Wedding Alcohol Calculator

A common rule of thumb is 1.5 drinks per person per hour for an average-drinking crowd. For a 5-hour reception that works out to about 7–8 drinks per guest. Light drinkers average about 1 drink per hour, while heavier-drinking crowds can reach 2 per hour. See also our Priming Sugar Calculator.

A standard case of wine contains 12 bottles (750ml each), with each bottle yielding about 5 glasses. A case of beer typically contains 24 bottles or cans. Keep this in mind when ordering — buying by the case is almost always cheaper per unit.

A standard half-barrel keg holds 15.5 gallons, which equals roughly 165 twelve-ounce servings. A quarter-barrel (pony keg) holds about 82 servings. Kegs can be cost-effective for larger weddings where beer is a top choice.

Yes — most wedding planners recommend buying 10–15% more than your calculated estimate to account for heavy pourers, spillage, and unexpected guests. Many retailers allow unopened cases or bottles to be returned, so buying a little extra is low risk. You might also find our Party Drink Calculator useful.

A standard 750ml champagne bottle fills about 6 toast-sized flutes (3–4 oz each). Divide your total drinking guest count by 6 to get the number of bottles needed just for the toast. These bottles should be counted separately from your general wine supply.

A common starting split is 40% beer, 33% wine, and 27% spirits, but this depends heavily on your crowd. Older, more formal crowds tend to drink more wine; younger or casual crowds often lean toward beer and cocktails. Use the drink mix sliders above to match your guest profile.

Yes. Non-drinkers still need beverages, so plan for water, soft drinks, juice, and mocktails separately. On average, 10–20% of wedding guests don't drink alcohol. Reducing your drinking-guest count by this percentage will give you a more accurate alcohol estimate.

For spirits, plan roughly one 750ml bottle per 17 cocktails (each cocktail uses about 1.5 oz of base spirit). Estimate the most popular spirits at your bar — typically vodka, whiskey, and rum — and buy 2–3 bottles of your top choices and 1 bottle of secondary options. Check out our Lemonade Batch Calculator as well.