How wedding bar calculator Works
The drinks-per-guest formula
The catering standard: two drinks in the first hour, one each hour after — a 100-guest, 5-hour bar serves ~600 drinks. Every pricing model prices from this number; the models differ in who absorbs the variance between average and actual drinking.
Three pricing models
Hosted package ($30–45/guest): certainty, venue absorbs variance. Consumption ($8–10/drink): the bet — cheap for light crowds, expensive for thirsty ones, cappable. DIY (where allowed): 40–60% cheaper, requires a hired bartender and logistics discipline. The calculator prices all three from the same drink count.
The beer-and-wine middle
Beer, wine, plus one or two signature cocktails runs 60% of full-bar cost and satisfies 90% of guests. The signature cocktail doubles as a wedding detail (named, printed, remembered) and paces spirits consumption. Full top-shelf is a luxury line that guests register for exactly one drink.