Date: 30th July 2015
Working out how much alcohol to provide on your wedding day can be a little daunting – catering to all tastes, sticking to your budget, and not wanting to run out! Here’s a brief guide to help you out, as well as some points to consider when doing the numbers. The quantities are generous, but it’s safer to have more than you need, rather than risk running out.
| DRINK TYPE | GUESTS | QUANTITY |
| Bubbly | 100 | 48 to 60 bottles |
| Still table wine | 100 | 100 bottles white to red ratio = 2:1 |
| Beer | 100 | 200 – 300 bottles Allow four to six beers for every male guest present. |
| Non-alcoholic | 100 | 50 litres – 500ml per person. |
Top tips
Go through your guest book, making notes about the drinking habits of your family and friends – if they like to indulge or aren’t really into alcohol, then adjust the quantities accordingly. If they’re predominantly wine drinkers, deduct from your beer allowance or vice versa. Maybe some of your guests would like to stick to bubbly?
If your venue allows BYO, shop around for specials in the months before your wedding and buy in bulk to save money. Some liquor retailers have a policy that allows you to return unused alcohol as long as the labels are intact and it can be resold (so don’t immerse the bottles in ice or water!).
Consider the time of day and length of your reception. Guests are likely to drink a little more if your reception is in the evening and on a weekend. Plan for your guests to drink around two drinks per hour (some will drink more and some less to even it out).
Remember, it’s always better to buy too much than too little. You can keep what’s left over for a day-after
get-together, gifts for family and friends, or the start of your home cellar!
Posted in: Forte Food Blog