Wedding Bar & Drinks Planning Guide
Per-guest allowances for wine, beer and spirits, plus the four steps that size a bar correctly and five ways to save.
How much to buy per guest
| What | Rough allowance | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Welcome drinks | 1 per guest | Prosecco, lemonade, iced tea — cheapest predictable option |
| Wine with dinner | 0.5 bottle per guest | Red and white split roughly 50/50 |
| Beer | 2 per drinking guest | Add a local option; bottles are easier to control than kegs |
| Spirits / cocktails | 2 per guest | Signature cocktail keeps stock simple and looks intentional |
| Soft drinks & water | 2 per guest | Water stations matter more than any cocktail |
| Tea & coffee | 1 per guest | Essential once the dancing starts |
These are planning allowances, not laws: a dry wedding cuts the list to soft drinks and coffee, and a heavy-drinking crowd doubles the beer line. Verify quantities with your caterer or the venue's bar policy.
Work out the total in four steps
- Count drinking guests, not guests. Assume about 70% of adults drink, then adjust for your family.
- Decide the drink window. Usually four to five hours of service. A longer reception is not a longer bar tab if you close the bar during dinner.
- Pick one signature cocktail. Three spirits and a garnish beats a full bar menu, both for cost and for queue length.
- Add 10%. The last hour of a wedding drinks more than the first.
Five things that save money without looking cheap
- Wine on the tables rather than a served bar — fewer staff, fewer glasses.
- A welcome drink handed out as guests arrive: one round, everyone feels hosted.
- Beer and wine only during dinner, spirits afterwards.
- Water stations every ten metres; they reduce soft drink demand.
- Close the bar thirty minutes before the end — no one remembers, everyone gets home safely.
Non-alcoholic options that guests actually drink
- A proper alcohol-free cocktail, not just orange juice.
- Sparkling water with citrus; iced tea in summer, hot cider in autumn.
- Label the non-alcoholic option clearly so nobody has to ask.
What this tool does
- Free, no signup, one-click copy — everything runs in your browser; nothing is uploaded.
- 40+ ideas in one run — from two first names, a shared surname and the wedding year.
- Grouped into four sets — name mashups, puns & wordplay, classics, and date-based options.
- Copy all / Download — grab one tag, or export the whole list as a text file for your planner or printer.
- “IG” check link — every tag links straight to Instagram's tag page so you can see with one click whether it is already in use.
- 500 surname pages — ready-made ideas for the most common surnames.
Related
Frequently asked questions
How much alcohol do I need for 100 guests?
As a starting allowance: about 50 bottles of wine, 200 beers and 200 spirit drinks for a five-hour reception with roughly 70 drinking adults. Adjust with your caterer.
Is a cash bar acceptable?
It happens, but tell guests beforehand. A compromise is a hosted bar for a set period — usually the first two hours — and a cash bar afterwards.
What about dietary and religious needs?
Always provide a good alcohol-free option and label it. For guests who do not drink for religious reasons, an obvious non-alcoholic choice matters more than the cocktail list.
Can we bring our own alcohol?
Many venues allow it with a corkage fee; check the contract before you buy anything, as corkage can erase the saving.
Updated 2026-09-26