Wedding Alcohol Calculator
Calculate the exact wine, beer, and spirits quantities for your bar based on guest count, reception length, and crowd type.
~85 of 100 guests drinking
Alcohol Shopping List
Total Drinks Needed
340
85 drinking guests × 4 hours = 340 · 1x drinking modifier
Assumes 1 drink per guest per hour, 5 drinks per 750ml wine bottle, 1 beer = 1 drink, and ~16 drinks per 750ml liquor bottle.
34
Bottles of Wine
170 wine drinks (50%)
3
Cases of Beer
+13 extras (85 total, 25%)
6
Bottles of Spirits
85 liquor drinks (25%)
Your math is only as good as your headcount.
The average wedding has a 15% drop-off rate. If you buy drinks today, you are buying for ~15 people who aren't coming, wasting $81. iDoTogether sends one personal link to their phones, getting you hard RSVPs instantly so you only buy what you actually need.
Estimated Budget
Safe Minimum
$538
Generous Buffer
$850
Based on typical retail prices. Actual costs vary by brand, region, and store.
The math is done. Now go get the actual data.
Stop chasing adults for their basic information.
You are organizing an event for 100 people. You shouldn't manage it with chaotic group texts and a fragile spreadsheet. Send one personal link. Let guests enter their own addresses, meal choices, and RSVPs. You just watch the numbers update.
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Frequently Asked Questions
For a 4 hour reception with 100 guests at average drinking levels and a 15% non-drinker rate, you need 34 bottles of wine. This covers 85 drinking guests at 1 drink per hour with a 50% wine split.
Plan 708 to 1,156 for a full bar covering wine, beer, and spirits for 100 guests over 4 hours. Add roughly $170 to $300 for a champagne toast if desired.
At a standard wedding drink mix with 25% beer, 100 guests need about 85 beers over 4 hours, which is 3 cases plus 13 extras.
With a standard 25% spirits split, 100 guests need 6 bottles of liquor over a 4 hour reception. Each 750ml bottle provides roughly 16 standard mixed drinks.
It provides a strong planning baseline using industry averages: 1 drink per guest per hour, a drink split based on your selected event style, plus standard servings per bottle. Use the Event Style selector to match your crowd. A backyard BBQ skews heavily toward beer while a wine dinner needs far less spirits.
Yes. Use the Event Style selector to match your event type. Backyard BBQ skews heavily toward beer (65%), Wine Dinner is 70% wine, and Open Bar puts more weight on spirits (50%). Each preset uses real world crowd averages for that event type.
Use the drinking level toggle. Light works well for daytime or family heavy events, Average fits most receptions, and Heavy is better for bar forward crowds.
Absolutely. Kids, pregnant guests, and teetotalers all reduce your actual alcohol need. Use the Non Drinker % slider to exclude them from the drink calculations. The default 15% is a reasonable starting point for a typical mixed age crowd.
The champagne card accounts for a single toast glass for every guest, including non drinkers, since most people will take a glass even if they don't usually drink. At roughly 6 glasses per 750ml bottle, this is a separate purchase from your reception alcohol.
Yes, a 10-15% buffer is standard for larger weddings. But remember: the best way to protect your budget isn't guessing your buffer. It's having a accurate, confirmed headcount before you head to the liquor store.
No. This calculator estimates alcohol only. Plan mixers, water, soda, juice, coffee, and ice separately based on your menu and venue requirements.
Finalize your major order 4 weeks out, right after your RSVP deadline. (Pro-tip: If you use iDoTogether to collect RSVPs, your dashboard will show you exactly when 100% of your guests have answered, so you aren't guessing when it's safe to buy).
Done planning drinks? Set up your guest list and get confirmed RSVPs →
How Much Alcohol for 100 Wedding Guests?
100 guests is the most common wedding size in the US, and the alcohol math is straightforward once your headcount is confirmed. Plan for 34 bottles of wine, 3 cases of beer, and 6 bottles of spirits for 85 drinking guests over a 4 hour reception. Total budget range: 708 to 1,156. The catch: most couples buy on their estimated invite list, not their confirmed attendance. At 100 invites with a typical 15% no-show rate, that's 15 people worth of alcohol purchased for nothing, roughly $110 to $195 in surplus spend.
100 invites with a 15% no-show rate means you could be buying alcohol for 15 people who never show up. iDoTogether gets you confirmed RSVPs in days so your bar order matches your actual headcount.