Open bar

Most people will drink beer and wine because it is easier to order. I would suggest having signature cocktails to cut down on the amount of different liquors you have to buy. Usually one vodka and one tequila drink will do it, rum is always a favorite as well. Also be careful with shots, that will drain your liquor quick.

The rule is usually 2 drinks per person the first hour and then 1 per person each hour after.

Another thing to consider is that many liquor stores will let you return unopened liquor bottles after the event. So you could get extra to be sure, then return them if you don't need them.

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I plan on buying from Costco and Sam's Club. It's cheaper than liquor stores.

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I planned on doing, wine and beer, and liquor. My side of the guest list likes wine and beer more than liquor. So I will need all three just not sure how much. I was thinking, rum and coke, vodka and cranberry or lemonade and gin and tonic. Those are normal bar drinks. Plus the beer and wine.

View Quoted Comment Depending on the location, Sam's Club may allow returns. (It depends on applicable state and local law.) It's worth checking.

We hired a bartending service and we bring in our own alcohol and these were their suggestions:

Here are my suggested amounts for the average crowd of 100, open bar for approx 5 hours:
Bottled/Canned Beer = 6 cases total (1 case = 24 beers) I would get 3 different flavors at the most, 2 cases of each.
Wine = 3 cases total (1 case = 12 regular 750mL bottles OR 6 magnum 1.5L bottles) I would get 1.5 cases white wine, 1.5 cases red wine.
Liquor = 2 handles (1.75L bottle) of each: vodka, gin, whiskey, rum + 1 (1L) bottle of vodka & whiskey as backup. (NOTE: Bottles that are not opened can typically be returned.)
Champagne = 1 case (12 bottles)

Being that I was a bartender for 5 years and know my crowd quite well we adjusted what they sent and this is actually what we purchased:

Bottled/Canned Beer = 8 cases total (1 case = 24 beers) I would get 3 different flavors, 3 cases of a dark and a light and 2 cases of specialty. (we are a beer heavy crowd)

Wine = 6 magnum 1.5L bottles, 6 regular bottles and 2 bottles of sangria (lighter wine drinkers)

Liquor = 2 handles of each: vodka, gin, whiskey, rum + 1 (1L) bottle of vodka and whiskey. 2L of scotch, 1L of Bourbon and we are getting some moonshine as well (were getting married in the smokies where they make it so we will have some bottles of that as well).

Champagne = 2 cases (We have mimosa drinkers and plus toast)

At my wedding, we had more liquor drank than beer/wine, probably because it was SUPER hot on our wedding day so cold liquor was more refreshing. We didn't get to bring in our own alcohol though. However, my friend did for her wedding and they used a liquor store that would deliver the alcohol and allow them to return whatever wasn't used. They ended up returning almost $1,000 worth of alcohol, so in the end, their bar only cost them like $1,100 for 200+ drinking guests. I would try to find a place with a similar agreement. Better to have too much than not enough.

Knowing what people drink helps. We have about as many drinkers as you do coming and the current plan is to only count 1 glass of wine per drinker since we have few wine drinkers and wine isn't cheap comparatively. If we run out they can have a mixed drink.
I would recommend 24-30 bottles of wine and
200-240 beers. Even an average beer drinker will have 3 or 4 in 6 hours. A heavy one will have 5-10. Get 20 of them in a room and that's a lot of beer.