I'm trying to work out how much booze to buy for my wedding so wondering if anyone has tips for how to estimate. We'll have beer, white wine, red wine and bubbles. Maybe a few bottles of whisky.

here's what I'm thinking as a first guess.

- females will drink wine. 1/3 red, 1/3 white, 1/3 bubbles. (2 glasses per hour)

- males will drink beer. (2 stubbies per hour)

This is obviously a generalisation as some guys will drink wine some and girls will drink beer, but I think it's balance out.

drinking time will be ~ 9 hrs

expected numbers ~60 guys, 60 girls. EDIT.. that's 60 each that are drinkers. (I've already taken out the non-drinkers)

Edited December 1, 201411 yr by manchu

I'm trying to work out how much booze to buy for my wedding so wondering if anyone has tips for how to estimate. We'll have beer, white wine, red wine and bubbles. Maybe a few bottles of whisky.

here's what I'm thinking as a first guess.

- females will drink wine. 1/3 red, 1/3 white, 1/3 bubbles. (2 glasses per hour)

- males will drink beer. (2 stubbies per hour)

drinking time will be ~ 9 hrs

expected numbers ~60 guys, 60 girls.

 

I'm sure you've already done the math but the above works out to 180 bottles of wine, 90 champagne and  45 cases of beers.  By the fourth hour everyone's going to be plastered at that rate.

 

Oh, and congratulations!

I'm the last to advise on this.

 

But congrats on the upcoming nuptials

Strange as it might seem, not everyone drinks alcohol. Are you going to have any non alcoholic drinks?

Good luck for the big day

BTW with your calculations you will have to lay on a supply of Taxi Vouchers too

9 x 2 stubbies = 18 per bloke over 9 hours

9 x 2 glasses of wine = 18 per girls over 9 hours

Phew!

Yeah depends on demographic a lot ... I wouldn't count on all 60 blokes drinking 2 stubbies and hour for 9 hours. 

Sit down or stand up drink-fest? Time of year (affects red vs white vs fizz vs beer vs light-beer ratio)?

5-6 std drinks per person is rough guide.

Don't buy spirits is a recommendation too, my better half is an exec chef and does a lot of weddings (high end). Spirits inevitably ends up with messy blokes being a pain in the ass.

BTW, based on your calculations the ladies will be consuming 25 std drinks; that won't end well.

Edited November 30, 201411 yr by DRC

women mainly drink white with the seafood and salads (sauv blanc, or sem sauv blanc) and champers. you need champers for everybody for the toast.

men usually drink beer, red wine with the steak and eventually end up at the scotch.

chuck in a dash of vodka for some mixers.

 

when the drinks are free - people who don't normally drink, will drink.....

Edited November 30, 201411 yr by analog brother

I would suggest halving the drinking time.

By the fourth hour everyone's going to be plastered at that rate.

Oh, and congratulations!

thanks for the congrats.

haha...that's the idea isn't it!.

It does seem like a lot, but there's some rough 'science' behind the numbers. To calculate pissedness for an average male I work on the basis that*:

- one standard drink adds 0.01% to BAC

- every hour you lose 0.01% BAC.

- goal BAC > 0.05% (nobody is driving home from my wedding!)

So, 1 x Stubbie/hr (1.4 std drinks) for 9 hours = 9x1.4x0.01 - 9x0.01 = 0.036% BAC = not pissed enough.

2 x Stubbies = 0.072%

Girls will drink less, hence 2 glasses (1 std drink each) instead of 2 stubbies.

*this is a formula I was taught during an 'education program' I attended back in 1996. It seems to hold true for me.

Sit down or stand up drink-fest? Time of year (affects red vs white vs fizz vs beer vs light-beer ratio)?

5-6 std drinks per person is rough guide.

Don't buy spirits is a recommendation too, my better half is an exec chef and does a lot of weddings (high end). Spirits inevitably ends up with messy blokes being a pain in the ass.

BTW, based on your calculations the ladies will be consuming 25 std drinks; that won't end well.

Stand up mostly. Mid march, outside in northern vic (it could be stinking hot)

The only spirits may be a few bottles of whisky tucked away for a select few (we'll see how that goes!).

how do you get 25. 1 glass = 1 standard drink..doesn't it??

I would suggest halving the drinking time.

It's tempting, but I can't see it happening. Invites are out and times are locked in. 2pm ceremony, 3pm reception start. I'd be crucified by some if I denied them a drink.

Best thing you can do is buy a bit more with the option of returning the unopened bottles / cans / sixpacks / stubbies... there's a name for that, but I can't come up with it just now. Years ago we bought about 72 bottles of vodka (it was wedding in Poland) for about 60 people, plus 100 liters of beer (2 Kegs) and can't remember how much wine, red and white, plus the obligatory water, juice, soft drinks, etc. The beer went almost all, but we were left with a dozen or more vodka bottles left, plus some more wine.

 

Oh, but, the wedding went on for two days, saturday 2PM until 4 AM next morning, and Sunday 1 PM till 9 or so.

 

Ultimately we sold the rest vodka to friends, and some we were able to give back.

here's what I'm thinking as a first guess.

 

Your guests will be sloshed or you'll have lots of leftovers .... or both.           

Edited December 1, 201411 yr by davewantsmoore

Stand up mostly. Mid march, outside in northern vic (it could be stinking hot)

The only spirits may be a few bottles of whisky tucked away for a select few (we'll see how that goes!).

how do you get 25. 1 glass = 1 standard drink..doesn't it??

One glass is not one standard drink the same way a stubby is not.  Unless the glass size has been measured ahead of time of course.

One glass is not one standard drink the same way a stubby is not.  Unless the glass size has been measured ahead of time of course.

True...rarely (if ever) are wines poured at standard measure of 100ml. So I probably should say 1 1/3 glasses per hr (2 standard drinks).

I used stubby = 1.4 std drinks.

Best thing you can do is buy a bit more with the option of returning the unopened bottles / cans / sixpacks / stubbies... there's a name for that, but I can't come up with it just now.

I'm pretty sure Dan Murphy's let you do that. Problem is that there's no Dans near the wedding, but I'm sure I can work something out.

thanks for the congrats.

haha...that's the idea isn't it!.

It does seem like a lot, but there's some rough 'science' behind the numbers. To calculate pissedness for an average male I work on the basis that*:

- one standard drink adds 0.01% to BAC

- every hour you lose 0.01% BAC.

- goal BAC > 0.05% (nobody is driving home from my wedding!)

So, 1 x Stubbie/hr (1.4 std drinks) for 9 hours = 9x1.4x0.01 - 9x0.01 = 0.036% BAC = not pissed enough.

2 x Stubbies = 0.072%

Girls will drink less, hence 2 glasses (1 std drink each) instead of 2 stubbies.

*this is a formula I was taught during an 'education program' I attended back in 1996. It seems to hold true for me.

 

You're over-complicating it!

 

Too many variables...food eaten, tiredness, drinking "form" etc.  Steady drinking doesn't allow you to lose alcohol from your system at a constant rate, it accumulates.  Not too many of the blokes will maintain a pace of 2 stubbies an hour for 9 hours...the most I'd reasonably see is 2x stubbies per hour for first 2-3 hours, then 1xstubby per hour thereafter.  18 stubbies for any bloke is a massive amount...

 

Good luck, and my congrats too!

At the rate you're suggesting your wedding might end up like this:

 

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-11-29/bride-in-hospital-groom-and-best-man-locked-up-after-wedding/5927608?&section=news

 

 

But best wishes anyway!

 

Cheers

 

Mick

Edited December 1, 201411 yr by mickj1

^ I agree with Kaynin about the variables.

 

Strictly sticking to alcohol intake you're looking at:

 

glasses per amount (case/bottle) x (cases/bottles) / number of people

= X.Y drinks per person

 

beer

(34 x 45) / 60

= 25.5 drinks per person (dpp)

 

Wine - red

(7.7 x 90) / 20

= 34.65 dpp

 

wine - white

(6.8 x 90) / 20

= 30.6 dpp

 

wine - sparkling

(7.1 x 90) / 20

= 31.95 dpp

 

Maths - ain't it fun.

 

Makes sure you have enough food to balance the drinks. I went to a wedding once at a vineyard where the wine to food ratio was severely unbalanced. Lots of very drunk people desperately wanting food.

It's tempting, but I can't see it happening. Invites are out and times are locked in. 2pm ceremony, 3pm reception start. I'd be crucified by some if I denied them a drink.

One word, Dimboola:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0079053/

Watch the movie and let me know if you have changed your mind.

Edited December 1, 201411 yr by Telecine

BTW, based on your calculations the ladies will be consuming 25 std drinks; that won't end well.

 

At that rate, the only bloke not drinking will be the happiest bloke there!

One word, Dimboola:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0079053/

Watch the movie and let me know if you have changed your mind.

acquiring it at the moment. will let you know

At that rate, the only bloke not drinking will be the happiest bloke there!

haha. except me of course

You're over-complicating it!

 

  18 stubbies for any bloke is a massive amount...

 

Good luck, and my congrats too!

I actually thought I was over simplifying it by sticking to whole numbers of either 1 or 2 an hour. I agree with you (and others) that it's quite a lot though. 18 is definitely lot, so I think12 is a good average, albeit maybe a little high. I'm assuming it'll be a stinking hot day, people will be well fed in fine drinking form. I also need to allow for some wastage and left overs.

Cheers for the Congrats. It's pretty exciting, even though it's somewhat just a formality after ~9 years together, a mortgage, a dog and one bastard child.

I actually thought I was over simplifying it by sticking to whole numbers of either 1 or 2 an hour. I agree with you (and others) that it's quite a lot though. 18 is definitely lot, so I think12 is a good average, albeit maybe a little high. I'm assuming it'll be a stinking hot day, people will be well fed in fine drinking form. I also need to allow for some wastage and left overs.

Cheers for the Congrats. It's pretty exciting, even though it's somewhat just a formality after ~9 years together, a mortgage, a dog and one bastard child.

 

Agree - I've caterred a few events - big drinkers too - regardless of the 9 hours not many wil actually top off 18 stubs without pouring them out- along with a few glasses of champane or reds as well - you might get some but it would balance out.

 

You would be ok to average out at 12 stubs per person with a couple of cartoons - hidden away for back up suggest +3.  Then cater some reds 2 glasses per person on the boys side and a round of toast champange.  you should get about 5 glasses per bottle because people generlly pur them heavy if your letting them ppour there own.  Its better if you have a barman who can keep a lid on the heavy handed guests.

 

Have pleanty of water and non acholoic options available if its hot.

 

The girls you could halve it on average - 6 drinks but have a few  more back ups especially on the champas at a wedding.

 

In the first 4 hours - things wil look like you dont have enough but then it will slow down. 

 

if the backs up don't go then it's money in the bank for you.

 

congrats - have fun.

Edited December 2, 201411 yr by DAMO 1147