Open Bar Drink Order - CANS & WINE ONLY

So sounds like I definitely need to order a case of a drier wine, will do! Thanks ladies!

Note about the beer: kegs and cans come to the same price per serving for us so cans make more sense. We are stuck with any leftovers and would much rather take home cans than kegs

I've tried all sorts of different alcohol calculators online but most of them tend to assume that you are also offering liquor. As much as I wish we would (I pretty much only drink Captain and Coke) we don't have that option *insert major sad face*

No way that's enough. You figure 2 drinks during cocktail hour and one per hour (at least) after that. For a 5 hour reception that means you multiple 6x410 (keep the extra even though you have 80 people under age) that's 2,460 servings. I also think your wine estimate is WAY low. Only 120 servings? You need WAY more alcohol especially wine. Even if only 50 people drink wine at 6 servings pp that's 300 servings of wine. You probably need to triple the wine estimate at a minimum and double the beer estimate at least. Find somewhere you can return extra.

Again, we cannot, I repeat, CANNOT return anything.

This is an issue I'm running into as well.

While we are allowed to have liquor, it will increase our beverage budget substantially. My parents have suggested offering water & lemonade and if people want to bring their own beer, they can but I hate hate hate that idea.

I'm trying to finish the guest list so we can start estimates on beer and wine and even just canned soda. I'm dreading that more than any other wedding planning.

The board that runs our venue (again, this is not a "wedding venue". It is a cheap city building on the riverfront that we are renting for $300......) only even holds an alcohol license because once a year they throw a 4 day music festival on the grounds. Their contract is with the local beer distributors and it specifically states in the contract that we signed that any extras are ours to keep and cannot be returned or refunded.

Switch out Bud light for plain Budweiser or up the PBR. You are basically only offering light beer. (I'd prefer an ale or something else, but I see you are against that).

Buy WAYYY more. You said from the outset you would be mortified if you ran out.

If your guests are drinkers, you ARE going to run out.

I personally like Cupcake wines - wine is tough b/c people can be picky but they offer a bunch of diffferent types ranging from $8-$10 per bottle. Also, I was noticing your beer choices and everything seems really sweet. I would maybe swap something out or add a heavier beer or another light beer like Budweiser or an IPA. Having twisted tea, reds apple, those rita drinks...very sweet. Just my personal opinion. Or get those in smaller quantities, b/c I doubt they will be as popular.

Also, even if you are not going to return anything I would still want to be prepared with extras...no one wants the wedding to run out of booze! And if you have a lot left over...throw a party a month or two after the wedding and use the rest!

@HorseGirl that was totally our original plan! We live right on the Mississippi River and boating is LIFE for our group. The game plan from the get go was to order a lot of extra and then drink it on the river when we went boating (pretty much daily April-September). Unfortunately, my FIL is the one paying for our alcohol tab and cut our budget by almost $1k last week so now we have to be much more careful about our variety and quantities.

I am with the futureMrsB we need to get together for drinks! But Red blends are great to please most red drinkers. Apothic, Menage A Trois is a little less expensive or there is Dave Matthews Dreaming tree wines. For Chardonnay I like French. Fat Bastar. yes that is the name and it is very good.

For beer if there is a local brown ale many enjoy that. However being you said they down a ton I would not want to spend a ton of money on people that might not enjoy it as much.

you might try for the people that like the mixed drinks the beers that have the margarita mix or mikes black cherry I think is the one I like in the summer ice cold. Wood chuck is also good. this time of year they have a Pink select that taste like apples and raspberry. Pink bottle, Pink drink. my thing for sure.

I love the Moscato and would probably love the Tassel Ridge, but have to say that I am NOT in the norm here. Let's say 40 people decline, and you have 80 children. That leaves you with 290 people who drink. 1200 drinks (of any kind) comes out to 4.14 drinks per person. You said yourself that some of those people can drink a case themselves, so there is NO WAY IN HELL you have enough.

Just make sure you order from somewhere you can return unopened cases/bottles, and you will be good to go even if you order too much. Good luck!!

@cantwait4thedate we don't have the option of returning anything, unfortunately. That sure would make my life a lot easier though!

I would include some type of craft beer.

Regardless of whether or not you can return alcohol, you still need to almost double your order. If you have 300 attendees you need to provide roughly 6 drinks per person, if not more since you have heavy drinkers. I suggest readjusting your numbers to at LEAST 1,800 servings. That's 6 drinks per person at 300 people. We're only have like 90-100 adults at our wedding and are estimating at least 600 servings. Especially since you are buying cans and bottles, leftovers can be easily saved and consumed later.

Double that for 400 guests

You mentioned your FIL lowered the budget, would you and FS be able to supplement so you can at least hit, if not provide extra to the 6 per person mark? If you've got the means of consuming it after the fact (you mentioned a boat) it surely won't go to waste! Also, box wines have come a long way from the slap the bag Franzia days. May be something to consider as well.

We are only having 120 guests and will be making sure we have 800-900 drinks... you're way underestimating. My caterer told us we should expect to spend around $1200 on our bar to have enough.

Your order is way, way low. Like probably 1/3 of what you should be buying. I would double it for a lighter drinking crowd and triple it for your heavier drinkers.

Also agree that you need some options that aren't syrupy sugar bombs. These offerings are all super sweet and/or light. You don't need strawberry AND apple AND hard tea. Pick a couple of dry wines. Pick an IPA and a standard ale and a standard lager and maybe something on the darker side.

@FutureMrs.G Our order is already at $2500 for the 1200 drinks