How much alcohol do you need for a wedding?

We count only guests who drink, for the length of your reception, the season and the crowd. You get how many bottles and cases to buy and what it costs at a warehouse club or a liquor store - handy if your venue lets you bring your own alcohol.

Prices updated: October 2026 · United States (USD) · free, no sign-up

Alcohol cost

$1,100

from $930to $1,310

275 bottles and cans, buffer included

Drinking guests: 92 guests
Per drinking guest: $12
Drinks per guest per hour: 1.1; The usual rule of thumb is about 1

Shopping list

Drink	Volume	To buy	Cost
Wine	39 L	52 × 750 ml	$470
Beer	68.2 L	192 × 12 oz	$210
Liquor	8.3 L	11 × 750 ml	$175
Sparkling wine for the toast	15 L	20 × 750 ml	$240

Beer is rounded up to full cases: 8 cases of 24.
Plus mixers and soft drinks for all 115 guests: about 58 L of tonic, soda and juice, 115 L of water and 173 lb of ice - unless the venue or caterer provides them.
If the venue runs the bar, ask about the corkage fee for your own bottles (often $10-25 per bottle) and whether you must use their licensed bartenders.
Only guests 21 and over may be served. Most venues require licensed bartenders, and a one-day host liquor liability policy (often $100-300) protects you if something goes wrong.

How we calculate

We count only guests who drink (80% by default), not everyone invited - that is the most common reason alcohol calculators overestimate.
The starting point is the classic rule of about 1 drink per guest per hour. Per drinking guest over a 5-hour reception: wine 0.28-0.45 L (2-3 glasses), beer 1.2-2.2 cans, liquor 0.05-0.12 L (1-3 cocktails), depending on the crowd.
Length changes every drink, not just beer, but the first hour (cocktail hour) is the busiest: we use (hours + 1) / 6, so 4 hours is about 0.85 of a 5-hour reception and 6 hours about 1.15.
In summer about 15% more beer goes, in winter more liquor. If you skip a drink, part of its share moves to the others. The toast is one glass of sparkling wine for every adult guest, 6 glasses per bottle.
The buffer is added to the quantities, beer is rounded up to full cases of 24, everything else to 750 ml bottles.

Cheat sheet: prices and good practice

Prices 2026 (warehouse club / liquor store)

Liquor 750 ml: $12-20 / $18-28
Wine 750 ml: $7-12 / $10-16
Beer, 24-pack: $22-30 / $30-40
Sparkling wine 750 ml: $9-15 / $13-20

Good practice

Buy from a store that takes back unopened bottles
Hire licensed, insured bartenders - most venues require them
Plan about 1.5 lb of ice per guest, more for an outdoor summer wedding
A signature cocktail instead of a full bar cuts the liquor list and the cost

Questions and answers

How much alcohol for 100 guests?

For a typical 5-hour reception with 80% of guests drinking, in summer and with a 10% buffer: about 45 bottles of wine, 7 cases of beer, 9 bottles of liquor and 17 bottles of sparkling wine for the toast - roughly 1 drink per guest per hour.

Is buying your own alcohol cheaper than an open bar package?

Usually, yes: the list for 115 guests costs about $1,100 at a warehouse club, while a bar package at $40 per adult guest is about $4,600. Add bartenders (about $30-50 per hour each), mixers and ice, and check the venue’s corkage fee.

Do we count alcohol for kids and drivers?

No - only guests 21 and over who drink. That is why we ask for the share of drinking guests. The toast is counted for all adults; non-drinkers can toast with sparkling cider.

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