How much beer do I need for 250 guests?

You need 40 cases of beer for 250 guests at a wedding. This provides 823 total servings with a 15% buffer to ensure you don't run out.

How much beer per person for a wedding?

Plan for 3.3 servings of beer per person at a wedding. This accounts for the fact that not everyone drinks alcohol and consumption naturally slows as the event progresses.

How many servings are in a case of beer?

One case of beer contains 24 servings. For 250 guests, you'll need 40 cases to provide 823 total servings.

What percentage of guests will drink beer at a wedding?

At a wedding with 250 guests, approximately 163 guests (65%) will actively drink. Our formula accounts for this when calculating the 40 cases you need.

Should I buy extra beer as a buffer?

Yes! Our calculation of 40 cases already includes a 15% buffer (5 extra cases). This ensures you won't run out even if some guests drink more than average. It's always better to have leftovers than to run short.

How long will 40 cases of beer last for 250 guests?

40 cases of beer will last approximately 5 hours for 250 guests at a wedding. This calculation factors in the natural slowdown of consumption as the event progresses.

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🍷 Wine 🍺 Beer viewing 🥂 Champagne 🥃 Spirits

How Much Beer for a 250 Guest Wedding?

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cases of beer

For a 250-guest wedding lasting 5 hours

15% buffer included

823

Total servings

3.3

Per person

Buffer cases

How We Calculated This

Our bartender-tested formula, step by step

Estimate actual drinkers

250 guests × 65% drinking rate

= 163 drinkers

At xlarge events, about 65% of guests typically drink alcohol.

Calculate base consumption

163 drinkers × 1.5 drinks/hour × 5 hours

= 1223 base drinks

Industry standard is 1.5 drinks per person per hour for a 5-hour event.

Apply consumption decay

Adjusted for drinking slowdown over time (decay factor: 3.75)

= 917 adjusted drinks

People drink faster in the first hour and slow down as the event progresses.

Apply wedding modifier

× 0.9 (-10% for beer)

= 823 beer servings needed

Weddings typically consume 10% less beer than average.

Convert to cases

823 servings ÷ 24 servings per case

= 34.3 cases (raw)

Each case of beer provides 24 servings.

Add 15% buffer & round up

34.3 × 1.15 = 39.4, rounded up

= 40 cases

Always round up and add a buffer. Running out is worse than having leftovers!

* Why trust this formula?

Based on industry standards and refined by bartenders with 30+ years of experience. We factor in consumption decay (people drink less as events progress) and real-world drinking percentages.

📊 Quick Reference: Beer by Guest Count

Guests	Beer Needed	Total Servings
25 guests	4 cases	82 servings
50 guests	8 cases	165 servings
75 guests	12 cases	247 servings
100 guests	16 cases	329 servings
150 guests	24 cases	494 servings
200 guests	32 cases	658 servings

* All calculations include a 15% buffer. Amounts for wedding.

Your Shopping List

Everything you need, plus essentials you might forget

🍺

Beer

The main event

cases

Don't forget these

Ice (Keep those beers cold!)

480 lbs
Coolers (2 cases per cooler)

20 coolers
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Pro Tips for Your Wedding

Insider advice from experienced bartenders

💡

40% of all alcohol is consumed during cocktail hour - front-load your bar staff and ice.

⏰

Offer 1-2 signature cocktails instead of a full bar to cut spirit costs by 40% and speed up service.

🎯

Pre-pour wine at dinner tables 5 minutes before guests sit to prevent service bottlenecks.

🧊

Order 10-15% extra and ask vendors about their return policy on unopened bottles.

✨

If dancing goes past 10pm, reopen a simplified bar: beer, wine, and 2 signature drinks only.

🛒 Buying Guide

For weddings, plan a 60/40 split between red and white wine for fall/winter, or flip it for spring/summer. Budget $12-18 per bottle for a crowd-pleasing selection - guests can't tell the difference between $15 and $40 wine at a party. Consider having champagne for toasts separate from your open bar calculation.

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