Happy Hour Cocktail

Even with a signature cocktail that is not enough alcohol to last the entire evening for 150 people. You should expect everyone to have 2 drinks the first hour and 1 drink about every our after that. That's roughly 8 drinks per person for entire night. I have no idea how many drink 2 half barrells of beer is, but if you're drinking wine out of the large 1,5 ML size bottles that's about 8-10 glasses per bottle. My FH and I can easily kill one of those bottles by ourselves at a party. If its the 750ML - which is the standard size you only get 4-5 glasses per bottle - which MOST people can drink during just dinner. Plus you have to take into account that not everyone drinks red or white and if its summertime you will probably run out of white sooner.

You should consult a beverage calculator and relook at how much alcohol you actually need. I would use the money you're thinking of putting into that cocktail and put it towards more beer and wine if thats all you're serving.

Thank you all for your comments. Not all 150 people are drinkers, there will be some children and underagers at the wedding as well. But I am afraid that we do not have enough. My FH still seems to think we do, and of course our goal isn't to get everyone drunk, we plan on going out after to a local bar. There will be infused water, soda and juice. But I do think that there will need to be some other drink choice. Wish me luck in convincing my hubby. LOL

I think serving a signature drink during cocktail hour is a great idea, but I also think it's very limiting for those who prefer beer or wine.

Additionally, 75 bottles of wine is definitely not enough for 150 people to last the entire night. Be prepared for people to leave your reception earlier once the alcohol runs dry. Also, I'm not sure how big the beer barrels are, but that might be enough.

There are a ton of "alcohol calculators" that you can Google to give you a more accurate number.

You’ll need way more than that. The general rule of thumb is to plan on guests having two drinks in the first hour and then one per hour after that. So if each guests has eight drinks, you’ll need 1,200 drinks. If money is an issue, it’s perfectly fine to just stick to beer and wine. The important thing is to have enough. If you want to do a signature cocktail, you should offer it the whole night because some people don’t like to switch what they’re drinking. It can mess with people’s stomachs. I supplied the alcohol for my wedding and bought everything at total wine. They give you a discount on cases, and you can return any unopened bottles as long as the labels aren’t damaged. I overbought because I didn’t want to take a chance on running out of alcohol, so I kept some for myself and returned the rest. Also, kegs aren't always cheaper than bottles, so make sure you compare prices. You don't have to throw out bottles if it's not finished at the end of the night, and you might be able to return them.

I agree with PP's. With the amount that you currently have, you'll run out of alcohol which will put a damper on your reception.

Is there a reason FH insists that you have enough already? Is he worried about people driving or about someone in particular drinking too much? If so, I would point out that if you have an alcoholic or irresponsible person attending the wedding, they are going to drink irresponsibly regardless. If you run out and they want to keep drinking, they will head to a bar or to a liquor store to bring some booze of their own.

If the issue is budget, I would add more wine and beer over a signature cocktail since your money will go farther. If budget is not an issue, I think some of your guests would appreciate a signature cocktail added to your wine and beer offerings.

Well, actually yes. His brother is a recovering alcoholic and is his Best man. Also there are children and teenagers that will be there and good amount of folks that do not drink at all.

A part of alcohol recovery is learning to be around drinking and in situations where alcohol is present. I am sure, knowing that you intended to have alcohol at the reception his Brother would have declined if he thought he was not yet able to handle it. You still need to assume that everyone - even those who generally don't drink - will be having a few drinks with the reception. My parents aren't drinkers and dont drink in their daily life - but a wedding is one of the few events where they let loose and partake - even if its just a drink during cocktail hour and dinner.

As A&W said its better to over buy and the end up returning what you don't need than it is to run out at the reception.

You need to figure out the number of 21+ you have and estimate the total number of glasses per night for those folks. Again a drinks calculator or the hired bartender can assist you with figuring that out.

Thank you again for the comments. We still have 94 days left so once the official RSVP come in and we have final count I will determine what we still need to purchase. I think at this point we have a good starting point.

I would get more. If you buy bottles you can return the unopened ones. Don't run out, that will pretty much mean the end of the party.

I think it just depends on what your budget is. We are doing unlimited beer & wine for the whole wedding, and a signature cocktail during happy hour. Then a cash bar the whole time for liquor. I think the more alcohol the better. Have you seen the alcohol calculators online? It helps determine how much beer you'll need, depending on how heavy people drink and how much time.

Hi Dominque! Online alcohol calculators are certainly helpful, but I think its very mindful to keep consumption in consideration, as it will greatly affect how much you actually need. If you know your crowd tends to drink heavier, then account for double of what you have planned to ensure you have an ample amount. By the way, mojitos sound amazing; I'm pretty sure they'll love it! Also, remember to buy ice!

Lots of good math advice here! People always drink more than you think, especially at a wedding. Running out of booze = end of reception.

What about for a signature cocktail if you did something with Champagne (Prosecco is similar but lighter in taste and cheaper)? Champagne may be cheaper than hard alcohol plus would it go with beer & wine better? (I don't know the rule for mixing alcohol but wine/champagne/beer all seem ok.) There's blue champagne (a little sweet though) if you wanted something blue. Or you could serve a "plain" option or bellinis (mixed with fruit puree). Or even do a champagne bar during cocktail hour where it's plain champagne but with all kinds of toppings or mixers. Here are some pics: