Buying enough alcohol for a wedding party is a different matter.Buying your own alcohol for a wedding can seem like a daunting task, but you can make it simpler on yourself with proper planning.You can calculate the amount of alcohol you need to buy to last the entire reception if you know your guests best.
Step 1: Take the number of guests that will attend into account.
You need an accurate head count to figure out how much alcohol you will need at your wedding reception.Don't use a rough estimate, you could end up without enough booze to last the whole reception.
Step 2: How long will your reception be?
You can assume that your guests will have 2 drinks per person in the first hour of your wedding reception, and 1 additional drink for each following hour, so choosing the length of the reception will help you figure out how much alcohol you need to buy.The reception should start and end at the same time.A good rule of thumb is to have 6 drinks per person at a wedding reception.
Step 3: Pick a date and time to influence what people drink.
The time and day of the reception will tell you how much alcohol people will drink.For a wedding reception on a Friday night, people will drink more than they will for a daytime wedding.People drink more wine and beer at daytime weddings.On a Friday or Saturday, people drink more liquor and beer.
Step 4: You can choose the alcohol based on the wedding environment.
The location of your wedding reception will affect what types of alcohol you serve.People are more likely to drink if your reception is at an event hall.People will drink more champagne and wine at an antique or destination wedding reception.
Step 5: Do you want an open bar or a limited bar?
Guests can order any drink at the bar at no cost to them if you have an open bar.A limited bar has a set selection of drinks and serves drinks during set windows.If you choose a limited bar, make sure the drinks are served by people who know how to serve alcohol.
Step 6: Hire a bartender to serve your guests.
A bartender can give you an idea of how much alcohol you need for your wedding.Your calculations will be more accurate if you hire a professional who will serve a measured amount each time they make a drink.Guests are much more likely to over serve if you allow them to pour their own drinks or hire an amateur to serve them.Liquor licenses are required to sell alcohol.You can find a bartender service company near you.A bartender may be provided at your wedding venue.
Step 7: Consider the drinking habits of your guests.
If your guests are more likely to drink, you should calculate the alcohol you plan to buy.If your guests are more of a beer and wine crowd, you can purchase a larger portion of alcohol and save money.Asking your guests what they plan to drink when they RSVP can be considered tacky, but you could ask them if they will drink with their meal.
Step 8: Decide what type of alcohol you will serve.
A rule for a wedding reception is to have at least 50% wine, 30% beer, and 20% liquor.If you think that your guests are more likely to drink beer or liquor, you need to adjust the ratio.You can decide what type of alcohol you want to serve.It is your wedding, after all!
Step 9: Set a budget for alcohol.
Setting a budget that you won't exceed is the easiest way to keep from spending too much on alcohol at your wedding.Up to 20% of the total wedding budget can be accounted for by an open bar.It will cost you about $5 to drink one drink.By the number of guests and drinks each guest can drink to get a budget.
Step 10: Averages for serving alcohol to guests are reviewed.
When calculating how much of each type of alcohol you need to buy for your wedding, you can consider what event planners recommend is the right amount to keep on hand per hour of your reception.You will need 17 bottles of beer, 4bottles of wine, and 1bottle of liquor for every 25 guests.For every 50 guests, you will need 34 bottles of alcohol.For every 100 guests, you will need 67 bottles of booze.
Step 11: You can use the alcohol calculator to find out how much you need.
An easy solution to calculating how much alcohol you need to buy for your wedding is to use an online alcohol calculator or an alcohol calculating application on your mobile device.How many people will attend, what types of alcohol you plan to serve, and how much you want to spend can be selected by you.
Step 12: Inquire about pricing if you locate potential distributors near you.
Ask your wedding reception venue if they recommend local alcohol distributors.You can ask the distributor about their prices.If there are more than one distributor in the area, compare their prices.Ask the distributors if they give discounts for large purchases.If you need to have a license in order to place bulk orders, you should see if the distributor needs to coordinate with your wedding venue.If you want to serve alcohol, be sure to pick a distributor that has a certain brand.
Step 13: Do you know if your wedding venue can keep your alcohol cool?
Beer and champagne need to stay cold until they are served.Check with your venue to see if they can keep your alcohol cold.If you are not using a venue that can provide cold storage, make arrangements to keep your drinks cold with ice chests and ice.
Step 14: Pick up time is on the day before your wedding.
Schedule a pick-up time a day before your wedding to allow for proper delivery and setup when ordering alcohol from the best distributor.You should contact the distributor a day or two before you pick up the order.
Step 15: Store the alcohol until the reception begins.
Once your alcohol order has been picked up, deliver it to the venue and set it up so the bartender knows where to get it.It should be in a location that is easy to get to for the wedding guests or children at your wedding.If you want to focus on your wedding details, ask a friend or family member to deliver your alcohol.