Booze Maths + Other Wedding Drinks Problems
Megan Elle Photography
Ah the litmus test for a good party - the booze!
The what, how much and when to serve drinks at a wedding can send some couples into a bit of a daze. So we thought we’d do a bit of an overview of what you might want to think about and how to figure out such a big part of your guest’s experience of your day.
Who’s Buying?
First question is - who is going to be in charge of the buying? Depending on your venue, you may have the option of either bringing in your own or having the catering team take care of it.
Bringing in your own might incur a corkage charge - the fee your venue or caterer might charge per bottle, per head or a one off payment, for handling and serving your alcohol. (always, always, always ask about this upfront).
If you do decide to buy your own alcohol, you can take advantage of great bulk discounts from certain warehouses and you can take your time over the course of the next few months to spot good offers on your favourites to stock up. Many wine merchants will offer a sale or return, so you have the peace of mind of buying more than you need and being able to get a refund for any unopened crates you have left over.
Natasha Hurley Photography
Booze Maths
Speaking of average measurements - whether you’re buying your own or outsourcing, you’ll need to know how much of everything you need if you’re footing the booze bill yourself. So it’s time to get out your calculator and figure it out.
Arrival Drinks
There are 6 full glasses of prosecco, champagne or sparkling wine in a standard 750ml bottle
Cost for 2 glasses per adult, drinking guest for the drinks reception if it’s up to an hour - so you’ll need at least 40 bottles for cocktail hour for 120 drinking guests. Add another glass if it’s going on for longer.
If you go for bucks fizz or another champagne cocktail, you can get 10-12 glasses out of a bottle and the rest is juice
Meal Drinks
There are up to 6 glasses in a standard bottle of wine
During the meal, start with an allocation of half a bottle of wine (3 glasses) per guest and have enough for extra depending on how long your meal is going on for.
If the bottles are left on the table, you may need to allocate more per person, since self-serving guests do tend to be more generous pourers…
Typically, the preference between red or white is 50/50 amongst guests, but in the warmer months it will swing more towards white, or even rose if you want to get crazy.
Speeches and Toasts
Again you can get 6 glasses per bottle of champagne or prosecco
Allow one glass per person for the speeches, if they are all in one go. Top ups may be needed if they go over 30 mins, or are in two batches.
And if you’re going for shots - leave a small bottle on each table for self-serve!
Evening Bar
A good rule of thumb is to estimate one drink per guest every hour after the meal, so calculate how many hours of drinking you’ll have once dessert is cleared - typically 4-5
In general, guests drink more red wine at an evening reception than during the day
Assume an average bottle of spirit has 18 servings in it with a mixer
And don’t forget your extras like garnishes, mixers and ice!
What to serve?
The first drink guests often have on your wedding day is post-ceremony bubbles. A cocktail hour serving of prosecco or champagne, maybe with juice to go easy on quantity, along with a non-alcoholic option served with some nibbles. Some couples choose this time of day to add some personality or work with the theme - a few personalised cocktails on offer always works to get people in the right mood.
During dinner you’re traditionally looking at red or white wine with water, and no one would expect anything more. But if you’re feeling creative and budget is on your side, maybe add some pre-selected cocktails on the dinner menus and let your guests know they can order table service.
More bubbles comes out for speeches, but these days with many people spreading speeches out or just opting for something else, guests are encouraged to cheers with whatever is in front of them.
Some couples also opt to serve a dessert wine later on in the meal, or switch up the kind of wine they are serving with each meal in a sort of tasting menu style.
If you’re going to be running a cash bar in the evening, you can let the bar company buy in everything and let your guests have a good choice. If you’re footing the bill, consider limiting the kind of booze available to bottles of beer, a few popular spirits and mixers and the rest of the wine. No one will complain if there’s still plenty of it.
