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
510
85 drinking guests × 6 hours = 510 · 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.
51
Bottles of Wine
255 wine drinks (50%)
5
Cases of Beer
+8 extras (128 total, 25%)
8
Bottles of Spirits
127 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 $119. 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
$796
Generous Buffer
$1,256
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 6 hour reception with 100 guests at average drinking levels, plan 51 bottles of wine, 5 cases of beer, and 8 bottles of spirits for 85 drinking guests. Budget 966 to 1,562. Consider stocking 10% above this since longer events have higher variance in final consumption.
No. Drinking peaks during cocktail hour and dancing and dips during sit-down dinner service. For planning purposes, 1 drink per guest per hour is still the right baseline, but a 6 hour event will see more consumption in hours 1, 2, and 5 and less in hours 3 and 4. Having a backup case or two held in reserve is good practice for long receptions.
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 →
Alcohol for a 6 Hour Wedding Reception
A 6 hour reception is on the longer end, typically covering cocktail hour, full dinner service, and a long dancing set. With 100 guests and 85 drinkers, plan for 51 bottles of wine, 5 cases of beer, and 8 bottles of spirits. Budget between 966 and 1,562. Note that consumption does not scale linearly with time for long events: guests drink at a higher rate during cocktail hour and dancing but consume less during dinner service and slow songs. The 1 drink per hour average still holds as a planning baseline, but real consumption may be slightly lower than the linear projection suggests.
A 6 hour reception is a big commitment for guests too, which means some invitees will bow out early. Confirmed attendance from iDoTogether helps you plan for the right number from the start.