Beer is the second most popular drink at wedding receptions after wine, and one of the easiest parts of the bar to get right — if you know the formula. Order too little and you disappoint a significant chunk of your guests; order too much and you're lugging warm cases home the next morning.
This guide gives you the exact numbers for every common wedding size, plus tips on which styles to serve, how to handle craft vs. domestic, and where to buy so you can return what you don't use.
The Simple Formula
At a typical wedding with a full bar, beer accounts for roughly 25–35% of all drinks consumed. Beer drinkers tend to drink slightly faster than wine drinkers — closer to 1.5 beers per hour on average. The formula:
For a full bar (wine + beer + spirits):
Cans/Bottles = Guests × Hours × 0.30 × 1.2
For beer + wine only (no spirits):
Cans/Bottles = Guests × Hours × 0.40 × 1.2
The 1.2 multiplier accounts for a heavier first hour and gives you a small built-in buffer. Divide total cans by 24 to get cases.
Example: 100 guests, 5-hour reception, full bar. That's 100 × 5 × 0.30 × 1.2 = 180 beers, or roughly 8 cases. Add a 10% buffer and you're buying 9 cases.
Beer Quantities by Guest Count
Pre-calculated for a 5-hour evening reception, moderate drinking crowd, full bar (wine, beer, and spirits).
| Guests | Total Beers | Cases Needed | With 10% Buffer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 50 guests | 90 beers | 4 cases | 4–5 cases |
| 75 guests | 135 beers | 6 cases | 6–7 cases |
| 100 guests | 180 beers | 8 cases | 9 cases |
| 125 guests | 225 beers | 10 cases | 11 cases |
| 150 guests | 270 beers | 12 cases | 13 cases |
| 200 guests | 360 beers | 15 cases | 17 cases |
What Styles of Beer to Serve
The biggest mistake couples make is over-complicating the beer selection. At a wedding, you're serving a broad audience — some guests are craft beer enthusiasts, most just want something cold and easy. The sweet spot is two to three styles maximum.
The Safe Two-Beer Strategy
Offer one easy-drinking domestic or light lager and one slightly more interesting option. This covers the full spectrum of beer drinkers without overwhelming anyone.
Option A (domestic + craft): Modelo Especial or Coors Light + a local IPA or pale ale. Split roughly 60% domestic, 40% craft.
Option B (all crowd-pleasing): Corona + Blue Moon. Both are widely liked, neither is polarizing.
Option C (craft-forward crowd): A local lager + a session IPA + one NA beer like Athletic Brewing. Works well for younger, city crowds.
Should You Serve Canned or Bottled Beer?
Cans are almost always the better choice for weddings. They chill faster, are lighter to transport, don't break, and modern cans preserve flavor just as well as bottles. The only reason to choose bottles is aesthetics — some venues and couples prefer the look of bottles on the bar. If that matters to you, bottles are fine. Otherwise, cans are easier all around.
Craft Beer vs. Domestic: What to Budget
| Beer Type | Cost Per Case | 100 Guests (9 cases) | 150 Guests (13 cases) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Domestic (Coors, Bud, Miller) | $20–26 | $180–234 | $260–338 |
| Import (Corona, Modelo, Heineken) | $28–36 | $252–324 | $364–468 |
| Craft (local IPA, pale ale) | $36–50 | $324–450 | $468–650 |
| Mixed (domestic + craft) | $28–38 | $252–342 | $364–494 |
For most weddings, a mix of domestic and import hits the right balance of cost and quality. Spending extra on all-craft beer is rarely noticed by guests — save the craft selections for a small feature option alongside a crowd-pleasing domestic.
Don't Forget Non-Alcoholic Beer
Non-alcoholic beer has improved dramatically in the last few years and is now worth including at any wedding. Athletic Brewing's Run Wild IPA and Heineken 0.0 are both genuinely good — good enough that drinking guests frequently reach for them too. Plan on 1–2 cases for a 100-person wedding, more if you have a significant number of non-drinking guests.
Where to Buy and How to Return What's Left
Always buy from a retailer that accepts returns on unopened beer — Total Wine and BevMo both do, as do many Costcos depending on local alcohol laws. This is the single most important practical tip for wedding bar planning: buy more than you need, return what you don't open.
Costco is worth checking first if you're buying large quantities — their pricing on cases is typically 15–20% cheaper than regular retailers, and their selection has improved significantly in recent years.
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Calculate My Bar Order →Frequently Asked Questions
How many cases of beer for a wedding of 100?
For 100 guests at a 5-hour reception with a full bar, plan on 8–9 cases of beer (192–216 cans or bottles). If you're not serving spirits and beer is sharing the bar with wine only, bump that to 10–11 cases.
How many cases of beer for a wedding of 50?
For 50 guests at a 5-hour reception with a full bar, plan on 4–5 cases of beer. For a shorter 3-hour reception, 3 cases is usually sufficient.
Should I serve beer at a wedding?
Yes — even at formal weddings, a meaningful portion of guests prefer beer over wine or cocktails. Skipping beer entirely will leave some guests feeling underserved. At minimum, offer one light lager alongside your wine selection.
How do I keep beer cold at an outdoor wedding?
Plan for two large coolers or galvanized tubs — one for beer, one for white wine and water. Buy bags of ice the morning of the wedding (not days ahead). Fill coolers with ice first, then nestle cans or bottles in. A properly iced cooler will keep beer cold for 6–8 hours without needing a refresh.
How much does beer for a wedding cost?
For a 100-person wedding with 9 cases of beer, budget $180–450 depending on whether you go domestic, import, or craft. Most couples spend around $250–350 on beer for a wedding of that size when mixing domestic and import options.