How Much Beer for a 30-Guest Wedding?
If beer is the only alcohol you serve 6 cases (4.1 servings per guest)
Seven lines of arithmetic
Change any assumption you disagree with; the answer follows.
| Estimate actual drinkers | 30 guests × 80% drinking rate | 24 drinkers |
| Calculate base consumption | 24 drinkers × 1.5 drinks/hour × 5 hours | 180 base drinks |
| Apply consumption decay | Adjusted for drinking slowdown over time (decay factor: 3.75) | 135 adjusted drinks |
| Apply wedding modifier | × 0.9 (-10% for beer) | 122 beer servings if served alone |
| Share of the bar | 122 servings × 25% | 31 beer servings |
| Convert to cases | 31 servings ÷ 24 servings per case | 1.3 cases (raw) |
| Add 15% buffer & round up | 1.3 × 1.15 = 1.5, rounded up | 2 cases |
The Knot's wedding guide plans one drink per guest per hour with a 50/25/25 liquor, beer and wine split. This model counts only the guests who drink, slows the pace after the first hour, and keeps a 15 percent margin; read the methodology.
Beer for a wedding, by guest count
| Guests | Full bar, cases | Beer only, cases | Servings |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25 guests | 2 cases | 5 cases | 25 |
| 50 guests | 3 cases | 10 cases | 48 |
| 75 guests | 4 cases | 14 cases | 71 |
| 100 guests | 5 cases | 17 cases | 89 |
| 150 guests | 7 cases | 26 cases | 133 |
| 200 guests | 8 cases | 32 cases | 165 |
Full bar figures are beer's share of a four-drink bar for a wedding, with a 15 percent buffer included.
What to put in the cart
Bag Ice
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Wheels it where the crowd is instead of the crowd finding it.
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Beer at a wedding
How much beer do I need for 30 guests?
You need 2 cases of beer for 30 guests at a wedding, assuming you are serving a full bar. That is 31 servings with a 15% buffer. If beer is the only alcohol you serve, plan on 6 cases instead.
How much beer per person for a wedding?
Plan for 1 servings of beer per person at a wedding with a full bar. This accounts for the fact that not everyone drinks alcohol, that consumption slows as the event progresses, and that beer is only 25 percent of what gets poured.
How many servings are in a case of beer?
One case of beer contains 24 servings. For 30 guests, you'll need 2 cases to provide 31 total servings.
What percentage of the bar is beer at a wedding?
About 25 percent of the drinks poured at a wedding are beer. With 30 guests, roughly 24 will be drinking, and that share works out to 2 cases.
Should I buy extra beer as a buffer?
Our figure of 2 cases already includes a 15% buffer (0 extra cases). That covers guests who drink more than average. It is always better to have leftovers than to run short.
How long will 2 cases of beer last for 30 guests?
2 cases of beer will last approximately 5 hours for 30 guests at a wedding, alongside the other drinks on the bar. This factors in the natural slowdown of consumption as the event progresses.