Wedding Alcohol Calculator

For an open bar reception over 5 hours with 100 guests and a 50% spirits allocation, plan 14 bottles of liquor, 22 bottles of wine, and 4 cases of beer for 85 drinking guests. Total budget range: 786 to 1,276.

With a 50% spirits split and 85 drinking guests over 5 hours, you need 14 bottles of liquor. Each 750ml bottle provides about 16 standard 1.5oz mixed drinks. Plan for a mix of whiskey, vodka, rum, and gin with vodka and whiskey typically making up 60% of spirits consumption.

Open bar (50% spirits) vs beer and wine (0% spirits) changes both the quantity needed and the cost structure significantly. Spirits are more expensive per bottle but serve more drinks per bottle (16 vs 5 for wine). Per-guest cost is typically higher for open bar due to higher spirits consumption rates and the range of products needed.

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).