Rehearsal Dinner Alcohol Calculator
Estimate beer, wine, and liquor inventory for the rehearsal dinner as its own event, using your guest list, timeline, non-drinkers, and menu preferences.
Estimate Dinner InventoryEstimate Rehearsal Dinner Inventory
Defaults: 50 guests, 3 hours, no assumed non-drinkers, and a Wine Lovers profile. The buffer starts off. Adjust every input to match your dinner.
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Default Calculator Assumptions
How the Estimate Works
1. Count Active Drinkers
Enter dinner guests, then exclude the percentage who will not drink alcohol.
2. Set Dinner Duration
The model reserves 2 servings in hour one and 1 in each later hour.
3. Round to Packages
The selected mix becomes beer cases, wine bottles, and liquor bottles.
Rehearsal Dinner Quick Reference
Three-hour Wine Lovers inventory with no assumed non-drinkers or buffer
| Guests | Base servings | Beer | Wine bottles | Liquor bottles |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 | 80 | 16 beers (1 cases) | 10 | 1 |
| 30 | 120 | 24 beers (1 cases) | 15 | 2 |
| 50 | 200 | 40 beers (2 cases) | 24 | 3 |
| 75 | 300 | 60 beers (3 cases) | 36 | 4 |
Independent category and package rounding can leave unused capacity. Toast wine, mixers, ice, water, and alcohol-free drinks are outside this estimate.
Keep Events Separate
Use this result only for the rehearsal dinner. Calculate the reception and any dedicated toast separately so their timelines and menus stay clear.
Confirm the Venue Plan
Check service, corkage, outside-alcohol, return, staffing, and transportation details before turning the estimate into a purchase.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much alcohol do I need for a rehearsal dinner of 30 guests?
For 30 guests, 3 hours, no assumed non-drinkers, a Wine Lovers profile, and no buffer, the calculator reserves 120 servings: 24 beers (1 case), 15 wine bottles, and 2 liquor bottles. This is a purchasing estimate, not a consumption target.
What does the default rehearsal dinner example produce?
The default is 50 guests for 3 hours, with no assumed non-drinkers, a 20% beer, 60% wine, and 20% liquor Wine Lovers split, and the optional buffer switched off. It produces 200 base inventory servings, packaged as 2 beer cases, 24 wine bottles, and 3 liquor bottles.
How does the rehearsal dinner calculator work?
It reserves 2 servings per active drinking guest for the first hour and 1 for each later hour. It applies the selected profile, rounds each category up, and converts it using 24 beers per case, 5 wine servings per bottle, and 17 liquor servings per 750ml bottle.
Do I have to use the Wine Lovers profile?
No. It is simply the page default for a wine-forward dinner menu. Pick another profile if your menu emphasizes beer, cocktails, a balanced mix, or lighter options, and set the non-drinker percentage from your own guest information.
Does the estimate include wine for a toast or the wedding reception?
No. It covers beer, wine, and liquor inventory for the rehearsal dinner time window only. Calculate a separate sparkling-wine toast and run the wedding reception as a separate event so the inventories are not combined.
How should I budget for rehearsal dinner drinks?
Price the calculated packages using current venue or retailer quotes, then add service charges, tax, delivery, mixers, ice, water, and alcohol-free drinks that apply. Confirm corkage and outside-alcohol policies before comparing venue service with retail purchasing.
Plan the rehearsal dinner bar
Adjust the defaults to build an inventory estimate for your dinner.
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