📖 Overview
This calculator estimates wine beer and liquor quantities for open bar planning.
It converts guest count and drinking intensity into bottle and keg targets so spend is controlled while service stays smooth.
🧪 Example Scenarios
Use these default and higher-pressure example inputs to explore how sensitive this calculator is before using your real numbers.
| Input | Base Case | Higher Pressure Case |
|---|---|---|
| Guest Count | 120 | 138 |
| Drinking Profile Code (1 Light 2 Average 3 Heavy) | 2 | 2.3 |
| Event Duration (hours) | 5 | 6 |
| Wine Share (%) | 35 | 42 |
| Beer Share (%) | 45 | 54 |
⚙️ How It Works
Projects wedding bar inventory by estimating total drinks from guest profile and event duration then splitting demand into wine beer and liquor.
The Formula
Total Drinks = Guests × Hours × Drinks-per-guest-hour(profile)
| Guest Count | Total guests expected to drink |
| Profile Code | 1 light 2 average 3 heavy drink profile |
| Duration | Total service hours for open bar |
| Wine Share | Percent of drinks expected as wine |
| Beer Share | Percent of drinks expected as beer |
💡This calculator is scenario-based. Better input quality leads to better decision quality.
⚠️Profile assumptions drive inventory heavily. Validate with venue planner and family drinking patterns before purchasing.
Quick Reference
| Guests | Profile | Hours | Estimated Total Drinks |
|---|---|---|---|
| 80 | Light | 4 | 256 |
| 120 | Average | 5 | 660 |
| 180 | Heavy | 5 | 1,260 |
When To Use This
- Use this tool when you need a fast decision during active planning or execution.
- Use this before committing money, time, or tradeoffs that are hard to reverse.
- Use this to compare options using the same assumptions across scenarios.
Edge Cases To Watch
- Results can be misleading if key inputs are missing, stale, or unrealistic.
- Very small or very large values may amplify rounding effects and interpretation risk.
- If assumptions change mid-decision, recalculate before acting.
Practical Tips
💡 Reserve margin for late-night consumption spikes.
💡 Keep beer and wine chilled lead times in the execution plan.
💡 Coordinate with bartender staffing to match expected drink pace.
Frequently Asked Questions
❓ Why use profile codes?
They provide a consistent way to model low medium and high-consumption events quickly.
❓ How are liquor bottles estimated?
This model converts liquor drink count to standard 750 mL bottle equivalents.