How many drinks should you buy for your wedding?
Enter the guest count, bar hours and drink mix. The calculator rounds every bottle and case up and turns the result into a shopping list.
Build your bar estimate
The serving and package assumptions below change with this switch and remain editable.
The editable starting rate follows Zola's published planning rule of two drinks in the first hour and one for every hour after.
Set the drink mix
The three percentages must add up to 100.
Editable package assumptions
Optional prices
No price is preloaded. Leave a field blank to omit the total.
Your wedding bar shopping list
| Buy | Planned servings | Packages | Entered cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Estimated bar total | |||
Drink responsibly. Read the official NIAAA standard-drink guidance.
How the estimate works
The tool keeps the planning rate, mix and package assumptions in view so you can change them for your venue and guests.
- Estimate total servingsThe guest count is multiplied by the first-hour rate and the rate for each later hour.
- Apply your mixThe total is divided among wine, beer and spirits using your percentages.
- Round up the packagesEach result is divided by its editable package size and rounded up. The toast is calculated separately.
Sources and assumptions
The calculator starts from published serving guidance. Package yields are editable because bottle and case formats vary.
- US serving sizes
- NIAAA standard-drink guidance, reviewed October 2026
- UK units and glass sizes
- NHS alcohol-unit guidance, reviewed October 2026
- Starting planning rate
- Zola wedding alcohol planning rule, reviewed October 2026
Read the result before you order
Check the mix
Wine, beer and spirits must add up to 100%. Change the split to match what your guests actually drink.
Every package rounds up
A partial bottle or case becomes one full package on the shopping list.
No assumed prices
The tool shows a bar total only when you enter your own package prices.
This is a planning estimate, not serving advice or a venue order. Confirm quantities, package sizes, corkage rules and service limits with your venue or licensed caterer.
Put the bar in your wedding budget
Carry the total into the free budget sheet, or keep it with the rest of your printable plan.
Wedding drinks calculator questions
Does the bubbly count come out of the wine total?
No. The toast is calculated separately from the wine, beer and spirits mix.
Can I use different bottle or case sizes?
Yes. Change the servings per bottle and beers per case before calculating. The results update from those values.
Why is there no default price?
Package prices depend on your supplier and location. The cost total appears only when you enter one or more prices yourself.