Planning your wedding? One of the first questions almost every couple runs into is how much wine to actually order.
Whether you're pouring wine only or rounding things out with beer and cocktails, getting the quantity right matters for keeping guests happy and keeping your budget in check.
How much wine per person? A good rule of thumb is about half a bottle per guest for every two hours of your reception. Most receptions run four to five hours, so that usually works out to one full bottle per adult guest. One bottle pours about five glasses, so for 100 guests you're looking at roughly 100 bottles, or eight to nine cases. Add a cocktail hour on top of dinner and it's worth padding that estimate a bit.
Splitting wine, beer, and spirits If you're running a full bar, wine usually makes up 40 to 50 percent of total alcohol consumption, with beer and spirits covering the rest. For a 100 guest wedding with a full bar, a reasonable split looks like about 50 bottles of wine, 75 bottles of beer, and 10 bottles of liquor at 750ml each, plus mixers and non-alcoholic options to round things out. Stick to just wine and beer, and you can bump the wine share up to around 60 percent.
Red, white, or sparkling? The right mix of red versus white usually comes down to the season, your menu, and the time of day. Summer weddings tend to lean toward 60 percent white and 40 percent red, while winter weddings often flip that ratio. For toasts, plan on one glass of sparkling wine or champagne per guest, which works out to about two cases, or 24 bottles, for a 100 person wedding.
Putting it together for 100 guests For a 100 guest wedding running four to five hours, a simple breakdown looks like 40 bottles of red, 40 bottles of white, and 20 bottles of sparkling wine for toasts, about 100 bottles total. Scale that up as your guest count grows, around 150 bottles for 150 guests, or 200 bottles for 200 guests.
Tips for keeping costs down Buying by the case usually unlocks a bulk discount, and personalizing your wine labels for a unique touch adds a memorable detail without much extra cost. Sticking to crowd pleasing varietals like Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, or Sauvignon Blanc, and trimming down your overall choices, also makes ordering and setting up the bar a lot simpler.
At the end of the day, planning for one bottle per adult guest, adjusting based on your bar setup, and padding your order slightly for safety gets you most of the way there. With a little planning, your wedding wine can be memorable, budget friendly, and just the right amount of fun.
