Party Time: How much do you drink at a wedding?

malejos0226 · December 2011

I think you would judge it based on the number of guests you will be inviting, how much you know they drink (a lot, a little, socially, moderation, special occasions, etc.) and then go based on your budget. I'm all for a good time, however I do know that a good majority of the people that will be attneding mine like to drink on a normal basis and like to have a good time (more than they should at times). And then there's people like my mom who have a drink maybe 1-3 times a year if that. I also know that there will be kids there, and also some of the people who drink a lot I feel would take real advantage of an open bar which would probably break the bank on our budget since our budget is 10k total and that's the max. You also want to take into consideration that you don't want your guest abliterated to where they are falling down, brekaing things, inhibitiing you from enjoying yourself. All in all I think you are the best judge of what should be done. Maybe have an open bar but only for cocktail hour? That way it's the best of both and it will limit a budget on alcohol and after that it could be cash bar. That's ultimately what I would choose. Open bar for about an hour, two tops, and then from then on have a cash bar. I'm young and I'm not made of money and my FI and I are going to pretty much pay for everything ourselves. Hope this helps.

lunarsongbird · December 2011

Thanks, Malejos! We aren't inviting anyone that would get fall down drunk at our wedding. I guess we just don't really hang out with those type of people. Even if I was at a "traditional" venue- I probably wouldn't do a cash bar.

Fortunately- we are having more of a casual BBQ with some good food and dancing...with no bartender. Just some awesome libations- and an assumption that our guests are adults and will make decisions accordingly.

malejos0226 · December 2011

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_party-time-much-drink-wedding?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:977d09e2-7e99-4089-a9e6-7e4f03894defPost:31d08d1d-790e-46fa-afb5-69259b9bbc96">Re: Party Time: How much do you drink at a wedding?</a>:
[QUOTE]Thanks, Malejos! We aren't inviting anyone that would get fall down drunk at our wedding. I guess we just don't really hang out with those type of people. Even if I was at a "traditional" venue- I probably wouldn't do a cash bar. Fortunately- we are having more of a casual BBQ with some good food and dancing...with no bartender. Just some awesome libations- and an assumption that our guests are adults and will make decisions accordingly. :)
Posted by lunarsongbird[/QUOTE]

<div>
</div><div>That's more along the lines of what I believe we will be doing. With that being said I was planning on us having 2-3 choices of bottled beer (Bud Light, Miller Light, Shiner) and then a margarita machine or margarita bar. I don't drink beer and liquor can get tricky when trying to accomodate people, but I don't know of many that would turn down a margarita. Margarita machines are easier to come by, and as far as beer goes, when FI was previously married they just had a bunch of coolers that had beer.</div>

polichik · December 2011

I'm actually drinking Prosecco right now (DH got an unexpected bonus, so we're celebrating). Sparkling wine is my hands-down favorite at a wedding, but I have to be careful with it, since it gets me drunk fast!

I might not look it, but I can put away a substantial amount of alcohol over the course of a long evening. I don't drink a ton when out at bars for a few hours, but if we're talking a 6-hour reception, I could drink 10 drinks as long as they were spaced far apart and intersperced with water and food.

And please don't have a cash bar (did everyone see this in the OP, or am I crazy?)! Just serve what you can afford, even if it's beer, wine, and soda

P.S. CO Springs represent! I went to CC

mkrupar · December 2011

Poli I saw the cash bar part, but just read it as it was being debated on NEY. I never believed OP would have a cash bar as she's already said they're providing all of the alcohol for the venue.

lenergyrlah · December 2011

I put about 2 or 3, but I know a lot of my friends would probably drink 6 or 7.

I know I'm running the big risk of overgeneralizing here, but my gut tells me that most of the posters on this board are women. In my personal experience, most of the "big drinkers" are men. Their bodies metabolize alcohol faster so they have to drink more to get/stay drunk.

Basically long story short, I think this poll will underestimate the true average # drinks that most people will have.

krizzo17 · December 2011

OP, find out if there are any liquor stores in the area that will buy back unopened bottles. I know there's a liquor store near where I grew up that does that, so everyone stocks up there for weddings and parties, and just returns the unopened stuff afterwards. That way you have no fear of running out, but also won't be stuck with 75 bottles of unopened vodka afterwards

rebarobert2012 · December 2011

For me, it depends on what kind of drinks are avaliable and whether or not I have to drive. I am picky about drinks.

malejos0226 · December 2011

Well for my guest list it's about 50/50

FI "texas mom" can drink like no one i've seen lol, plus her son, also FI mom, my sister, and my female friends, my dad. Some of them could outdrink some males I know too.

I want everyone to have a good time and enjoy the celebration but not at our expense. We will most likely have to buy the beer and machine/bar anyways so I'd rather limit it to some extent. Like I said if I were going to have the option of an open bar I'd only do it for maybe just the beer for maybe an hour type thing and the remainder be cash bar.

entropicbeauty · December 2011

I answered 6-7 but that's IF i'm drinking. I unfortunately end up being the DD more times than not and in that circumstance I will just have 1 drink at the very beginning of the evening.

If you want the party to last late into the night, you will have to anticipate people drinking more than they will if you plan to kick everyone out at 10pm. You should also be able to guage your guest list as to who is a party animal and who among them are more moderate drinkers...

As for wedding beverages, the bars tend to be poorly stocked so I usually stick to rum & coke or white wine. If you're stocking the bar yourself and will have good stuff to make a variety of drinks though, maybe ask around to your group of friends & family and see what they like to drink. From our guest list, we know that certain relatives ONLY drink one kind of beer or another, so we're going to make sure we've got a stock of both along with other options (like you, we're able to bring in our own booze which is AWESOME!)

chumlee7478 · December 2011

If it's a friend's wedding, I'm more in the 7-10 drink range. If it's a family wedding, I'm down around 3-4 drinks (that's just because my judgy aunts side eye people when they have more than a few drinks, because that in their eyes makes them lushes. Yep. I have an awesome family).

As for favorite drink? Either bourbons and ginger or vodka cranberrys and sprite. I love prosecco, we're serving it at our wedding instead of champagne. We are having "featured" drinks for our cocktail hour, and one they're making will be bellinis. Cannot wait!!!

jsleik · December 2011

I put down 4-5, but it depends on how long the wedding is, what the choices are and if I'm driving.

However, when we were figuring it out, our venue told us to figure 2 drinks per adult for the first hour, then a drink/guest/hour for every hour after that. We had a huge range of guests and I think it worked out to about that, maybe a little less.

If you don't want to have to manage a full bar, I'd recommend doing a couple of kinds of beer, a couple of red wines, a couple of whites, and then maybe a couple of signature drinks. You could mix some bubbly into the white and/or a signature drink.

You're so lucky with no corkage fee - have fun picking stuff!!! Sounds great!!!

nsteetle · December 2011

I am a bad judge. I had waaay too much alcohol left after my wedding. Enough to stock my liquor cabinet for the next 5 years... but if you google it, it will come. Seriously, there are a ton of equations you can find. I'd also check with your caterer. They should have suggested amounts for the number of guests you will be hosting.

Maggie0829 · December 2011

I answered 4-5 but honestly it depends on the wedding and the type of drinking mood I am in. The last wedding I went to I drank 1 glass of wine, but another wedding about a month before the last I attended I probably finished off a bottle and a half of wine LOL, so to me it all depends on the atmosphere, if I am in the mood to get a little buzzed, or if I am the DD of the night.

As for favorite drink...I usually stick to wine. I am not a big liquor fan, but will have one or two if it is free. Honestly, if you have good beer and wine and one or two specialty drinks then your guests will be happy.

amys325 · December 2011

I'm a lush and I drink a lot....definitely more than 7.

But I think if you average it out with the drinkers and the non drinkers, I think the rule is 1 per person per hour.

amys325 · December 2011

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_party-time-much-drink-wedding?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:9Discussion:977d09e2-7e99-4089-a9e6-7e4f03894defPost:357225f3-cb90-4853-89dd-515f894db68f">Re: Party Time: How much do you drink at a wedding?</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: Party Time: How much do you drink at a wedding? : Same here. I often drink beer, but if there's a special cocktail (my cousin did whiskey sours at her wedding, <strong>we did arnold palmers with sweet tea vodka</strong>), then I'll try it, especially later in the night. I might also have wine with dinner. But it takes me a while to get through a drink.
Posted by msmerymac[/QUOTE]

It's called a John Daly :)

TurtlesAllTheWayDown · December 2011

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_party-time-much-drink-wedding?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:977d09e2-7e99-4089-a9e6-7e4f03894defPost:c0f19e0b-08ea-484f-b2e8-b81c8fa541cd">Re: Party Time: How much do you drink at a wedding?</a>:
[QUOTE]I drink about a drink per hour.
Posted by mica178[/QUOTE]

Same here. I often drink beer, but if there's a special cocktail (my cousin did whiskey sours at her wedding, we did arnold palmers with sweet tea vodka), then I'll try it, especially later in the night. I might also have wine with dinner. But it takes me a while to get through a drink.

ETA: The amount people drank didn't matter to me, since I negotiated a set price per person to cover alcohol for the duration of the reception, versus doing a consumption bar.

kalpi108 · December 2011

Yeah, I nurse my drinks, too. I think for me, it'd be 4-5 at most. At this point with my tolerance being what it is, I'd be showing it if I were to reach 5. I'm happy with 3-4. Oh, how times have changed.

ETA: I always ask for Prosecco and, if they don't have that, Cava. I'm a sparkling wine gal at dinners and at weddings. Gawd I love it. At my house and at bars is when I get beer.

Ljacks87 · December 2011

I put 2-3, but may drink 4, depending on how long the reception is or how substantial dinner was. I'm a lightweight.This is based on not having to drive....H and I would have 1-2 early in the evening if we had to drive. My drink of choice is wine and H likes beer mostly. As a guest, I would prefer an open bar, even if the choices are limited, as opposed to cash.

IRJDLH514 · December 2011

At wedding, most people like to drink, and with all the people there most people need more to drink, i would say about 8-12 drinks per person for about 4 hours. Capt and Coke, Vodka and Cranberry, Gin and Tonix, Beer, Wine such as arbour mist, white zifendale, along them lines, such as wine. Every wedding I been to most people who are drinkers are getting 2 drinks at a time. Hope this Helps. BTW our wedding is going to be an open bar.

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