Alcohol Calculator for a Wedding or Party

Wedding or Party Alcohol Drink Calculator

Creating a calculator to estimate the number of alcoholic drinks needed for a wedding or party requires consideration of the number of guests, the duration of the wedding or event, and the drinking preferences of the attendees. Below is a simplified guide to help you estimate the number of drinks needed. Keep in mind that these are general guidelines, and actual consumption can vary widely depending on your specific crowd. As a general rule, add about 20% more so you don’t run out.

1. Determine the Guest Count: How many people are attending the wedding?
2. Estimate the Duration: How long will the wedding and reception last?
3. Calculate Drinks per Hour: A common estimate is that guests will consume 1 drink per hour.
4. Consider the Drink Types: What types of alcoholic beverages will you be providing? You might be serving a combination of beer, wine, and spirits.
   • Beer: A standard case of beer contains 24 bottles or cans.
   • Wine: A standard bottle of wine contains about 5 servings.
   • Spirits: A standard bottle of spirits (750 ml) contains about 16 servings (1.5 oz per serving).
5. Calculate Total Drinks: Multiply the number of guests by the number of hours to get the total drink count. Then, adjust based on your knowledge of your guests. If you know they tend to drink more or less, adjust accordingly.
6. Divide by Drink Type: Decide what percentage of each type of drink you’ll need. This can depend on the preferences of your guests and the time of year (people might prefer lighter drinks like beer and wine in the summer, for example).
7. Add a Buffer: It’s always better to have too much than too little, so consider adding a 10-20% buffer to your total drink count.

Here’s a simplified formula to give you a starting point:

Total Drinks = (Number of Guests) x (Duration in Hours) x (Drinks per Hour)

Example: 100 guests x 4 hours x 1 drink per hour = 400

Then, divide the total drinks by type: