How much alcohol to buy!?!

OnLA

So my venue is unlicensed meaning I have to get a Special Occasion Permit and supply my own liquor - which will most likely save me money.  The question is how much to I need to get?  If I'll have 100 guests of legal age who consume alcohol how much do I buy?  Ideally I'd like to have wine - red & white, beer - a couple varieties, vodka, gin & rum - a fairlly standard bar.  I just have no idea how much of each I would need to get -HELP!!

megabgirl

If you can, set a minimum menu of drinks so that you aren't buying several ingredients that won't end up being used that much. FOr example, if you are only planning one drink that includes gin, maybe ditch that one so you don't end up with too much gin (if you can't find a store that will accept return on unopened bottles like Stage suggested.)

QueerFemme

I used the BevMo calculator and it was pretty close to being perfect. We did have a lot of beer left over, but that's because I ordered an extra keg over what the Bevmo calculator told me to buy.

To make your life a little easier, you can always do beer, wine and 2 signature drinks. (like vodka/lemonade or rum/coke.  It might help not to have to buy a bunch of different mixers. 

Also, I would suggest you hire a bartender. 

teachmegs1

• I am in the same boat as you are.  To limit the amount of excess, plus driving myself insane with buying mixers for drinks that use vodka, gin, and rum, I am taking an idea from Pinterest and making a "Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue" sig. drink.  I am still buying mixers for these drinks, however, I have a better idea of how much of each I'll need and I limit myself from going overboard with to much of one thing, not enough of another.Are you required to bring in your own mixers for these drinks too? If so, I'd think about what drink choices you can make with them and go from there.  Vodka alone, I'd say you'll need cranberry juice, OJ (maybe), club soda, and tonic. Plus limes and lemons to garnish with.

• I'd say stick with two, maybe three choices of beer, don't go crazy, unless the beer is something that as a left over, you won't mind keeping.  A light, reg. maybe something different like an IPA, Blue Moon, or Magic Hat type beer. Purchasing kegs may be cheaper for the reg/light beer choices if you have a lot of beer drinkers. Look into that.

• We will probably be buying 10-12 bottles of wine. 3-4 of those will be a white zin. 3-4 of a red, (probably Merlot) and the rest white in a Riseling.  My something borrowed drink is a white sangria recipe from the place I bartend at, so we'll have a white wine drink already provided.

• I have a guest list of over 200. I plan on asking the same ?'s when we go to buy our alcohol as PP's have suggested.  What's the return policy. I'm sure they've also been asked buy customers how much would be appropriate for this amount of people.  I've never heard of that website, but I am now going to look into that myself.  Thanks!

OnLA

My Caterer will provide a bartender & they're really helpful and are going to guide me deciding numbers.  I'll only have about 90 drinkers at my wedding (assuming everyone on the guest list shows up).  I hadn't thought of doing a signature drink, maybe we'll do a his and hers drink and then beer and wine - I also hadn't considered getting kegs instead of bottles.  I figured I'd get 4 varieties, our favourite (an IPA), a light, an import and another brand and then 2 reds and 2 whites maybe?  I think I've decided against the vodka, gin & rum...most of our guests will drink beer or wine and i think they'll be okay with those choices.