Service moments
Cocktail hour and toast drink planning
Welcome drinks and toasts can sit outside the main beer, wine, and spirits split.
How to account for welcome drinks, cocktail hour, champagne toasts, and table wine alongside a wedding bar estimate.
Separate fixed moments from open bar demand
A champagne toast or welcome drink may be one planned serving per guest, while the main bar estimate is based on hours and drinking profile. Keeping them separate makes the shopping list easier to check.
- Plan one toast serving per participating adult guest if needed.
- Decide whether welcome drinks replace or add to cocktail-hour bar service.
- Check whether table wine is included in the meal package.
Avoid double counting
If cocktail-hour drinks are included in the calculator's event length, do not add them again as a separate order unless they are extra fixed servings. Ask the venue how they normally count these moments.
- Clarify what the bar package includes.
- Run a separate estimate if service periods have different guest counts.
- Keep notes for the caterer or bar manager.
Separate drink moments
| Moment | How to count | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Welcome drink | Often one serving per adult guest | Double counting in bar hours. |
| Toast | Fixed serving if planned | Hiding it in wine percentage. |
| Open bar | Use hours and profile | Ignoring venue service limits. |
Follow local alcohol laws and venue rules. Do not use this to encourage overconsumption.
Worked examples
50 guests A starting bar estimate for 50 adult guests over a 5-hour reception. 75 guests A starting bar estimate for 75 adult guests over a 5-hour reception. 100 guests A starting bar estimate for 100 adult guests over a 5-hour reception. 150 guests A starting bar estimate for 150 adult guests over a 5-hour reception.