How much wine do I need for 50 guests?

You need 49 bottles of wine for 50 guests at a wedding shower. This provides 209 total servings with a 15% buffer to ensure you don't run out.

How much wine per person for a wedding shower?

Plan for 4.2 servings of wine per person at a wedding shower. This accounts for the fact that not everyone drinks alcohol and consumption naturally slows as the event progresses.

How many servings are in a bottle of wine?

One bottle of wine contains 5 servings. For 50 guests, you'll need 49 bottles to provide 209 total servings.

What percentage of guests will drink wine at a wedding shower?

At a wedding shower with 50 guests, approximately 38 guests (76%) will actively drink. Our formula accounts for this when calculating the 49 bottles you need.

Should I buy extra wine as a buffer?

Yes! Our calculation of 49 bottles already includes a 15% buffer (7 extra bottles). 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 49 bottles of wine last for 50 guests?

49 bottles of wine will last approximately 3 hours for 50 guests at a wedding shower. This calculation factors in the natural slowdown of consumption as the event progresses.

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How Much Wine for a 50 Guest Wedding Shower?

You will need approx.

🍷

bottles of wine

For a 50-guest wedding shower lasting 3 hours

info 15% buffer included

209

Total servings

4.2

Per person

Buffer bottles

How We Calculated This

Our bartender-tested formula, step by step

Estimate actual drinkers

50 guests × 75% drinking rate

= 38 drinkers

At medium events, about 75% of guests typically drink alcohol.

Calculate base consumption

38 drinkers × 1.5 drinks/hour × 3 hours

= 171 base drinks

Industry standard is 1.5 drinks per person per hour for a 3-hour event.

Apply consumption decay

Adjusted for drinking slowdown over time (decay factor: 2.65)

= 151 adjusted drinks

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

Apply wedding shower modifier

× 1.4 (+40% for wine)

= 209 wine servings needed

Wedding Showers typically consume 40% more wine than average.

Convert to bottles

209 servings ÷ 5 servings per bottle

= 41.8 bottles (raw)

Each bottle of wine provides 5 servings.

Add 15% buffer & round up

41.8 × 1.15 = 48.1, rounded up

= 49 bottles

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: Wine by Guest Count

Guests	Wine Needed	Total Servings
25 guests	25 bottles	105 servings
50 guests (you)	49 bottles	209 servings
75 guests	74 bottles	314 servings
100 guests	98 bottles	418 servings
150 guests	147 bottles	627 servings
200 guests	196 bottles	836 servings

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

The Essentials

🍷 49 bottles Wine

2 pieces Wine opener/corkscrew (Have a backup!) Buy

76 glasses Wine glasses (or plastic) (2 per drinker for variety) Buy

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The Host's Secret

Editorial Curation

ATMOSPHERE

"Mimosa bars are the gold standard. Stock 1 bottle of sparkling per 3 guests, plus orange juice and peach nectar for variety."

Pro Tip #1

PREPARATION

"Skip heavy reds. Go 70% white/rosé (Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc) and 30% light red (Pinot Noir)."

Pro Tip #2

TIMING

"Create one signature cocktail (Aperol Spritz, French 75) and batch it ahead of time - plan 2 servings per guest."

Pro Tip #3

SERVICE

"25-30% of guests won't drink alcohol. Offer elegant non-alcoholic options like mocktails or flavored sparkling water."

Pro Tip #4

PRESENTATION

"Afternoon timing means lower consumption - most guests have 1-2 drinks max."

Pro Tip #5

🛒

Buying Guide

For a 2-3 hour afternoon shower, plan for 1.3 drinks per guest. Champagne and wine dominate - stock 1 bottle of sparkling per 3 guests for mimosas, plus 1 wine bottle per 2 drinking guests. Buy 10-15% extra; unopened bottles can be returned or saved for the wedding. Prosecco is cost-effective for mimosas; save real Champagne for the toast.

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