I'm in wedding alcohol calculation hell...

Commenting so I can come back to this. I feel like the alcohol calculators low ball everything.

Who supplied alcohol and can provide an estimated actual consumption?

I'd figure it like this: 6 drinks per person times 45 is 270 drinks. If everyone drinks only wine that's 78 bottles. If everyone drinks only beer its 11-12 cases. I think most people drink wine. But I don't know your crowd so put what they drink down on paper and work with these numbers. Your numbers are way too low.

What it calculated for is that each person will have 3 glasses of wine, 2 beers, and one hard drink. So.. when you put it in those terms its about a drink an hour per person. If you have heavy drinkers or just want to be on the safe side order more.

Thanks ladies! This does help. I agree that the calculator was too low, I just sure how low. I have mostly wine drinkers, so 3 cases would go very quickly!

Following this for future reference

BC liquor stores suggest 1 drink per person per hour. I actually am ordering less than they suggested. But also 1/3 of our guests don't drink.....

That does sound very low to me, too. I'm really thankful I don't need to do this! I would be way too stressed out.

Is there no way to buy from a place that allows you to return unopened bottles? I've heard that's the advantage to providing your own booze...

Nothing wrong with having too much!

I'm doubling the estimate I got from one of those online calculators - it's a case of knowing your crowd. Mine drinks, especially beer (in Oregon literally everyone drinks beer) and wine. The champagne and signature drink are really for the people who will only have one or two. So I have 90ish guests, and I will have three kegs, 4 cases of wine, a case of champagne for the toast and the signature drink. But I have absolutely no problem with leftovers either.

ETA - microbrew for the kegs.

Following this post.

I'd suggest 1-2 drinks per person per hour. I don't know how many drinks you can get from one bottle of liquor and my experience with wine is very limited but figure those out and try to gauge your crowds tastes to see if you need more beer than wine or whatever it may be. (My type of crowd would need very little wine, and equal amounts hard liquor and beer.) You might also see if a store will let you buy extra and return unopened bottles or cases. And worst case, only buy something you wouldn't mind drinking and buy a lot.

I'd say whatever your calculators say, then double it. Only 45 drinkers...that's not many. Think about it this way, the first drink goes QUICK so think 2-3 drinks first hour then one drink per hour after. No need to stress. Extra alcohol isn't bad. Just hand out bottle at the end of the night if you have extra.

I think I will double it, that's a great idea! When this is all said and done, I'll write a post about what I ended up doing and how much (if any) was left over.

Not post related but are you honeymooning in the Keys also? If yes where are you staying? We just booked our honeymoon at Casa Marina.

If you think it's low I would buy a little more, leftover booze never hurt anyone. It also depends on the time of your wedding, mine was at noon so I obviously didn't need as much alcohol as a 5pm wedding would.

I am buying my own alcohol too but the caterer we are planning on booking said they will help us with amounts. Maybe your caterer can give you advice. My friend got married earlier this year and had a full bar, she said they only ran out of vodka and was shocked at how fast. She also put a drink request on her rsvp so she would get an idea for what people wanted and then the BP got the exact liquor we wanted (which we were super greatful for).

Thats about the size of my rehersal dinner, and thats how much alcohol I am purchasing roughly... i figure at a wedding they would drink at least twice that amount!

I wouldn't trust those calculators. My friend used one for her April reception and ran out of alcohol 90 minutes into a 5 hour reception.

@danielle D, we are not honeymooning in the Keys, just spending the week up to the wedding there. We will be in Marathon. I heard Casa Marina is very nice!!