How To Stock An Open Bar For A Wedding?

A traditional open bar at a wedding typically includes beer, wine, and basic liquors like bourbon, vodka, gin, rum, and tequila. Mixers for the alcohol are also needed, such as juices, club soda, and tonic water. However, it is important not to overlook non-alcoholic options, as they still need to appeal to guests. There are four major types of bars at weddings: open, limited, cash, and non-alcoholic.

To stock a full open bar for a wedding of 200 guests, consider the type of bar you want to have. A general rule of thumb is to plan for one serving per guest per hour. For a five-hour wedding with 100 guests, 500 servings of alcohol are needed. To cut costs, consider the number of guests and adjust the bar supplies accordingly.

For a beer-and-wine-only bar, allocate one bartender for every 50 guests or 75 guests. Bussers can be used to supply new glasses and clear away used ones. If you have a cocktail bar after the wedding breakfast, serve your two favorite cocktails or have a mixologist create a signature cocktail just for you two and serve that in the evening. Stocking your bar with perennial spirit favorites can keep costs down and make it more personal.

When planning to stock the bar yourself, check if your venue charges a corkage fee to incorporate that cost into your total alcohol budget. Use a wedding drink calculator to plan how much alcohol to serve based on wedding size, event duration, and servings per bottle. Consider your guest list size, reception length, and the possibility of an after-party before deciding on the type of bar to have.

How long is too long for cocktail hour at wedding?

Your cocktail hour should be one hour long. Some couples extend their cocktail hour to two hours. This is sometimes to accommodate travel time between venues or finish their wedding photos. Guests will likely expect a short 60-minute ceremony and reception.

How much soda for 100 guests?

Non-drinkers: Get small bottles of water. People will waste the larger size. Four non-alcoholic options is plenty. Robinson recommends Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite, and lemonade. You don’t have to serve full cans. One can makes three drinks. Two cases of soda should be plenty for a wedding of 100 guests.

Glassware: If you’re buying your own bottles from a liquor store, you may need to provide the glasses. Your caterer may provide them. You can rent different types of glasses in different colors or styles. Plan for five or six times the number of guests in cups, Robinson says.

Bartenders: Your caterer can help you decide if you need bartenders. The number you book depends on the size of your venue, Tornai says. “We suggest at least two bartenders per bar.”

How to set up a bar at a wedding?

Tell the bartender in advance. You offer drinks and set times for them, like the cocktail hour, toasts, and an hour after dinner. Hire waiters to bring drinks to guests.

How many bottles of vodka for 100 guests?

Buy 10 bottles of vodka, 6 bottles of whiskey, 6 bottles of gin, 4 bottles of scotch, 2 bottles of tequila, 2 bottles of triple sec, 2 bottles of vermouth, 4 cases of beer, and 2 cases of wine for every 100 guests.

Beer and wine bar. Serve your guests a variety of beer and wine. Choose a few beers and a red and white wine. Most people buy 60-70% wine and 30-40% beer. If you’re worried some guests will drink too much at your wedding, a beer and wine bar is a safe choice. People drink less alcohol when they don’t have hard liquor.

How much alcohol is needed for 100 guests?

Buy 10 bottles of vodka, 6 bottles of whiskey, 6 bottles of gin, 4 bottles of scotch, 2 bottles of tequila, 2 bottles of triple sec, 2 bottles of vermouth, 4 cases of beer, and 2 cases of wine for every 100 guests.

Beer and wine bar. Serve your guests a variety of beer and wine. Choose a few beers and a red and white wine. Most people buy 60-70% wine and 30-40% beer. If you’re worried some guests will drink too much at your wedding, a beer and wine bar is a safe choice. People drink less alcohol when they don’t have hard liquor.

How much water for 100 guests?

Table guest numbers: 50100 Drinks: Wine: 750ml Sparkling water: 612 Still water: 1224.

If you’re doing your own dry bar for your wedding, you can use our system to work out how much drink, glassware and sundry items you need. From beer to spirits, flutes to rocks glasses, straws to napkins; you’ll get a list of exactly what and how much you need. How many guests? How long will the bar be open? What drinks will you serve? Will the bar close during the meal? We’ve set out every scenario in simple stages from the reception to the evening bar. Use our calculations to build your list, which you can edit as your guest numbers and plans change.

How many bottles of wine for 100 guests?

Sparkling wine is used for toasts. A standard 750ml bottle of sparkling wine contains six glasses. Experts usually recommend two glasses per guest. For 100 guests, you need 200 glasses (2 per guest), which is 34 bottles. You’ll need three cases (36 bottles) of wine. White and red wine: People drink white wine at outdoor weddings during the day in the summer and red wine at night with steak. Most people drink the same amount of white and red wine. Each guest will drink one glass per hour. Each bottle has five glasses, so for 100 guests and a four-hour wedding reception, you would need 400 glasses—or 80 bottles of wine (40 white and 40 red). If you are bringing your own wine, consider shopping at discount stores for the best deals. Check local ads for wine specials. Need wine? Try ONEHOPE Wine. No problem! You can serve our wine at your wedding and give it to your guests as favors. You’ll also help a nonprofit through our foundation. You can also choose to give back to a cause of your choice. Just let us know your venue and we’ll take care of the rest. Check out this page for more. Finally, use the Alcohol Calculator to determine how much wine you’ll need for a wedding. It’s better to have too much wine than not enough! To calculate how much wine you’ll need at your wedding, you need to know how many guests will be there and how long they’ll be drinking. If you have 100 guests who will drink for about 3 hours, the math is this: 100 guests X 3 glasses an hour = 300 glasses of wine. 1 bottle = 6 glasses, so 300/6 = 50 bottles. You’ll need about 4 cases of wine. Mix the cases: one case red, one case white, and three cases sparkling. Remember, this is for a short time, so always round up. If you have beer or another drink, think about that when you make your choices! Now, let’s make things more interesting. You want to offer your guests more than just wine. If you only want beer and wine, reduce your wine order by 25%. Most guests will choose wine over beer, so plan accordingly. Make up for the 25% of beer drinkers by following the same math as above. If you have 100 guests, assume 25 will want beer. If you serve two drinks per hour (50 drinks total) over four hours, you need 200 servings. This is about one pony keg or seventeen 12-packs of beer. If you plan to offer a full bar, you need to account for hard liquor, mixers, and garnish. If you let guests fill their own glasses or use a bartender who isn’t a pro, your liquor will go fast. It’s cheaper and better to offer a limited open bar. It’s not realistic to have a fully stocked bar for a four-hour event. Focus on a few basics. These often include:

How long should a drinks reception be at a wedding?

How long should a drinks reception be? Your drinks reception should last between 90 minutes and two hours. This will give your guests time to enjoy their drinks, mingle, and nibbles. You might add entertainment to make your drinks reception more exciting. You can have musicians, magicians, dancers, or gymnasts to start conversations. When should a drinks reception start? You can decide when your drinks reception starts and ends however you like. Think about when your event is happening. This will affect how much alcohol you serve.

How many drinks do I need for 200 guests?

The Golden Ratio is 4 drinks for every guest. Your average guest will drink about four drinks, regardless of what you serve. A typical crowd has a few heavy drinkers and a few non-drinkers. One guest might drink six drinks, while another might drink one or none.

You can also overestimate your liquor. If you tell your caterer to use only what’s needed, a good caterer can avoid wasting alcohol that won’t be opened. If you have extra beer, wine, or liquor, you can return it and get a refund. Be prepared! If you have questions, please contact us.

How long should the bar be open at a wedding?

Time to go home. People think that last call means your reception is over. Your bar should close 15 to 30 minutes before the end of your reception. Everyone will have time to finish their drink and dance one last time. If you’re planning a late reception, your bar should stay open. If guests won’t stay late, an open bar with pricing based on consumption makes more sense.

How many bottles of wine for a party of 75 people?

At a wine-and-beer party, about 75 people will drink wine. If your reception lasts five hours, that’s 375 glasses of wine, which is 94 bottles, or eight cases.

Other Considerations When Buying Wine for a Wedding. Think about how alcohol is consumed in your area. If your family likes tequila, add it to the bar. If your wedding is at a northern Michigan winery, you and your guests will probably drink more local wine. Even at wine-and-beer parties, it’s common to offer a signature cocktail. It can be made in advance in large quantities, like a fancy punch. A signature cocktail often reflects the location or the newly married couple. If you offer a signature cocktail, you can reduce your beer and wine offerings.