How Much Alcohol to Buy - The Wedding Alcohol Calculator
Planning for your wedding is as stressful as landing a quadruple jump in ice skating at the olympics. Both take time, preparation, and patience. But unlike the quadruple jump, wedding preparation involves more than just one person. Couples plan weddings not only for themselves, but for every guest invited, creating memorable experiences for all. As the trend leans towards smaller more intimate weddings, brought on by COVID, couples are now faced with the possibility of supplying their own bar. So - how much alcohol do you need?
Here’s four easy steps to follow:
Step 1 - Evaluate each guest and their anticipated alcohol consumption.
This is where many couples miss the mark. Without an honest approach, you might be running out of alcohol before the party truly begins. No bride wants the last impression of her wedding day to be an empty bar.
No one wants that!
So grab some paper, pencils, and your fiancé - cause this part is fun. Take the piece of paper and make 3 columns: 1. LIGHT DRINKER, 2. AVERAGE DRINKER, 3. HEAVY DRINKER. Go down the list of invited guests and categorize each person according to their “assumed” alcohol intake. You might find yourselves disagreeing on one of your guest’s “assumed” categories, leading to giggles and the exchanging of past experiences that could either strengthen or weaken your case. And if this particular guest has a sense of humor, sharing your prenuptial disagreement will certainly make them laugh too. In any case, when in doubt about a wedding guest, move them up the booze chain - it’s better to round up than down.
Step 2 - What kind of atmosphere do you want to create for your wedding day?
In line with the last question, being realistic about what kind of wedding you want is very important. Maybe you plan on a daytime wedding, preferring a less-boozy atmosphere. Maybe you want a daytime, free-flowing champagne, brunch-style wedding. Or, perhaps Fireball shots with old college buddies is something you can’t imagine your special day without.
Whatever the case, this decision ultimately sets you up for the next step.
Step 3 - Decide what kind of bar package you want to offer your guests.
With your answers from above and a budget in mind, you can decide what bar package works best for you. Do you want beer and wine only, full bar, or a mix of the two? One budget-friendly trend is the batch cocktail, a pre-made cocktail produced in large batches. Picking one cocktail to batch not only limits the amount of alcohol being served, but also keeps your budget from bursting. And with COVID restrictions calling for limited labor practices, Caroline Hatchett put ‘batched drinks’ in her 8 Trends That Will Define How We Drink in 2021 article on Liquor.com.
***Looking for some batch-cocktail ideas? Colleen Graham, a reputable mixologist, shares 20 batch-cocktail recipes on TheSpruceEats.com.
Step 4 - Use the Alcohol Calculator.
Evite.com takes all of the above information you have collected and calculates how much alcohol you should consider.
BevMo! takes the same information but asks what ratio of beer, wine, and spirits you prefer. It even goes a step further and offers an optional champagne toast calculation.
WeddingDive.com takes the same information as Evite, however adds a ‘children & non-drinkers’ section to determine the amount of soft beverages needed.
Each calculator has its own advantages. And if used together, I am certain you will have a better idea of how much alcohol you should purchase. So whether you strap on ice skates or wedding shoes, with practice and preparation, you’re bound to score big!
