How much alcohol for 150 guests
For a five-hour reception: 768 drinks — 71 bottles of wine, 10 cases of beer and 15 bottles of liquor, plus a sparkling toast, ice and mixers. Adjust it for your crowd in the calculator.
The full list: 150 guests, 5 hours, full bar (US)
128 drinking guests × (2 drinks in the first hour + 1 an hour after) = 768 drinks, split 30 % beer, 45 % wine, 25 % spirits, rounded up to whole units.
| Item | Buy | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| White wine | 32 bottles | 2 cases of 12 + 8 · 5 × 5 fl oz glasses per bottle |
| Red wine | 28 bottles | 2 cases of 12 + 4 · 5 × 5 fl oz glasses per bottle |
| Rosé | 11 bottles | 11 bottles · 5 × 5 fl oz glasses per bottle |
| Beer | 10 cases | 12 oz cans/bottles, cases of 24 · 230 servings needed |
| Vodka | 5 bottles | 750 ml · 16 × 1.5 fl oz pours per bottle |
| Whiskey / bourbon | 3 bottles | 750 ml · 16 × 1.5 fl oz pours per bottle |
| Gin | 3 bottles | 750 ml · 16 × 1.5 fl oz pours per bottle |
| Tequila | 2 bottles | 750 ml · 16 × 1.5 fl oz pours per bottle |
| Rum | 2 bottles | 750 ml · 16 × 1.5 fl oz pours per bottle |
| Sparkling wine for the toast | 19 bottles | 1 case of 12 + 7 · 8 toast pours per bottle; non-drinkers get sparkling juice |
| Sparkling juice / alcohol-free fizz | 3 bottles | 8 toast pours per bottle |
| Tonic water | 4 bottles | 2 L bottles |
| Soda water | 3 bottles | 2 L bottles |
| Cola | 3 bottles | 2 L bottles |
| Ginger beer / ale | 2 bottles | 2 L bottles |
| Cranberry or orange juice | 2 bottles | 2 L bottles |
| Soft drinks, sparkling water, lemonade | 68 bottles | 2 L bottles · ≈ 452 servings |
| Still water | 14 packs | Packs of 5 L or a water station; check the venue tap water |
| Ice | 450 lb | 22 × 20 lb + 1 × 10 lb bags · about half for drinks, half for chilling |
| Limes | 24 limes | 1 lime ≈ 8 wedges |
| Lemons | 12 lemons | 1 lemon ≈ 8 wedges, half the spirit drinks |
| Oranges (twists, old fashioneds) | 8 oranges | Plus cocktail cherries and mint if your menu needs them |
| Wine glasses | 87 glasses | 1.5 per wine drinker (no washing) |
| Highball / rocks glasses | 48 glasses | 1.5 per spirits drinker |
| Flutes for the toast | 150 flutes | One per guest |
| Water / soft drink glasses or cups | 225 glasses | |
| Cocktail napkins | 450 napkins | 3 per guest, packs of 50 |
At example retail prices the drinks, mixers and ice come to about $1,889 ($13 a guest) — your prices will differ.
4, 5 or 6 hours
| Bar open | Drinks | Wine (750 ml) | Beer (cases of 24) | Liquor (750 ml) | Ice (lb) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 hours | 640 | 59 | 8 | 11 | 450 |
| 5 hours | 768 | 71 | 10 | 15 | 450 |
| 6 hours | 896 | 83 | 12 | 16 | 450 |
UK and Australian units
UK glasses of wine are usually bigger (175 ml, four to a bottle) and spirit measures smaller (25 ml), so the same party needs more wine bottles and fewer spirit bottles. Australian lists use 150 ml wine, 30 ml nips, 700 ml bottles and cartons of 24 × 375 ml.
| Bar open | UK wine (75 cl) | UK beer (cases) | UK spirits (70 cl) | AU wine (750 ml) | AU beer (cartons) | AU spirits (700 ml) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 hours | 73 | 8 | 9 | 59 | 8 | 10 |
| 5 hours | 87 | 10 | 10 | 71 | 10 | 11 |
| 6 hours | 103 | 12 | 11 | 83 | 12 | 14 |
Drinks cost at example prices for five hours: UK about £1,602, Australia about $3,080.
Beer and wine only
Dropping spirits (a 40 % beer, 60 % wine split) keeps the same 768 drinks but changes the shopping: 93 bottles of wine and 13 cases of beer, and no mixers beyond soft drinks. It is usually cheaper and quicker to serve, and a dry-hire bar needs fewer bartenders for it.
Consumption is a planning rule of thumb, not a measurement. Serving sizes follow the NIAAA standard drink (US) and gov.uk specified quantities (UK). Serve water throughout and never serve anyone under age or drunk.
Alcohol for 125 guests · Alcohol for 200 guests · How much alcohol for a wedding: the full guide
Frequently asked questions
How much wine for 150 wedding guests?
For a five-hour reception with 85 % of guests drinking and wine as 45 % of drinks, plan 71 bottles of 750 ml (5 glasses each) in the US, 87 bottles at 175 ml UK glasses, plus 19 bottles of sparkling for one toast each.
How much beer for 150 guests?
About 230 beers over five hours at a 30 % beer share: 10 cases of 24, or kegs instead (1 × ½-barrel keg (15.5 gal) + 2 × ⅙-barrel keg (5.16 gal)).
How much liquor for 150 guests?
15 bottles of 750 ml across vodka, whiskey, gin, tequila and rum covers 192 pours of 1.5 oz at a 25 % spirits share over five hours.
How much ice for 150 guests?
About 450 lb if bottles and cans are chilled in tubs, half that if drinks arrive cold. Add 50 % on a hot day.
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