Free tool
Drinks calculator
How much to buy for a wedding or a party, as one shopping list.
Two in the first hour, then one an hour
Your shopping list
- Wine48 bottlesAbout 24 red and 24 white
- Beer179 cans or bottles8 cases of 24
- Spirits12 bottlesMostly vodka, then whisky, gin, rum and tequila
- Mixers11 bottles2 L bottles of soda, tonic, cola and juice
- Bubbly for the toast13 bottlesA small pour each
- Soft drinks285 servingsPlus water on every table
- Ice150 lbAbout 69 kg. Double it to chill bottles
594 alcoholic drinks, about 6 for each of 90 drinking guests, plus 10%. Bottles are 750 ml.
Buy for the guests who said yes.
Guests reply on a Paper&Seal invitation, so your headcount is real before you shop. Free for up to 25 guests.
How we count
The common rules, side by side, for 100 guests over 5 hours. We leave out the 10 who are not drinking, then add 10% so you do not run dry.
| Rule | Used by | Drinks |
|---|---|---|
| One drink a guest an hour | Zola, The Knot | 500 |
| Guests times hours plus one | America's Test Kitchen | 600 |
| Four drinks a guest | Manitoba Liquor Marts | 400 |
| Two the first hour, then one an hour, plus 10% | This calculator | 594 |
Questions
- How many drinks per guest at a wedding?
- About two in the first hour and one an hour after that, for each guest who drinks. A five-hour reception works out to about six drinks per drinking guest. Pick Light or Lively if your crowd drinks less or more.
- How many glasses are in a bottle?
- Five glasses of wine per 750 ml bottle, eight small toast pours of bubbly, and about sixteen 1.5 oz (44 ml) spirit drinks.
- Should I buy extra?
- The list already adds 10%. Many stores take back unopened bottles, so ask before you buy.
- Is the calculator free?
- Yes. No account, and nothing you type is stored. Share link puts your numbers in the link itself.