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About

One of the most stressful parts of event planning is ordering alcohol. Buy too little, and the party ends early; buy too much, and you waste budget on bottles you can't return. This Wedding & Event Alcohol Calculator solves that dilemma using industry-standard catering formulas.

This tool calculates the total number of standard drinks required based on guest count, duration, and crowd habits. It then breaks this data down into a shopping list of bottles and cases, allowing you to walk into a liquor store with confidence. Whether it's a beer-heavy BBQ or a wine-centric wedding reception, customize the split to match your specific needs.

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Formulas

The core calculation relies on the "One Drink Per Person Per Hour" rule, adjusted for duration decay.

Total Drinks = Guests × (1st Hour Rate + (Hours 1) × Subsequent Rate)

Standard Event Assumption: 2 drinks for the first hour, 1 drink for each hour after.

Reference Data

Beverage TypeUnit SizeServings per Unit
Standard Wine Bottle750 ml5 glasses (5 oz)
Magnum Wine Bottle1.5 L10 glasses (5 oz)
Case of Wine12 Bottles60 glasses
Spirits Bottle750 ml (Fifth)16-17 shots (1.5 oz)
Spirits Bottle1 Liter22 shots (1.5 oz)
Spirits Bottle1.75 L (Handle)39 shots (1.5 oz)
Standard Beer Keg15.5 Gallons~165 beers (12 oz)
Pony Keg7.75 Gallons~82 beers (12 oz)

Frequently Asked Questions

A common 'Safe Bet' ratio for weddings is 50% Wine, 20% Beer, and 30% Spirits. For a younger crowd or summer party, you might shift to 40% Beer, 40% Spirits, 20% Wine.
Yes. Professional caterers recommend adding a 10-15% buffer to your total calculation to account for spillages, breakage, or heavier-than-average consumption.
Generally, no. A champagne toast is usually calculated separately. You typically get 6-7 small toast pours from a single bottle of sparkling wine.
A good rule of thumb is 1.5 lbs of ice per person. This covers ice for drinks and ice for keeping bottles cold.