, and 24 bottles or cans per case. Beer typically makes up 25% of the total alcohol consumption for a full open bar.
• Champagne: A 750ml bottle of champagne provides about six servings. If you plan to offer a champagne toast, calculate the number of guests and ensure you have enough for each person.
• Hard Liquor: A 750ml bottle of hard liquor yields approximately 14 drinks (using a 1.75 oz measure). For a full open bar, liquor usually accounts for 25% of the total alcohol consumption.

Example Calculation

Let's put this into practice with an example. Suppose you're planning a wedding for 150 guests, with a two-hour reception, a champagne toast, and a full open bar.

• Wine: With 150 guests and wine making up 50% of the total alcohol, you'd need 150 servings of wine. At 60 servings per case, that's two and a half cases of wine total. You can adjust the quantities of red, white, and rosé wine based on your preferences and the food you'll be serving.
• Hard Liquor: For 30% liquor, you'd need 90 servings. With 18 servings per 750ml bottle, that's five bottles of liquor. You may need to include a variety of liquors, such as gin, vodka, whiskey, tequila, and rum.
• Beer: For the remaining 20% of the alcohol, you'd need 60 servings of beer, which is about three cases (assuming 24 bottles or cans per case).

Additional Considerations

• It's always better to overestimate and have some leftover alcohol than to run out during the event. Many liquor stores will allow you to return unopened bottles after the wedding.
• Don't forget to include other components of cocktails, such as sour mix, juices, soda, and garnishes.
• Consider the size of your glasses. Smaller glasses can help reduce the number of drinks served and cut down on waste.
• If you're serving beer, a keg can be a good option. A standard keg serves about 165 servings (12 oz each).
• If you're on a budget, look for stores that offer discounts on large orders or allow returns of unopened bottles.
• If you're hiring a bartender, they can provide valuable expertise in refining your shopping list and ensuring you have enough drinks for your guest count.

Types of alcohol to buy

The types of alcohol you buy for your wedding will depend on a few factors, such as the number of guests, the duration of the reception, and the drinking preferences of your guests. It's a good idea to offer a range of alcoholic drinks, including beer, wine, spirits, and maybe some cocktails. Here are some specific recommendations for each category:

Beer

Beer is a popular choice for weddings, and it's a good idea to have a few light and drinkable options available. Some popular choices include Corona, Modelo, and Bud Light. If you want to offer some variety, you can also include a local craft beer or a guest favourite.

Wine

It's recommended to have both red and white wine available, with a 50/50 split between the two. For a warm-weather wedding, you may want to offer more white wine and rosé, while a winter wedding might call for more red wine. Chardonnay and Cabernet are the most popular choices, but you could also offer Zinfandel and Sauvignon Blanc.

Spirits

For spirits, it's best to keep the selection limited to a few types, such as vodka, gin, tequila, rum, whiskey, or bourbon. Vodka is the most versatile spirit as it's easy to drink on its own and mixes well with almost anything. If you're only choosing one spirit, vodka is a good option. Gin is also a popular choice, especially for cocktails. If you want to offer whiskey, bourbon is the safer choice as it's easier to drink on its own and is preferred by most whiskey drinkers.

Cocktails

If you plan to offer cocktails, it's best to limit the number to two to three craft cocktails to avoid overwhelming your guests and slowing down the bar service. You can include a classic cocktail, such as an Old Fashioned, and a mocktail for non-alcoholic options. Don't forget to stock up on cocktail essentials like club soda, tonic water, cola, and garnishes.

How to serve alcohol at a wedding

Buying Alcohol in Bulk

If you're supplying the alcohol for your wedding, you'll need to visit a liquor retailer or club store to purchase everything from the booze to the mixers. It's a good idea to offer a range of alcoholic drinks, including beer, wine, spirits, and other drinks like canned seltzers. The amount you buy will depend on the number of guests, the duration of the reception, and the drinking habits of your guests. Digital drink calculators can help you work out how much alcohol to buy.

Hiring a Bartending Service

It's recommended that you hire a bartending service to mix and serve drinks during the reception. They can also advise on what types of alcohol and how much of it to buy. If you're bringing in your own hard alcohol, a bartending service is strongly recommended to craft drinks for your guests.

Legal Requirements

It's important to look into the legal requirements for serving alcohol at your wedding. Laws vary depending on the state or country, but you may need to obtain a liquor license and ensure that your bartenders have the correct certification. It's also a good idea to take out event insurance or event liability insurance to cover any potential alcohol-related incidents.

Number of Bartenders

To avoid long waits at the bar, it's best to have one bar and two bartenders for every 100 guests. If you're having more than one bar, try to position them on opposite sides of the room to avoid congestion.

Other Considerations

• If you're having a champagne toast, you may want to ask your catering staff to pour only a small amount in each glass. Many people don't drink a full glass of champagne, so this can help to avoid waste.
• Signature drinks are a fun way to personalise your wedding, but they're not essential.
• If you're on a budget, consider having an open bar during cocktail hour, then switching to wine and beer for dinner and dancing.
• If you're putting a bottle of wine on each table, you'll need to buy more bottles to allow for this.
• If you're serving champagne, you may need to buy extra bottles if you want to create a champagne tower.
• If you're supplying your own alcohol, make sure you have a plan for getting it to the wedding venue.

How to calculate alcohol needs for a wedding

Determining the amount of alcohol needed for a wedding can be tricky, as there are many variables to consider. However, the most important factors are the number of guests, the duration of the reception, the type of alcohol being served, and the drinking habits of the guests. Here is a step-by-step guide to help you calculate the amount of alcohol needed for your wedding:

Step 1: Determine the Number of Guests

Start by finalising your guest list and counting the number of guests who will be attending the wedding. This will give you a baseline for estimating the amount of alcohol needed.

Step 2: Estimate Guest Drinking Habits

Consider the drinking habits of your guests. Are they light, average, or heavy drinkers? This estimation will help you adjust the standard calculation of one drink per guest per hour. For example, if you anticipate that some guests will drink more than one drink per hour, you can increase the estimate accordingly.

Step 3: Decide on the Duration of Alcohol Service

Calculate the number of hours that drinks will be served during the reception. This will help you estimate the total number of drinks consumed per guest. For example, for a five-hour reception, you can expect each guest to consume around five drinks.

Step 4: Choose the Types of Alcohol

Decide on the types of alcohol you want to serve. Typically, the recommended mix for a wedding is 50% liquor (such as vodka, bourbon, tequila, gin, or rum), 25% beer, and 25% wine. However, you can adjust these percentages based on your guests' preferences and the season. For example, you may want to serve more white wine and beer for a summer wedding.

Step 5: Calculate the Quantity of Each Alcohol Type

Break down the total quantity of alcohol needed into specific types. For a full open bar, you can estimate 50% wine, 30% liquor, and 20% beer consumption. If you're only serving beer and wine, the percentages are typically 75% wine and 25% beer.

Step 6: Determine Servings per Bottle and per Case

To finalise your calculations, consider the standard servings per bottle and per case for each type of alcohol:

• Wine: Five servings per 750 ml bottle and 12 bottles per case (60 servings per case)
• Beer: One serving per bottle and 24 bottles per case (165 servings per keg)
• Champagne: Eight servings per 750 ml bottle
• Hard liquor: 18 mixed cocktails per 750 ml bottle

Step 7: Don't Forget the Extras

Remember to include the extras that go into cocktails, such as sour mix, juices, soda, and garnishes. These additional ingredients can make a significant difference, especially if you're serving complex cocktails.

Step 8: Do the Final Calculations

Now, you can calculate the total quantity of alcohol needed for each type, based on the number of guests, the duration of the reception, and the drinking habits of your guests. For example, for a wedding with 150 guests and a two-hour reception, you would need approximately 300 drinks. Then, adjust this number based on the percentages and servings per bottle/case calculated in the previous steps.

Step 9: Consider Leftovers and Returns

It's always better to have too much alcohol than too little, so don't be afraid to overestimate your needs slightly. Check with your local liquor stores about their return policies for unopened bottles, as this can help you manage any leftovers.

What to do with excess alcohol

It's always tricky to know exactly how much alcohol to buy for a wedding, and it's better to have too much than too little. So, what do you do with the excess?

First, check with your local liquor store to see if they will buy back unopened bottles or give you a refund for extra bottles. If they don't, you could always drink the excess alcohol yourself at home in the months following the wedding. You could also save unopened bottles for the holidays and give them away as gifts.

If you have a lot of excess alcohol, consider throwing a party for your friends. You could also check your state laws to see if it's legal to give away extras to your guests to take home. However, it is not legal to sell alcohol without a liquor license.

Frequently asked questions