A good alcohol budget depends on how long your reception is, your crowd, and whether you’re doing a full bar or limited options, but here are reliable planning guidelines most couples use.
Plan for ~1 drink per guest per hour.
So for a 5-hour reception:
- 5 drinks per person total
Over the whole event, an average mix looks like:
- 50% beer
- 25% wine
- 25% liquor/cocktails
You can adjust based on your crowd (beer lovers, wine crowd, heavy cocktail drinkers, etc.).
- 2–3 beers per person
- 12 oz beers
- Example: 100 guests → ~250 beers
- ½ bottle per person
- One bottle = ~5 glasses
- Example: 100 guests → ~50 bottles
(Split roughly 60% red / 40% white unless you know otherwise)
- ½ bottle per person total (shared)
- One 750ml bottle = ~17 drinks
- Example: 100 guests → ~30 bottles total liquor
Spread across vodka, whiskey, rum, gin, tequila
Approximate ranges (varies by location and brand):
- Beer & wine only: $15–$25 per person
- Full open bar: $25–$45 per person
- Premium brands: $40–$70+ per person
- Limit liquor to 2–3 signature cocktails
- Serve beer + wine only
- Skip shots
- End hard liquor service 30–60 minutes before the reception ends
- Buy from a retailer with returnable unopened bottles
- Shorter reception → reduce quantities
- Daytime wedding → fewer drinks
- Older crowd → more wine, less liquor
- Younger crowd → more beer & cocktails
- Venue/bartender may require minimums or restrict brands
If you want, tell me:
- Number of guests
- Length of reception
- Beer/wine only or full bar
…and I’ll calculate exact quantities for you.