Beer guide
How Much Beer for a Wedding
Estimate wedding beer cases by guest count, venue style and drink mix, then tune the live alcohol calculator.
Last reviewed: 2026-09-04
Quick answer
For a 120-guest wedding, the balanced estimate is about 8 cases of beer. A beer-forward outdoor reception can land closer to 11 cases before supplier and storage adjustments.
Beer-forward case starter
| 50 guests | 5 cases 41 assumed drinking guests at a 50% beer mix. |
|---|---|
| 100 guests | 9 cases 82 assumed drinking guests at a 50% beer mix. |
| 150 guests | 13 cases 123 assumed drinking guests at a 50% beer mix. |
| 200 guests | 18 cases 164 assumed drinking guests at a 50% beer mix. |
Shopping list
490
estimated drinks for 98 drinking guests over 5 hours.
| Beer | 11 cases |
|---|---|
| Wine | 35 bottles |
| Spirits | 5 bottles |
| Mixers | 8 liters |
| Champagne | 0 bottles |
| Estimated drinks service cost | $3,430 |
Cost = bar drinks + individual toast pours, multiplied by your price. This is a service allowance, not the purchase price of rounded bottles/cases. Replace the starter price with your quote; taxes, staff, delivery and corkage are excluded.
Keep variety tight
Two or three styles are easier to chill, restock and finish than six small varieties. A crowd-pleasing lager, one lighter option and one seasonal choice usually cover more guests than a wide tasting menu.
Plan cold storage before adding cases
Beer looks simple until it needs ice, bins, cooler space and recycling. Confirm who chills and restocks cans or bottles before rounding the case count up.
Adjust for venue and weather
A different venue or menu can change the service plan, but weather alone does not establish guests’ preferences. Ask about the actual mix, cold storage and restocking arrangements before changing the beer share.
What these quantities assume
The 82% drinking share, five-hour bar, one drink per hour and 35/45/20 beer/wine/spirits split are Weddenly's editable examples, not survey results. Count non-drinkers separately and confirm the order with your bar supplier.
Drinking guests are rounded first. Drinks = drinking guests × bar hours × pace, rounded up. Beer and wine are allocated first; spirits use the remainder. Bottles and cases are rounded up after allocation.
One case = 24 beers. A 750 ml wine bottle gives 5 × 150 ml pours; a 750 ml spirit bottle gives 17 × 44 ml pours. A 750 ml sparkling bottle gives 8 × 90 ml toast pours. Mixers use an editorial 100 ml per spirit drink, rounded up to liters. These are serving assumptions, not safe-consumption guidance.
Cost = bar drinks + individual toast pours, multiplied by your price. This is a service allowance, not the purchase price of rounded bottles/cases. Replace the starter price with your quote; taxes, staff, delivery and corkage are excluded.
Guest-count FAQs use one bartender per 75 guests only as an editorial conversation starter. Ask the bar service to set staffing for your menu, arrival rush and service points. Water, alcohol-free drinks, ice, storage and venue permissions need their own confirmed plan.
Method checked: 2026-09-04. Calculation checks and source policy
Drink guides
Guest-count guides
FAQs
- How many beers are in a case for wedding planning?
Use 24 beers per case unless your supplier sells a different pack size. If you are buying 12-packs, double the case count in the table. - How much beer should I buy for 150 wedding guests?
A beer-forward model estimates about 13 cases for 150 guests. A balanced bar can be closer to 9 cases if wine and spirits are equally available. - Should I buy bottles, cans or kegs?
Cans are easiest for chilling and cleanup, bottles can feel more formal, and kegs only make sense when the venue can serve and store them cleanly. - Can unopened beer usually be returned?
Sometimes, but rules vary by retailer, state and package condition. Confirm the return policy before using extra cases as your safety buffer.